New year brings new planes for Columbia Regional Airport

Mid-Missouri travelers will soon be flying on new and larger planes. Monday morning, Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid announced American Airlines is going to upgrade its planes at the Columbia Regional Airport.

City officials said the new airplanes will allow 500 passengers a day to fly in and out of the airport, which is an increase of 30 percent. “Early next year American Airlines will begin using new, larger CRJ-700 aircraft to serve flyers at Columbia Regional Airport,” said McDavid.

City officials said flying more passengers out of the airport is needed because more travelers are using it. Since 2011, the percentage of Columbia travelers using the airport has increased three times. “We’re seeing dramatic growth. The demand is there. People are flying out of Columbia because it’s far more convenient,” said McDavid.

Mayor McDavid also said having a viable airport is good business. “It’s important for job creators from outside the Midwest to be able to get in and out of here. And I think that there are multiple anecdotes about how what we’re seeing through Chicago and Dallas is really helping us create jobs in central Missouri,” said McDavid

The new planes will start flying to Chicago on Jan. 6 and Dallas on Feb. 12.