MOLINE, Ill. — On Thursday afternoon, the Quad Cities International Airport announced a new destination for travelers. Starting in December, American Airlines will be offering twice-daily service from Moline to Charlotte, North Carolina.
Bookings are available after July 15 and the first flight will depart on Dec. 20, 2023. Flights will be in a CRJ-900, which has 76 seats and a dual-class cabin.
Morning flights will depart at 6:50 a.m. CT and arrive at Charlotte Douglas International Airport around 10 a.m. ET. Afternoon flights will leave at 4:30 p.m. CT and arrive roughly at 7:40 p.m. ET. These times will give travelers the ability "to access Charlotte's expansive connections," according to a press release from Quad Cities' airport.
Charlotte Douglas is one of the busiest airports in the world, according to the release. Services go to over 150 domestic and international locations. The airport has eight major carriers, 15 regional carriers and three foreign ones.
“We’ve been fighting for more air service during and post-pandemic, using all the tools in our toolbox to advocate for the Quad Cities,” Benjamin Leischner, executive director of the airport, said. “Charlotte was at the top of our list as the most logical and sustainable route to meet the needs of our business travelers looking to travel up and down the East Coast, as well as leisure travelers looking for convenient service to Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean.”
In May, the Quad Cities airport saw record numbers of takeoffs and landings. The more busy an airport is means better opportunities to receive grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration. These funds help buy equipment, support maintenance in the airport, complete improvement projects and more, according to the release.
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