Tui and Corendon to compete on Dusseldorf-Curacao route

Corendon Airlines will begin flying from Dusseldorf to Curacao this coming winter, the first time it has offered a direct link on the route. The carrier plans three weekly flights with a leased Airbus A330 to the Caribbean island, where it operates five hotel properties. Dusseldorf airport chief Lars Redeligx said the connection expands the airport's tourist network with an attractive Caribbean option.

Tui Airline has now announced it will also serve the route, with two weekly flights using a Boeing 787. According to the magazine FVW, the Dreamliner will come from Tui Airlines Nederland and remain based in Amsterdam. The service is expected to start at the end of March 2027 and will be offered year-round.

Tui airline commercial chief Peter Glade told the magazine the company is targeting customers from Germany and the Netherlands. He said demand for Curacao flights in the Netherlands is high, but Amsterdam airport is restricted by the government. Tui is therefore trying to capture potential from Dusseldorf, Glade said. The group also plans to open a Tui Blue hotel on the island, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The two carriers will use different aircraft with different cabin layouts. The article notes that the Dutch Tui Boeing 787-8 carries up to 305 passengers in two classes. Glade said further expansion of the route is possible if it proves successful.