Missoula Airport officials announced exciting news Thursday, for travelers looking for a direct flight to the Midwest.
Starting in December, Missoula Montana Airport will now offer a direct flight to Chicago O’Hare International Airport year-round with American Airlines.
With feedback from travelers, Missoula airport and business partners wanted to incentivize a more affordable and less travel time for their fliers to the east coast.
“What we have heard from travelers, is that is is very costly and inefficient to travel to the eastern seaboard,” Grant Kier, President & CEO for Missoula Economic Partnership said.
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Many business partnerships including Destination Missoula, Missoula Economic Partnerships, Western Montana’s Glacier County and the Montana Department of Commerce, raised and matched funding for a grant to fund this service.
The Small Community Air Service Development grant offers help to smaller communities with air service and airfare challenges through the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Emily Rolston, Sales Manager with Destination Missoula, says this connection to the east coast year-round will assist travelers and give them more options.
“Having this wintertime service just offers so many options for people who are traveling to the east coast,” Rolston said, “We worked really hard to make this happen.”
With tourism being on the rise in Montana, the flight will also make the state more accessible for tourists.
“People are more likely to come to an area, when it is easier to fly here,” Lucy Beighle, Director of Communications for Western Montana’s Glacier Country said.
Kier says travelers also said the traveling takes more than a day to the Midwest.
“Our hope is that with better scheduling and lower prices we can cut down that extra day on the schedule and maybe an extra meal and hotel room on top of those costs,” Kier said.
