After almost 20 years without service from a major air carrier, Naples, Florida, is getting reconnected.
American Airlines will serve Naples Airport from its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina, the carrier confirmed to AirlineGeeks on Monday. Flights will start on Dec. 2.
“American is proud to connect Naples to our unmatched network across the U.S.,” the airline said in a statement. “New nonstop service to our Charlotte hub will give customers in Southwest Florida convenient one‑stop access to nearly 180 destinations worldwide. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard and continuing our collaborative partnership with the Naples Airport and community.”
Tickets for the service became available for purchase over the weekend.
Separately, Charlotte Douglas International Airport said the Charlotte-Naples connection will operate twice daily, using Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft.
American pitched flights between Naples and Charlotte to a meeting of the Naples Airport Authority last month. Representatives for the airline said there is unmet demand for local travel options; at present, most Naples residents and tourists rely on Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.
Meeting attendees split on the issue, with some favoring Americana’s return to Naples and others raising concerns about aircraft noise and motor vehicle traffic around the airport.
Naples Airport is mainly used for general aviation. It has one commercial operator, JSX, which offers seasonal flights to White Plains, New York.
American previously served Naples via American Eagle until pulling out in 2001. US Airways terminated service there in 2003, and Delta, which offered Delta Connection flights via Atlantic Southeast Airlines, withdrew in 2007.
