CIRA bringing back nonstop flights to Detroit in February

Posted on January 3, 2022
Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) has offered continuous nonstop service on Delta Air Lines to Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport since 2005. (Photo courtesy: CIRA)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – Central Illinois Regional Airport (CIRA) is bringing back flights to Detroit Metropolitan Airport starting in February.

The flights will operate six days per week on fifty-seat CRJ-200 regional jets.

“Collaborating with our partners at Rivian (automotive), we were able to clearly identify the ongoing need for the Detroit service to Delta,” said Alan Sender, Chairman of the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority, which owns and operates CIRA.

Rivian’s December announced it will build its next manufacturing facility near Atlanta, Georgia, the location of Delta’s primary hub airport, highlighting the synergies between the three markets of Atlanta, Detroit, and Bloomington-Normal. We are delighted the service will return sooner than expected.”

Last November, CIRA announced flights from the twin cities to Detroit would be suspended with hopes of bringing the flights back in April of 2022.

“Detroit is an important market for the continued growth at Rivian and an equally important connection to the east coast and Europe for our business and leisure travelers,” added Chairman Sender.

The Detroit/Bloomington nonstop service initially returned to CIRA in October of 2020.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

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