Now 2 choices for nonstop Tri-Cities flights to Los Angeles area

Tri-Citians headed for Southern California have an array of new options to get to the Los Angeles area.

Alaska Airlines inaugurates direct flights between Pasco and Los Angeles International on Oct. 1, reviving dreams of a local connection to the busy hub.

Visitors can also fly to the Burbank Airport on Avelo Airlines, which announced it is extending its seasonal schedule to April 29, 2025, to facilitate spring break travel.

The Alaska flight to LAX will be operated by SkyWest, flying a 76-seat Embraer 175. It will depart Pasco at 7 a.m. and Los Angeles at 7:55 p.m.

Buck Taft, manager of the Tri-Cities Airport in Pasco said officials will celebrate the first flight, but will probably skip the traditional water cannon blast and other festivities because of the early hour.

The Port of Pasco, which operates the regional airport, has long pursued a connection to LAX, a key international hub. It succeeded in 2019, when United Airlines added a flight. It vanished from the schedule a year later, reportedly due to low ridership.

Seats on the inaugural Alaska/Skywest flight were being offered Sept. 17 starting at $199 for basic economy. Premium and first class seating is available for those willing to shell out a bit more.

Avelo Airlines said one-way fares for its expanded schedule start at $78 and can be booked at aveloair.com. Flights are available several days a week.

The new and expanded schedule comes amid a surge in passenger traffic through the local airport.

Boardings at the Tri-Cities Airport are running 8% ahead of 2023, when the airport fell just 1,000 boardings short of its pre-pandemic record of 438,000 boardings in 2019.

Alaska is the second airline to beef up service to the Tri-Cities this year.

American Airlines made its Tri-Cities debut in February when it instituted service to Phoenix-Sky Harbor, a key international hub that lets Tri-Cities travelers fly to just about any destination. The flight was so successful that American added a second daily flight.

Six airlines serve the Tri-Cities Airport, which offers direct flights to Seattle, Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Phoenix-Mesa, Las Vegas, Burbank, Calif., Minneapolis, Denver, salt Lake City and San Francisco.

For LAX flight information, go to alaskaair.com .

For Tri-Cities Airport information, go to flytricities.com.

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