Dubuque’s New Air Service Marks Three Months of Daily Flights

DubuqueToday Tidbits February 8, 2025 | 0

The Dubuque Regional Airport’s daily flight to and from Chicago/O’Hare via Denver Air Connection has been operational since Nov. 4, 2024.

Although November, December, and especially January are slow months for air travel, airport officials chose to launch the new service and return commercial air service to the Dubuque region as soon as possible.

“We went too long without air service and too many people have had to drive too far to fly for us to wait until spring when demand for flights is higher,” said Dubuque Mayor and DBQ Air Board President Brad Cavanagh. “We knew it would take time to increase awareness of the new service and to change travel habits, so we were realistic in our expectations.”

When compared to nine other airports that lost all commercial air service in recent years, only four have regained service and the Dubuque Regional Airport has restored more capacity than any of those four.

As reported by the airport, November saw 434 enplanements and December 580 (a nearly 34% increase) as awareness of the new service continues to build. Overall enplanements for 2024 came in at 6,307, including Avelo, Sun Country, and Denver Air service.

January is expected to come in lower as it is typically the lowest travel month of the year. Historic trends show air travel increasing steadily after January and peaking in July.

Dubuque airport officials are optimistic area residents will utilize the daily connection to a major hub will as they make plans for spring break travel and summer vacations, and as business travel continues to return from its dramatic decrease during the pandemic.

“Our marketing efforts have focused on the return of daily air service to a major hub where travelers can make same-day connections to over 200 popular destinations,” said Dubuque Regional Airport Manager Todd Dalsing. “Our fares are competitive, especially when you factor in the true cost of travel like gas to drive to another airport, parking fees and tolls, and the additional time it takes to drive to and from other airports. We’re confident that travelers will consider those things and the convenient experience of flying local as they make their travel plans.”

Another improvement to the passenger experience is expected in March when the anticipated completion of a major construction project at O’Hare International Airport will greatly enhance boarding and deboarding at O’Hare. Dubuque’s launch of the Denver Air Connection service to O’Hare unfortunately coincided with the major project in the terminal assigned to Denver Air, forcing passengers to board and deboard on the tarmac and then be transported by bus to and from a terminal. Completion of the project will enable Denver Air to utilize an assigned gate and jet bridge. This will be a much more convenient experience and will save passengers time.

“This aspect of the new service was completely beyond our control but we’ve worked closely with Denver Air to advocate to O’Hare officials and to make adjustments and control what we can to work through this inconvenience,” said Dalsing. “Denver Air has hired dedicated support staff at O’Hare, improved their customer communications, and we both continue to advocate for a second bus to expedite the transfer to and from the terminal until the construction project is completed.”

Dalsing said Denver Air Connection has been a great partner, has been very responsive to adjustments and is focused on the passenger experience. Since service began Nov. 4, they have achieved a 99% completion rate with only two flights canceled: one due to weather, and one due to a mechanical issue. Construction-related delays at O’Hare have been minimized through schedule adjustments.

Airport staff and DBQ Air representatives continue to focus on making the new service successful while remaining committed to exploring different flight schedules, carriers, and destinations. Efforts are focused on offering a morning flight option.

“Our current afternoon flight schedule is all that was available to us and we realize that is not ideal for every traveler, but it’s much better than no flight,” said Dalsing. “We know that a morning flight option is critical for some people and some connections, and we continue to pursue it.”

“Both the Chamber and Greater Dubuque Development teams meet with members of the business community on a weekly basis and discuss their travel needs,” said Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO and DBQ Air board member Molly Grover. “Their support of air service is critical and their feedback is valuable as we continue to improve options and aspects of the service.”

Launching a new route or service requires significant investment in crew scheduling, aircraft allocation, ground services, and marketing. Minimum revenue guarantees (MRGs) are financial incentives often used by small and mid-sized airports to attract airlines and initiate or maintain air service. Denver Air Connection did receive an MRG from the Dubuque Regional Airport as part of the service agreement to operate flights to and from O’Hare. MRGs provide a “safety net” to airlines to avoid heavy losses during the initial period of service and can help sustain year-round service, ensuring continuity for residents and businesses.

To fund this MRG, the Dubuque Regional Airport is using a $1.5 million grant from the US Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) Program, combined with local match funds from the City of Dubuque, Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, Dubuque County, and Travel Dubuque.

Total Enplanements at Dubuque Regional Airport by Calendar Year: