After a successful first few months, another flight to and from Orlando will be coming to Erie in February.


This comes just a few months before the flight to Tampa will resume in October for the next seven months.

Starting on February 17, there will be three flights to Orlando. They will be departing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays through April 28.


According to Derek Martin, the Executive Director of the Erie International Airport explained, "They are adding new capacity into the Erie market to allow another possibly 130 passengers to fly down and give people more flexibility. The flight will be from February 17 to April 28 on Tuesday departure which will give us a Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday departure out of Erie."


Martin said after a successful few months even in the summer season, there was a need to expand services. "Obviously flying to Orlando twice a week, their flights have been a 95 percent load factor. American Airlines flights are usually 98 percent sometimes 100 percent, so even though it's been a very beautiful summer in Erie, people are still trying to get away to different destinations around the United States."


Martin alongside Breeze Airways saw the interest and need for a third flight. "By adding capacity to make sure there's a need for the service, so this is peak travel time during the winter months, obviously they have been going year round to Orlando", said Martin.


He also predicts more people coming and going out of Erie in the future with American Airlines expanding their fleet as well. "As American transitions to their new aircraft, they are supposed to transition from a 50 passenger plane to 76 that allows more people to get in and out of Erie as well."

As far as more destinations out of Erie, Martin said there is a meeting set for September to discuss future options for more affordable flights in and out of Erie.