SOUTH BEND — Airlines serving South Bend International Airport are adding flights to make it easier than ever for Irish fans to watch their favorite football team whether it’s here or away.
With the increased airline traffic for football games, it’s especially important to get to South Bend International Airport two hours in advance of departure to ensure ample time to clear TSA checkpoints, said Julie Curtis, the airport’s vice president of marketing and air service development.
That rule should be applied to every football weekend, even if passengers are boarding flights to different destinations, she explained.
The football flights are in addition to regularly scheduled service offered at the airport and provide a nice boost in passenger totals each year, Curtis said.
“Special event flying is something that’s been growing in recent years across the country,” she said. “Having an iconic football program with a storied history has created a large fan base and put it on a lot of people’s bucket lists.”
As usual, the airport also is expecting an influx of private aircraft for home games. Here are flights that have been added so far, but it’s best to check each airline site for any additions.
The airline will add flights connecting local fans to away games against Georgia Tech (Atlanta , departing South Bend Oct. 18), Navy (Newark, departing South Bend Oct. 25) and Army (LaGuardia, departing South Bend Nov. 22).
For Notre Dame fans who don't live locally — and for fans of some of the Fighting Irish's opponents — United is adding these flights to South Bend: Northern Illinois (Newark , departing Sept. 6), Miami of Ohio (Cincinnati, departing Sept. 20), Louisville (Louisville, departing Sept. 27), Stanford (Palo Alto, departing Oct. 11), Florida State (departing Newark on Nov. 8) and Virginia (Charlottesville, departing Nov. 15).
American Airlines
American has added direct service between New York's LaGuardia Airport and South Bend and between Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and South Bend for every Notre Dame home game with flights coming in on Friday and departing on Sunday. It’s also added flights from Miami, Philadelphia and Boston for the Florida State game on Nov. 9.
Delta Airlines
D elta has added flights from LaGuardia Airport to South Bend for every home game and has added another from Tallahassee for the Florida State home game on Nov. 9.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Airlines adding Notre Dame football flights for South Bend. Here's what you need to know.
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