For the second time this month, American Airlines announced it is adding more new service from Ontario International Airport (ONT), a nonstop flight to North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) beginning in May. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier is already selling tickets for the daily flights from the Inland Empire to Charlotte, a prominent hub in the American’s system and gateway to the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions.
Service on the new seasonal route begins May 6, continuing through August 16, with the ONT departure scheduled for 9:45 p.m. A return flight arrives ONT at 8:24 p.m. American announced earlier this month that it will begin flights twice a day between ONT and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in August.
The carrier also flies to Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth from Terminal 4 at ONT. “We are enormously grateful to American Airlines for showing such confidence in Ontario,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “We have worked hard throughout the pandemic to be ready for a return to more normal travel routines and, while there is still a way to go, it is encouraging that air carriers are making Ontario a focus of their recovery plans.
” American will serve the Charlotte route with Boeing 737-800 aircraft equipped to accommodate 172 passengers with 16 in First-Class, 30 in Main Cabin Extra and 126 in Main Cabin. In addition to American, airlines operating at ONT resumed or initiated new service to five destinations including Atlanta, Chicago (Midway), Houston (Intercontinental and Hobby), Seattle and Mexico City in the second half of 2020 while plans were announced for flights to another nine markets by Spring including Chicago (O’Hare), Honolulu, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, Orlando, Phoenix, Sacramento and San Francisco.
Colombia-based Avianca Airlines will begin service to El Salvador this summer, the first to Central America from the Inland Empire. Hawaiian Airlines, which will begin service this Wednesday from ONT to Honolulu five days a week, announced it will fly the route seven days a week during the summer.
Ontario airport has been recognized three times since last summer for understanding and meeting the needs of its customers during the pandemic.
Ontario International Airport • Contributed
Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle
