Daily Nonstops to Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington Return to Yeager in July

Prior to the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic, three daily flights connected Charleston’s Yeager Airport with Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

Like other U.S. airports, Yeager saw dramatic declines in passenger numbers following the arrival of the disease, as airlines responded to a nosedive in business activity, while stay-at-home safety practices gained momentum. Instead of offering three flights a day to Chicago, United Airlines offered three flights per week.

But a rebound in air service is taking shape next month at the Charleston airport. On Monday, Yeager announced that, starting on July 6, United will resume daily nonstop service to Chicago, initially with one daily departure.

The following day, American Airlines will follow suit, resuming daily nonstop flights to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that had been put on hold due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, Spirit Airlines has announced it will resume seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, starting on July 2, with nonstop flights departing Yeager on Thursdays and Sundays through Sept. 6.

Spirit’s once-weekly nonstop to Orlando will continue on Saturdays, but Yeager officials are hopeful that once Walt Disney World and other major theme parks in the Orlando area reopen later this month, and an additional flight may be added.

“We are very excited to see this flight return to daily service,” Yeager Airport Director Nick Keller said of the restored Chicago service. “We know how important this particular route is to our passengers,” since O’Hare International “is one of the most connected airports in the nation. From there, you can truly go anywhere.”

Resumption of American’s daily nonstop flights to Philadelphia and Washington, D.C, “is an important step to get the ball rolling again,” Keller said. “We are happy to see that demand is there to bring these flights back.”

Keller urged Charleston area passengers to review airlines’ COVID-19 guidelines when booking flights.

Reach Rick Steelhammer at [email protected], 304-348-5169 or follow

@rsteelhammer on Twitter.

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