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Columbia Regional Airport adds new airline, destination

TOMÁS ORIHUELA AND JEREMY TURLEY Feb 27, 2017 Updated Feb 27, 2017

COLUMBIA — United Airlines will begin �ights to and from Denver and Chicago at Columbia Regional Airport beginning Aug. 1.

United made the announcement in a news release on its website Monday morning. Columbia Mayor Brian Treece followed up at a crowded

news conference Monday at city hall later Monday morning, detailing the agreement with United Airlines and hailing it as a good thing for

local consumers.

United's twice daily �ights to Chicago O'Hare International Airport will compete directly with those by American Airlines, which has been

�ying to and from Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth daily since February 2013. 

The additional �ights mean Columbia can connect directly with three of the �ve megahub airports in the United States.

Treece explained that since 2010 there has been an 85 percent growth in demand for �ights in and out of Columbia Regional. That reached a

peak last month, when the city saw 10,421 passengers either arrive or depart the airport. That was the highest number of January

passengers in the airport's history.  

"The American Airlines experience with this market has attracted new companies," Treece said. "Now, these two major airlines will be

competing, especially with Chicago. Ultimately, I think that will drive down fares."

LUKE BRODARICKColumbia City Mayor Brian Treece talks to reporters at a news conference Monday to announce and expansion andincrease of flights at the Columbia Regional Airport. New daily flights to Denver International Airport and twice dailyflights to Chicago O'Hare Airport.

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The nearly 100 people gathered at the news conference in city hall's council chambers cheered and applauded when Treece announced the

westward connection to Denver. 

A recent passenger demand analysis found that Denver's Stapleton International Airport was one of the most requested destinations to and

from Columbia, according to a news release from the city.

The release said that the Denver airport has more than 400 daily peak departures, 115 domestic connections and nine international

destinations.

"Travelers won't need to worry about driving and parking in Kansas City or St. Louis to catch their �ights," Treece said.

It was unclear on Monday just how consumer-friendly United's ticket prices will be. Price quotes for round-trip �ights to Denver on Aug. 2

�uctuated dramatically but most often showed a price of $290 for the �ight out and $298 for the �ight back. Flights to and from Chicago

were $201 each way.

Treece also emphasized the revolving-door connection, saying the new United �ights will make it easier for people from all over the country

to come to Columbia for business, educational purposes or entertainment such as the True/False Film Fest and the Roots N Blues N BBQ

Festival.

Asked about the possibility of growing elsewhere, Treece sounded optimistic. "We will listen to our customers. They will probably like to see

a Phoenix, Atlanta or Charlotte connection. This will depend on us moving forward as voters show the con�dence with it."

United's �ights to Denver and Chicago will feature 50-seat Bombardier CJ200 planes, Andrew Bell, United Airlines' sales manager for

Missouri, said. 

The �ights from and to Columbia Regional were among several new services United announced Monday. It also will add �ights between

Spring�eld and Houston and between Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, and Chicago, according to a news release posted on its website. The

�ights are intended to improve domestic connectivity, United said.

Most of the new �ights are scheduled to begin June 8. Bell couldn't explain why the Columbia services won't begin until Aug. 1. 

United's news comes after the recent announcement by American Airlines that it would begin using larger Bombardier CRJ900 airplanes

for its twice-daily Columbia �ights to and from Dallas/Fort Worth. The larger planes seat 76 people, including 12 in �rst class. American also

uses CRJ700 models that have between 63 and 66 seats. American Airlines has two daily �ights to Chicago.

2/28/2017 Columbia Regional Airport adds new airline, destination | Local | columbiamissourian.com

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Bell said United Airlines hopes to work with businesses and corporations to �ll planes.

City Manager Mike Matthes said the Columbia Regional Airport terminal will be able to handle the logistics of two airlines even though three

planes will be taking o� within an hour of each other.

"We have two gates, and we can �t enough passengers to do it. It will be busier than it's ever been, but it's doable," Matthes said.

The new �ights also will bring new United Airlines sta� to the airport, but Bell said he couldn't say how many. 

"The tenants control the business," Matthes said.

The city for years has been planning construction of a new airport terminal. That goal got a big boost in August when voters approved an

increase in the city's tax on hotel and motel stays to help pay for the project. The new terminal still will require signi�cant investment from

federal grants, according to previous Missourian reporting.

Treece said the city will need "a couple of triggers for that to happen.... We hope to begin the construction of that terminal by the end of the

year."

Runway improvements also have been underway or in the works. The city plans to begin construction on a larger Taxiway C in �scal 2018

so that the city can handle larger planes.

Supervising editor is Scott Swa�ord.

Future flight scheduleHere's what the schedule at Columbia Regional Airport will look like when United Airlines adds its flight service to Denver and Chicago to that of American Airlines on Aug.1.

Flights to Chicago

United departs COU at 5:30 a.m. and arrives at ORD at 6:45 a.m.American departs COU at 6:19 a.m. and arrives at ORD at 7:50 a.m.American departs COU at 12:35 p.m. and arrives at ORD at 1:57 p.m.United departs COU at 3:15 p.m. and arrives at ORD at 4:30 p.m.

Flights from Chicago

American departs ORD at 10:25 a.m.and arrives at COU at 11:40 a.m.United departs ORD at 12:45 p.m. and arrives at COU at 2:07 p.m.United departs ORD at 7:15 p.m. and arrives at COU at 8:37 p.m.American departs ORD at 8:30 p.m. and arrives at COU at 9:47 p.m.

Flights to Dallas/Fort Worth

American departs COU at 7:48 a.m. and arrives at DFW at 9:45 a.m.American departs COU at 2:35 p.m. and arrives at COU at 4:21 p.m.

Flights from Dallas/Fort Worth

American departs DFW at 12:30 p.m. and arrives at COU at 2 p.m.American departs DFW at 8:20 p.m. and arrives at COU at 9:48 p.m.

Flights to Denver

United departs COU at 6 a.m. CDT and arrives at DEN at 7:02 a.m. MDT

Flights from Denver

United departs DEN at 7:55 p.m. MDT and arrives at COU at 10:48 p.m. CDT

MORE INFORMATION

Hotel tax for new airport terminal approved

Flight delays plague an increasingly popular Columbia Regional Airport

Columbia Regional Airport receives $11 million grant to renovate runway