![Central Illinois Regional Airport. (WJBC file photo)](https://www.wjbc.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/389/2016/01/CIRA-tower-2-ZD.jpg)
By Joe Ragusa
BLOOMINGTON – Central Illinoisans who visit Dallas on a regular basis will have another travel option at their disposal.
American Airlines will start servicing a third round-trip flight between Central Illinois Regional Airport and Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport March 3.
CIRA spokeswoman Fran Strebing said the new schedule means one flight will leave Bloomington in the morning and two flights will leave in the afternoon.
“Some of those times will fluctuate as we get further into the spring,” Strebing said.
For now, the departure times from CIRA will be 7:20 a.m., 1:05 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. The new flight first departs Dallas at 10:15 a.m. each morning.
Strebing said the addition is really important for business and leisure travelers alike.
“Dallas is a great hub for American. It’s one of their largest hubs,” Strebing said. “You’ll be able to get to over 200 destinations in 26 countries, so not just going to Dallas.”
American Airlines added its first Bloomington-to-Dallas flight in 2008 and added a second one in 2013.
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].