An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth arrives in Aspen in this photo taken last June.
The commercial carrier is planning to add a new nonstop daily flight to Aspen this summer, from Austin, Texas.
United Airlines and American Airlines, the two commercial carriers serving the Aspen market, are forecasting higher demand following severe cutbacks in service last summer locally, nationally and globally due to the pandemic.
Meanwhile, American is planning five flights daily from its D-FW hub, two daily from both Chicago and Los Angeles and one daily from Phoenix.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines served the Aspen market in 2019 and part of 2020 before suspending its Salt Lake City-to-Aspen route mid-year.
Tomcich, former president of central reservations firm Stay Aspen Snowmass, is a consultant to the group Fly Aspen Snowmass, a partnership among the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, the Aspen Chamber Resort Association, Snowmass Tourism and the Aspen Skiing Co.
carrier to double down on , adding 10 year-round and seasonal routes to the fast-growing metropolis.” Its long-term focus includes business-focused daily routes to places like Nashville, Tennessee, and Raleigh, North Carolina, but also the Saturday-only seasonal jaunts to Aspen, Los Cabos, Mexico and Destin-Fort Walton Beach in Florida.
“Aspen was the only mountain market that was added,” Tomcich said of American’s expansion from Austin.
With the winter-spring tourism season winding to a close, ASE is now operating under a light offseason schedule.
The $1.7 million project represents a partnership between Pitkin County, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Colorado Department of Transportation.
The airport also has $2.7 million in CARES Act funding it is authorized to use, Englehart said.