Hoping to expand its travel trade distribution, Brightline launched earlier this month on the Amadeus Travel Platform, offering travel advisors a 15% commission for bookings made using the portal through Aug. 4.
Billing itself as “higher-speed rail service,” Brightline operates passenger trains that reach 125 miles per hour, connecting travelers to destinations in Central and South Florida at stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Orlando.
And according to Julie Sharenow, vice president of sales for Brightline, business has been booming.
“This past March, we had our biggest, record-breaking month in the history of Brightline — so all-time ridership and revenue,” she said. “And we had a little over 15,000 people travel in just one day.”
This past March, we had our biggest, record-breaking month in the history of Brightline — so all-time ridership and revenue.
Nearly 3.2 million people traveled on Brightline trains in 2025, according to Sharenow, who said ridership was up 21% year over year during the first quarter of 2026.
Sea and Air Affiliations
Focusing on “city pairs that are too close to fly and too long to drive,” Brightline debuted in 2018 then opened its Orlando station in 2023 and now caters to a sizeable chunk of vacationers seeking to combine theme park experiences with Caribbean cruising, says Sharenow.
Brightline operates out of six Florida stations, including Miami.
Credit: 2026 Brightline
“When we're thinking about travel advisors, what we want them to know is now you don't have to choose between South Florida or Orlando,” she said. “You have this train that can easily connect you to both, and your vacation can be much bigger than what it has been in the past.”
When we're thinking about travel advisors, what we want them to know is now you don't have to choose between South Florida or Orlando.
Travel time on a Brightline train journeying from Orlando to Miami is roughly three-and-a-half hours, and Sharenow says the rail operator is now promoting fares starting at $39 per person.
The executive says her company is also currently involved in planning discussions with a pair of cruise line partners about bundled products, including a program entitled “Rail to Sail” in the works for later this summer that provides shuttle service between Brightline train stations and cruise terminals. The rail operator has teamed up with cruise partners on similar deals in the past.
“By partnering with these cruise lines, we can provide that seamless connection for those flying into Orlando,” Sharenow said, noting that several of Brightline’s South Florida train stations are minutes from nearby ports. “Maybe they go to the parks for a couple of days, and then they take our train down to Fort Lauderdale or Miami and hop on a cruise. … Basically, you start your vacation with Brightline, and everything is handled for you while you make your way.”
Last summer, Brightline also entered into a partnership with JetBlue to provide air-rail interline tickets, allowing JetBlue passengers flying into Orlando International Airport to then board Brightline trains headed for South Florida at the rail company’s Orlando station, located within the airport.
“So, you can have a seamless journey and one ticket, not having to do two different itineraries and two different bookings,” Sharenow said.
More Growth Ahead?
Looking to increase awareness among advisors, Brightline took part at IPW this year in Fort Lauderdale, providing discounts to travel sellers interested in taking the train to the event after flights into airports in Miami and Orlando.
Sharenow added that advisors have long been able to earn a 10% commission on bookings made at BrightlineTravelAdvisors.com, where travel sellers can take advantage of additional promotions, discounts and special offers for clients.
Brightline was also named an official Miami World Cup 2026 Host City Supporter on May 19, and the rail company’s Aventura Station, which is the closest rail station to Miami Stadium, will serve as one of four designated transportation hubs during the FIFA World Cup 2026. Miami Stadium is set to host seven World Cup matches later this summer, including a quarterfinal and the bronze final.
Preliminary construction has, meanwhile, begun on Brightline West, an electric, high-speed train that will travel at 180 miles per hour between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California, according to Brightline spokesperson Michael Hicks.
“That's along the I-15 corridor,” Hicks said about Brightline West’s planned route through the desert. “Right now, the target on that is 2029. … And obviously, anybody who's done that drive between Vegas and LA knows that a train would be a great way to bypass it all.”
Brightline passengers can book seats in the rail operator’s premium or economy classes.
Credit: 2026 Brightline
Touting Brightline as an “experience,” Sharenow was quick to praise the comfort of the train’s leather seats and service, mentioning that travelers can choose from either a premium or economy class.
“And our stations are one of a kind, beautifully built,” she said. “They’re inviting, bright, airy. It’s fresh; it's clean. It is definitely what a modern traveler is looking for today — curated food and beverage, the comfort of our lounges, the free Wi-Fi. We really are offering an experience that begins when you first step into our stations and gets even better when you get onto the trains.”
