The Eastern Iowa Airport will soon offer daily nonstop service to Washington, D.C.

CEDAR RAPIDS — American Airlines soon will begin nonstop service from The Eastern Iowa Airport to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., adding a route that’s been years in the making for Cedar Rapids.

Airport and city officials announced Friday that the year-round service would begin June 1 to one of the airport’s top 10 destinations, and offer connections to other popular destinations including New York City, Boston and Charleston.

“We're having success at this airport with expanded routes and the number of passengers continues to grow,” City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said. “ … That is something that will be a great benefit to Iowa — certainly Eastern Iowa and the city of Cedar Rapids.”

The Eastern Iowa Airport Director Marty Lenss said Reagan National Airport is a slot-restricted facility, meaning only a finite number of slots are available for each airline for landings and takeoffs.

“The fact that American Airlines is designating one of those exclusive slots to a CID flight is really … a tremendous investment and (shows) continued confidence by American in this region, and really the state of Iowa,” Lenss said. “So I don’t think I’m overstating it when I say this is a big damn day for Iowa.”

The daily flight will depart Cedar Rapids at 10:40 a.m. and arrive in Washington, D.C. just before 2 p.m. The return flight will depart from the nation’s capital at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Cedar Rapids at 10:05 a.m.

American Airlines will use a CRJ900 aircraft with 76 seats. Tickets will go on sale starting Saturday on American’s website, aa.com.

Lenss said the success of other American nonstop flights added in recent years, mainly Phoenix and Charlotte, helped inspire this investment in Cedar Rapids.

“That announcement is really a game changer for Eastern Iowa as well,” Lenss said. “It’s another tool in the region's economic development toolbox. But before this can be successful, we really need you — we need the community, we need the entirety of the region — to use this.”

Mayor Tiffany O’Donnell said the new nonstop service will allow travelers to easily and quickly reach their destinations without cumbersome connections.

“This is going to help solidify CID certainly as the choice airport for more travelers in our region,” O’Donnell said.

She said new routes such as this one enhance the city’s and region’s overall economic development picture and workforce recruitment effort.

“This will play a huge role in helping us leverage all of those opportunities that aren't here yet,” O’Donnell said.

Philippe Puech, American’s director of domestic network planning, said in a statement that American is excited to connect The Eastern Iowa Airport with Washington, D.C.

“This new route complements our existing summer service from CID to Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix,” Puech said. “We’re eager to offer customers more ways to experience all that Washington, D.C. has to offer and provide local residents with additional access to American’s global network.”

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