Las Cruces International Airport to discontinue Advanced Air flights to Albuquerque

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- The City of Las Cruces announced on Tuesday that the city's international airport won't have Advanced Air's route to Albuqurque International Sunport starting June 30. The city said the route discontinuation comes after the city and state Rural Air Service Enhancement (RASE) grant funding stretched out.

On average, six people are on each flight from Las Cruces to Albuquerque, the City of Las Cruces said. Advanced Air's planes include small jets for private and semi-private flights, according to its website.

Advanced Air got $5 million in state subsidiaries and $600,000 in Las Cruces taxpayer funds since the route started in January 2023, the city said.

Funding the route costs Las Cruces $130,000 a month, the city said. With the city facing "significant budget pressures," it said it's difficult to fund an expensive route that serves a small population.

For the rest of June, Advanced Air flights from Las Cruces to Albuquerque will downsize to two round trips per week, the city said. The city is applying for a new RASE grant before the June 30 deadline and other options tor estore service.

After service resumes, the city said it wants to explore service from Las Cruces to Phoenix at a sustainable cost.