Viva Mexico

Dallas-based hop-on jet service takes off to sunny Mexico for spring break

Spring break in Cabo, here we come.

Photo courtesy of JSX

Affordable hop-on jet service JSX is launching two weekend “pop-up” flights from its home base of Dallas Love Field to Los Cabos, Mexico this spring.

Though travelers should still follow CDC guidelines for flying, JSX says the fights are meant to be a safer alternative to overcrowded airports and packed planes amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“For many travelers, this will be the first international trip they have taken in over a year and we are pleased to offer our customers a safe and socially-distanced experience both on the ground, and in the air so they can fly with peace of mind,” says JSX CEO Alex Wilcox in a release.

The new roundtrip flights are offered just twice: Thursday through Sunday, March 11-14, and Thursday through Monday, April 1-5, and are available for booking now at www.jsx.com. (April 4 is Easter, by the way, for those who want sing the "Hallelujah" chorus on the beach.)

Fares start at $499 each way and details include:

Two roundtrip flights for either the March or April dates.
Roundtrip-only flights must be booked at least 72 hours prior to departure date.
Customers may arrive just 60 minutes before their flight from Signature Flight Support DAL, Terminal 2, 7515 Lemmon Ave., Dallas.
Arrive at and return from Los Cabos FBO Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, Mexico — free of crowds and lines.
Customers must follow all CDC requirements for COVID-19 testing and comply with federal regulations for face coverings on the ground and inflight. (The CDC requires each customer to present a negative COVID-19 test from a test taken within 72 hours of the scheduled return flight to the United States; not provided by JSX.)

"JSX flies between private terminals on 30-seat jets at prices comparable to a commercial ticket, which means travelers can escape for crowd-free spring break travel without exposure to airport crowds, jostling with overhead bins, or irksome middle seats," the release says. "Plus, two complimentary checked bags as well as beverages, snacks, and cocktails inflight are included in every fare."

The carrier is also launching a new daily flight between Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby to support fast and efficient day trips between the cities. The second six-day-a-week roundtrip service begins on Monday, March 1, from the JSX private terminals at Dallas Love Field and Houston Hobby. Fares start at $99 one way. Houston flights operate from the JSX hangar at 8401 Nelms St., Houston. Read more about the existing flights to Houston here.

Dallas-based JSX debuted service from Love Field in June 2020, with introductory flights to Las Vegas and North Carolina. They've also added service to Lajitas Golf Resort in West Texas.

JSX calls itself a “hop-on jet service” because customers may arrive just 20 minutes before departure at private terminals and simply “hop on” a flight, avoiding the crowds and lines. At Love Field, travelers have access to valet parking, Wi-Fi lounges, and speedy baggage retrieval.

On board, passengers can relax in a business class-caliber seat and enjoy complimentary drinks, snacks, and cocktails. It also has a pet-friendly policy that allows small dogs and cats to fly for free.

The company's goal is to provide a luxury travel experience at competitive prices, they say.

Traveling by private jet became popular for travelers at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic last spring and summer, experts say. JSX's safety standards, dubbed "Simpli-Fly," include contactless temperature screenings, an advanced air circulation system, and no middle seating. Masks are required in lounges and on board flights.

JSX is also now introducing a unique seating configuration whereby 30 single seats are arranged in a 1x1 layout, each offering at least 35 inches of legroom and no overhead bins to allow for comfortable social distancing in the air. Some seats offer a leather-covered cocktail table and work area.

JSX flights can be booked directly through the website or the app. The company also partners with JetBlue, and TrueBlue members may earn points on JSX flights.

transportation vacation

Shopping for a cause

Dallas nonprofit Bonton Farms spreads its wings with 2 DFW Airport stores

DFW Airport

Bonton Farms stand at DFW Airport

South Dallas nonprofit Bonton Farms is going international without straying too far from home. The organization is debuting two storefronts at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport: one that just opened and another coming this fall.

The larger Bonton Farms marketplace, a 2,895-square-foot space in Terminal A, quietly opened in mid-August.

A second, smaller 551-square-foot newsstand near the A-Pier will open in October, when the airport's A-Pier expansion is scheduled to open, a spokesperson says. (Exact date is still TBA.)

The shops are called, simply, "Bonton Farms" and are operated by Marshall Retail Group, a subsidiary of WHSmith North America, which is partnering with Bonton Farms on the airport concept.

According to a release, both stores will sell Bonton Farms products such as locally made honey, handmade jam, and goat-milk soap, along with apparel, merchandise, and products made by "Bontonpreneurs," the local entrepreneurs supported through the nonprofit's business-development programs.

Bonton Farms' goods are now sold at DFW Airport Terminal A. Photo courtesy of Bonton Farms

The stores will also offer fresh grab-and-go food, including sandwiches, wraps, salads and sweet treats, as well as travel essentials and souvenirs and gifts.

The airport project was first announced in 2024 as a partnership between Bonton Farms, WHSmith, and DFW Airport. The plan called for Bonton Farms products to be sold alongside goods from other North Texas businesses, including Fort Worth's Sons Coffee, Lettuce Cook, and Pearl Honey Spreads.

Bonton Farms began in the Bonton neighborhood with a small beekeeping operation and has grown into a nonprofit farm, market and community hub. Its operations now include two farm sites, a coffeehouse, farmers market, preservatory and farm-to-table Market/Café, along with programs focused on workforce development, education, health and wellness, economic opportunity and access to fresh food.

"This opening represents an exciting milestone for Bonton Farms and the community we serve," says Mark Jones, President & CEO of Bonton Farms, in the release. "For the first time, our products and our story will reach travelers from around the world. Through this partnership with WHSmith North America, we're creating new opportunities to share the mission of Bonton Farms while generating additional support for programs that help our neighbors thrive."

The airport shops are designed to introduce Bonton Farms to travelers who may not otherwise encounter the organization or its products.

"This store isn't just retail space, it's a front door to our mission," says Kendra Charisse Smith, Director of Operations at Bonton Farms, who oversaw execution of the partnership. "From sourcing and packaging our products to meet the demands of a whole new scale of distribution, every step was about making sure Bonton Farms shows up authentically in one of the busiest airports in the world. This launch reflects the same care and intentionality we put into everything we do in South Dallas.”

charity dfw airport nonprofits bonton farms airport