Cedar Rapids-Houston flights launch May 3

Business and leisure travelers will be able to fly non-stop from The Eastern Iowa Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston beginning May 3.

Continental Airlines will offer two round-trip flights daily between Cedar Rapids and Houston on 50-seat regional jets. The flights will be operated by Continental Express.

Airport Director Tim Bradshaw said the new service is a welcome addition for regional air travelers.

“The Houston area is one of our top destination markets and this non-stop service also gives business and leisure travelers another option to connect to Mexico, southeast destinations and beyond,” Bradshaw said.

Continental flights will depart from Cedar Rapids at 7 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. each day for Houston. Flights will leave Houston at 2:40 and 7:50 p.m. for Cedar Rapids.

Bush Intercontinental ranks No. 3 among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service with more than 170 destinations. It is the nation's fifth largest international passenger gateway, based on destinations.

The flights will range from two hours and 10 minutes to two hours and 20 minutes in duration. Tickets are on sale on the Continental Airlines Web site, www.continental.com, and on all major travel web sites.

More than 7.8 million international passengers passed through Bush Intercontinental's gates in 2009.

With the addition of the Houston service, The Eastern Iowa Airport will have service to 10 non-stop destinations: Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Las Vegas, Orlando Sanford and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla; and Phoenix-Mesa, Ariz.