Commercial jets to land in Fort Dodge for first time in nearly a decade

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    Fort Dodge, IA (KCCI) — Fort Dodge will have major jet airline service for the first time in nearly a decade.

United Express will fly 12 flights weekly from Fort Dodge Regional Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport beginning March 1, via its regional carrier SkyWest Airlines, Fort Dodge Mayor Matt Bemrich said Wednesday.

United will use 50-seat Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets. Fort Dodge last had commercial jet service in 2012, Bemrich said.

United Express will replace small, St. Louis-based Air Choice One, which flies eight or nine seat turboprop planes to St. Louis and Minneapolis.

Bemrich said while the city has been pleased with Air Choice One, United now offers something the small regional carrier doesn’t: The ability to seamlessly check bags through to connecting flights.

He said he hopes the new flights attract business opportunities not just to Fort Dodge, but to the surrounding region.

“For major industries to be able to fly into Chicago and get a direct flight to Fort Dodge and only drive maybe 20 or 30 minutes to go view a facility or go view a development opportunity… There’s really a lot of opportunity this brings us,” Bemrich said.

Bemrich said the federal government will pay SkyWest $3 million annually to operate the flights under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program.

Air Choice One flights have been subsidized under that same program.

Bemrich said the 12 weekly flights is the minimum required under the EAS program, but United could choose to add more.

He expects the airline to fly two roundtrips on weekdays and one roundtrip on weekends.

Under its EAS contract, United will fly to Fort Dodge through at least Feb. 29, 2024.

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