Eastern Iowa Airport adds non-stop flight to Atlanta

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - Atlanta will be the 11th non-stop service flight offered by The Eastern Iowa Airport.

"There haven't been many airports this year that have been able to make an announcement about a new service, which makes the start of a Delta Atlanta flight a reason to celebrate," said Airport Director Tim Bradshaw.

The announcement came Wednesday in the airport terminal. City leaders and airport officials expressed excitement over the possibilities the non-stop service can bring, not only to the airport, but the corridor as well.

"Businesses rely on local air service," said Mayor Pro-Temore, Monica Vernon. "When new flights are introduced it provides improved access, competition, convenience and time savings."

Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the largest airport in the world servicing millions of passengers a day.

The first direct Delta flight from Cedar Rapids to Atlanta took off around 8:00 PM Tuesday night. And while community leaders hope it gives the corridor a financial boost, it's also going to cost the passengers.

Ticket prices booking through Delta online round trip are listed at around $840. The Moline airport has direct flights to Atlanta for around half the price.

Still, Bradshaw says all 50 seats on the first several flights are booked, and he's already looking toward future non-stop connections to other major cities.

"Atlanta was high on the list for a long time," he said. "Now that we have Atlanta, they're asking for Washington and New York non-stop service."