Tradewind Aviation to Launch Daily Fort Lauderdale–Nassau PC-12 Service on December 10, 2026
Why It MattersPairing FBO-to-FBO terminals with a low entry fare on a short international hop shows how scheduled PC-12 operators are pitching private-terminal convenience at near-airline price points on island routes.
What happened
Tradewind Aviation will launch a daily non-stop service between Fort Lauderdale and Nassau on December 10, 2026, flying Pilatus PC-12 aircraft. The service runs once a day, year-round, with fares starting at $299 one-way plus taxes and fees. Seats on the new route are on sale now.
Flights depart from the Sheltair FBO at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and arrive at Odyssey Aviation, a private terminal at Lynden Pindling International Airport on New Providence Island. The PC-12 is flown with two pilots and offers a pressurized, air-conditioned cabin, leather seating, and complimentary snacks and refreshments.
Because both ends of the trip use FBO terminals instead of commercial concourses, passengers can arrive an hour before departure, hand their luggage directly to the Tradewind flight crew, and walk to the aircraft without passing through a TSA checkpoint.
It is the first Nassau service in Tradewind's schedule to operate seven days a week; the Stuart departures run Thursday through Monday. Tradewind says it has quadrupled its flight offerings across the region since opening its Southeast base three years ago. From Fort Lauderdale, the company already flies to North Eleuthera twice daily and to Marsh Harbour three times daily, both year-round, with fares starting at $329 one-way plus taxes and fees on each. Nassau becomes the third Bahamas destination served from the airport and the cheapest of the three at the opening fare.
The Stuart schedule
The Stuart schedule, flown from Witham Field, runs on a Thursday-through-Monday pattern. Stuart to Nassau operates once daily from $299 one-way, Stuart to North Eleuthera twice daily from $329, and Stuart to Marsh Harbour three times daily from $329.
Industry impact & what to watch
Scheduled turboprop service between private terminals sits in a gap between airline seats and full charter. The product trades the lowest possible fare for a shorter, simpler airport process: no commercial concourse, no checkpoint queue, bags handed straight to the crew. A $299 opening fare on a route this short puts that convenience within reach of travellers who would otherwise default to an airline ticket.
The economics of such a route depend on frequency and load factor on a small aircraft, so a seven-day, year-round pattern is a commitment to steady demand instead of a seasonal test. Adding Nassau alongside North Eleuthera and Marsh Harbour gives Tradewind three Bahamas destinations from one Fort Lauderdale base, which lets it spread FBO relationships, crew and aircraft across a denser schedule.
The next milestone is the December 10, 2026 start date itself. How quickly the daily Nassau flight fills at the $299 opening fare, and whether that price holds once the route is established, will show how much room scheduled FBO-to-FBO operators have to compete on price in this market.
