Starting Oct. 1, Gainesville Regional Airport will offer two direct, round-trip flights to Miami, Fla., courtesy of American Airlines.
Michelle Danisovzsky, a spokeswoman for the airport, said the substantial business travel between the two cities was the main reason for opening the new flight.
“People were forced to make a significant drive to fly from other airports,” she said. “We listened to the feedback. The timing is right.”
One-way airfare for the flight is set as low as $99, but she warned that airfares change frequently.
The distance by car between Gainesville and Miami is about 350 miles one way.
AAA reported an average of $2.62 per gallon of gas in Florida, and Cars.com said the 2010 average miles per gallon is approximately 20, making a trip to Miami about $46.
The cost difference would be negligible for people with business meetings, said Danisovzsky.
But for those who need to be there and back for a one-day meeting, it would be about 10 to 12 hours of driving as opposed to two hours of flight, she said.
“That would be a long day,” she joked.
For students looking to use the flight, she said there are student discounts available online.
Stevie Funk, a 21-year-old history major at UF,
travels to Miami every few months to visit her family, and she has to take a flight from Tampa to do so.
She said that she gets a rate of about $65 one way from the Tampa International Airport, but that she would use the new flights from Gainesville because they’re more convenient.
The 11:15 a.m. flight from Miami on Oct 1. will be the first flight of the program, and Danisovzsky said there will be a free event at the airline terminal beginning at noon to celebrate.
There will be food, ticket giveaways and a special guest speaker from another American Airlines hub.
