Just over two years ago, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport received a $750,000 grant to spur the creation of nonstop flight service to either Denver, Colorado, or Houston, Texas.
News stories at the time said the airport had received more than $1 million toward a new nonstop flight destination.
The federal grant from the Small Community Air Service Development Program was said to be the first one the Chattanooga airport had received since 2005.
In October, airport officials said a twice-daily United Airlines flight to Houston would begin on March 30 of this year. News stories didn’t indicate whether officials credited the federal grant program for helping get the flight or if the grant would be used help subsidize the service if early flights weren’t filled.
“Better air service was a big goal of mine entering office, to create a more competitive regional economy,” Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly said in a news release. “Expanding air service benefits everyone — from small business owners and major employers to families who want easier access to travel. This new route is another big win for Chattanooga and a testament to what we can achieve when we share the same vision.”