BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. – Starting July 2, a new flight offered by Tri-Cities Regional Airport will give passengers a direct connection to the Windy City.
American Airlines will be running two non-stop flights from the local airport to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Local economic develop leaders and airport officials praised the new flights, which will start at about $380 for a round-trip ticket, not including taxes and fees, during a Monday news conference.
“We’re really excited about this,” said Newt Raff, chairman of the Regional Alliance for Economic Development. “We are happy to participate in something that’s going to help our community and make a better tomorrow.”
Raff said the flights will benefit the area because they will link the Tri-Cities with hundreds of cities across the U.S. that American serves through its Chicago airport. The connections also will open up the region to international airports in Europe and Asia, he said, which makes the area very attractive to international businesses.
Flights from Tri-Cities will leave at 6:10 a.m. and 4:05 p.m., Eastern Time, and will arrive in Chicago at 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Central Time. Flights from Chicago will leave at 12:50 p.m. and 8:25 p.m., Central Time, and arrive in Tri-Cities at 3:40 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. Eastern Time.
American Airlines has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the Tri-Cities airport. It offered the airport’s first commercial flight in 1937 and offered service to Nashville until a few years ago, airport spokeswoman Melissa Thomas said.
The airport also is served by Delta Airlines, which offers flights to Atlanta and Detroit, U.S. Airways Express, which serves Charlotte, N.C., and Allegiant Air, which serves the Orlando International and Clearwater/St. Petersburg airports in Florida.
gmclean@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2518
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