Travelers will soon be able to board flights in Gainesville, close their eyes and wake up on the runway in Dallas, Texas.
Gainesville Regional Airport announced the addition of a non-stop flight from Gainesville to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Tuesday. The new flight will be offered through American Airlines, said Erin Porter, the manager of marketing and public relations at the Airport.
“We are honored, and our community is very happy with this news,” Porter said.
Airlines will release more information on the cost of the flight today, Porter said. Flights to Dallas from Gainesville will begin March 3.
The estimated cost for a one-way flight to Dallas is $171.29 and $263.60 for a round trip, depending on the duration of the trip, according to American Airlines.
Gainesville currently offers flights with Delta and American Airlines, Porter said. The additional flight will help further establish Gainesville and Alachua County as a tourism destination, Porter said.
Gainesville Regional Airport hopes to add another nonstop flight to New York as it is a popular destination, Porter said. Although flights to New York are popular, airlines have a tough time filling seats on returning flights, she said.
The nonstop flight will allow travelers to shave hours off their routes, said Travis Eden, a 19-year-old UF applied physiology and kinesiology sophomore.
“I’m really excited about being able to fly from Gainesville straight to Dallas without having to take two different flights,” Eden said.
The flight will help him save six hours in travel time each time he flies to Dallas, where he goes about three to four times every year.
The trip typically takes him seven to nine hours either way, he said.
Eden hopes to make more future trips home to Dallas, he said.
“I would be able to visit my family, friends and my pride and joy, my dog, more often,” Eden said.
A plane takes off from Gainesville Regional Airport on Wednesday afternoon. An online survey created by the airport asked residents about their interest in nonstop flights to New York City.
