One Arizona airport will see scheduled flights again after a half-century hiatus. Safford Regional Airport lost all air service in 1975.
Safford has a population of just over 10,000. Located in eastern Arizona, the city is 165 miles from Phoenix.
Earlier this week, the airport’s newly resumed flights to Phoenix began. Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines operates the service twice per day with Cessna 208 Grand Caravan aircraft.
“It is the result of visionary leadership, [extraordinary] effort and shared commitment to moving Safford forward,” Safford Mayor Richard Ortega said, according to Gila Valley Central.
For Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, the new route marks the carrier’s re-entry into commuter air service. The airline typically operates tour and sightseeing flights.
Flights from Safford depart from the airport’s terminal. In Phoenix, flights operate from the Jackson Jet Center at Sky Harbor Airport.
Cochise Airlines ended flights from Phoenix and Tucson to Safford in 1975. Frontier also previously served the city.
Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 at 9:22 a.m. ET to correct a misspelling.
