GTR Airport Executive Director Matt Dowell welcomes American Airlines.

The Golden Triangle Regional Airport (GTRA) continues to see success with its added service to Dallas Fort Worth Airport via American Airlines, operated by SkyWest Airlines.

“Our load factors have been very good,” says Matt Dowell, Executive Director of GTRA. “We appreciate the support of the Golden Triangle community.”

The westbound flight has been the perfect complement to Delta Air Lines’ eastbound service to Atlanta, making the two largest airline hubs in the world easily accessible for Golden Triangle passengers.

The added service has been very beneficial to local manufacturers whose corporate offices are elsewhere. One such business is Airbus Helicopters, headquartered in Grand Prairie, TX. The company had been chartering a plane to fly back and forth between Columbus and Texas twice a week. They have now cancelled that charter and are able to fly on American at a significant cost savings.

The vast majority of passengers in the local market are business travelers who fly less during the holidays. However, Dowell says that isn’t a problem.

“When business travel slows down, we’ve seen leisure and family travel really pick up,” he shares. “It’s a good balance.”

The airport sees an average of 4,000 passengers each month with the number increasing to about 5,000 during busy seasons. The busiest months are summer when business and leisure travel overlap.