United to resume direct flights between Winnipeg and both Denver, Chicago in May

United Airlines plans to resume direct flights between Winnipeg and both Denver and Chicago, re-establishing routes the U.S. airline cancelled after the start ofthe COVID-19 pandemic.

United will resume daily, year-round service between the citieson May 23, said Michel Rosset, communications manager for the Winnipeg Airports Authority.

The WAAhas been working on re-establishing daily service between Richardson International Airport and the United hubs in Denver and Chicago since pandemic restrictions began easing.

Both routes allow outbound Winnipeg business and leisure travellers to connect to U.S. destinations more quicklyand open up Manitoba for moreU.S. business.

"Chicago and Denver are two of United's biggest airport hubs, so even if [Manitobans] arenot looking to travel through thosecities, the connections available out of Chicago and Denver really openup a world of possibilities," Rosset said.

Manitoba hunting and fishing lodges in particular have been eager to see the Denver and Chicago connections return, he added.

The return of the Denver and Chicago flights was officially announced early Thursday morning, though the information was released under embargo on Wednesday.

United is re-establishing the two routes without the help of provincial subsidies.

Previously, a$4.8-million provincial fund helped get WestJet connections between Winnipeg and Los Angeles in 2022, and Atlanta in 2023.

Those two flights, along with the returning Chicago and Denver flights, meanWinnipeg's international airportwill soon have year-round direct service to six U.S. cities (Minneapolis and Las Vegas are the others).

"That's the largest amount in the airport's history," Rosset said.

Winnipeg also hasdirect service to Phoenix, Orlando and Palm Springs, Calif., during the coldest months of the year.

Rosset said when the United service resumes, there will be one flight each day between Winnipeg and both Denver and Chicago.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinewsaid he is pleased to see the flight resume.

"It's great for our economy, because it helps bring more investment to our province," he said in a statement. "It's great for families, because it opens up more affordable travel opportunities for the average Manitoban."

Rosset said United will use Embraer E175 jets configured for both business class and economy seats. United previously flew planes to and fromWinnipeg that did not offer business-class service, he said.

According to Embraer's specifications, the E175 can seat 76 passengers when it's configured for two classes, with 12 seats in business class and 64 in economy.

Although it's a smaller plane, the E175 has a similar top speed to a Boeing 737.

Rosset said the airports authority is still working on more direct connections between Winnipeg and other cities.

Historically, some of the most popular outbound destinations without direct flights from Winnipeginclude New York City, Manila andHalifax,the Winnipeg Airports Authority has previously said.