10.31.24

Spokane Airport Announces Nonstop Flights to Chicago, More Service to Dallas & Sacramento

Southwest Airlines will provide nonstop flights between Spokane and Chicago -- as well as daily roundtrips to Sacramento & new weekend routes to Dallas - starting in June 2025

SPOKANE, WA – Today, Southwest Airlines announced that it would add new flights at Spokane International Airport, including a new route to Chicago and expanded service to Sacramento and Dallas.

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, celebrated the news:

“Spokane Airport’s federally-funded terminal expansion project is helping add new routes,” said Sen. Cantwell. “Starting this summer, Washingtonians will have more options to fly to more destinations, including new nonstop service to Chicago, renewed service to Dallas, and more frequent flights to Sacramento.”

Spokane International Airport is also in the middle of a terminal renovation and expansion (TREX) project to add six additional ticket counters and three additional gates at Concourse C. Sen. Cantwell attended the grand opening of Concourse C’s West End in May 2024. The additional capacity is much-needed -- Spokane International Airport saw enplanements grow 38 percent between 2013 and 2019. Last year, the airport served 4.13 million passengers, exceeding for the first time the pre-pandemic high of 4.03 million passengers in 2019.

So far, the TREX project has received $61.2 million in federal funding.

Sen. Cantwell worked hard to secure funding for air travel infrastructure nationwide as part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). With her support, the infrastructure package provided a total of $25 billion for airport improvements, including $5 billion for the Airport Terminal Program and $15 billion in Airport Infrastructure Grants. Last year, airports across the state of Washington received nearly $200 million in federal funding through a combination of AIG, ATP, and the Airport Improvement Program.

In May, Sen. Cantwell additionally shepherded the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which reauthorized the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for five years. The new law included top Cantwell priorities including enhancing safety oversight, strengthening workforce development, boosting next-generation aviation innovation, and codifying consumer protections.

###