American Airlines: Ontario, CA, to Chicago O’Hare twice a day starting in August

Date:

American Airlines announced it will begin service from Ontario International Airport (ONT) to Chicago in August, yet another milestone in the Southern California airport’s steady recovery from the coronavirus pandemic which continues to depress air travel around the world. The Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier began ticket sales today for the twice-a-day flights between ONT and O’Hare International Airport (ORD), a growing hub in the American’s system.

The new flights to begin August 17 will depart ONT at 11:40 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. with ONT arrivals scheduled for 12:14 p.m. and 10:39 p.m. “It is welcome news that American and other air carriers are including Ontario in their recovery plans, but it is not a surprise,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “Ontario was the fastest growing U.S. airport before the COVID-19 pandemic’s sudden and severe impact on global air travel.

It is now the fastest-recovering airport in California and the third-quickest to restore flight services in the U.S.” The carrier, which flies to Phoenix and Dallas-Fort Worth from Terminal 4 at ONT, will serve the Chicago O’Hare route with Boeing 737-800 aircraft equipped to accommodate 172 passengers in a three-class cabin with 16 in First-Class, 30 in Main Cabin Extra and 126 in Main Cabin. The number of passengers who traveled through ONT in 2020 totaled 2.5 million, about half as many as the year before.

Many airports around the world saw passenger volume decline by 60%. 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. Ontario airport has been recognized three times since last summer for understanding and meeting the needs of its customers during the pandemic.

“We applaud the efforts of our extraordinary team during what has been a challenging year for the travel industry,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the OIAA Board of Commissioners and Mayor pro Tem for the City of Ontario. “With the support of our airline and business partners, 2021 is shaping up to be a great year for ONT as we meet the needs of this vibrant region we serve.”

Ontario International Airport • Contributed

Find your latest news here at the Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Share post:

Subscribe to The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle

Popular

More like this
Related

New construction, falling population could combine to end California’s housing crisis

This month Californians worried about the cost of housing were offered the rarest of gifts: a glimmer of hope. New numbers released by the Newsom administration show that California added homes to its housing stock at a faster clip than any time since the Great Recession — 123,350 additional units, or an increase of 0.85%.

White House vows more federal aid to reduce homelessness in 5 cities and California

Five major U.S. cities and the state of California will receive federal help to get unsheltered residents into permanent housing under a new plan launched Thursday as part of the Biden administration’s larger goal to reduce homelessness 25% by 2025.

California orders Los Angeles County to close ‘unsuitable’ youth prisons within 60 days

Los Angeles County has two months to move about 300 young people out of its troubled juvenile halls after California regulators on Tuesday determined the facilities are “unsuitable for the confinement of youth.”

Unfounded Attempt Kidnapping

On May 23, 2023, a Southwest Station School Resource Deputy began an investigation into a possible kidnapping that occurred in the 38000 block of Camarada Lane, in unincorporated Murrieta, after he received information that a video of the incident was posted to social media.