Flights to Houston launched by United Airline

United Airlines to offer non-stop service to Houston at Rapid City Regional Airport.The seasonal flights to George Bush Intercontinental Airport will begin June 7 and end Aug. 27, with one flight a day into and out of Rapid City, airport director Cameron Humphres said.We expect this to be a popular market, Humphres said.Houston, of course, is the energy capital of the United States. With the oil and gas industry doing so well in the region, I think this is an opportunity for that sector, as well.In the Rapid City market, United also flies year round to Denver and Chicago, the latter of which started as seasonal service, as well, Humphres said.

As that market grew, they started expanding the time period they were offering the service and they started to upgrade the equipment to larger equipment. Last year, they finally started nonstop flights to Chicago year round,Humphres said.We would hope and expect the same thing into the Houston market.The service to Houston marks the eighth non-stop destination for Rapid City and the first new market since American Airlines began year-round service to Dallas-Fort Worth in early 2010.Houston is the fourth biggest city in the U.S. and is home to the seventh busiest airport in terms of passenger traffic. The airport is also one of the largest hubs of the combined United-Continental airlines, which merged in 2010.

Humphres said from an air service perspective, the direct flight should provide local travelers with stronger connections to the southeastern U.S., as well as Mexico and Central and South America. Tickets should be available for purchase today.If you want to go into New Orleans, you usually have to fly here to Denver, Denver to Houston and Houston to New Orleans, Humphres said. "This will give you the ability to fly here to Houston and then onto New Orleans.Ben Snow, president of the Rapid City Economic Development Partnership, said direct service into Houston should also have benefits from an economic development standpoint.Houston is home to the headquarters of a number of companies, including Conoco Phillips and Marathon Oil.

Houston will give us another top six market, Snow said.You look at population centers and direct connections Rapid City can take advantage of - it will put three of the top six markets in the country with direct access to Rapid City.The other top markets that already have direct air service are Chicago and Dallas.The timing is also good, because the economic development group just finished a year of gathering information on industries where the Black Hills has strengths, Snow said. Possible crossover with Houston could include energy, finance and information technology.Air service and the ability to get in and out is key,Snow said.It may be the difference between a company having you in consideration or being eliminated from contention.