Provo Airport serves up international flair as American Airlines officially takes flight with daily service | News, Sports, Jobs

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An American Airlines aircraft sits at a gate at the Provo Airport as passengers prepare to board a flight to Dallas/Fort Worth on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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Passengers prepare to board a flight on American Airlines to Dallas/Fort Worth on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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Entertainment from Brigham Young University performs during a launch party ahead of American Airlines’ inaugural flights from the Provo Airport on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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An American Airlines aircraft sits at a gate at the Provo Airport as passengers prepare to board a flight to Dallas/Fort Worth on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Courtesy Provo City

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Community members sit during a media conference at the Provo Airport as service on American Airlines launched Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Curtis Booker, Daily Herald

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An American Airlines aircraft sits at a gate at the Provo Airport as passengers prepare to board a flight to Dallas/Fort Worth on Monday, Oct. 7, 2024.

Courtesy Provo City


The Provo Airport is making good on its aspirations of becoming an option for international travel to or from Utah.

On Monday, inaugural flights on American Airlines landed at and lifted off from Provo.

Inside the Provo Airport, local leaders, elected officials and community members gathered for a launch party event early Monday afternoon filled with food, entertainment from Latin American and Polynesian dancers and an appearance by Brigham Young University’s Cosmo the Cougar.

“Today’s inaugural flight represents more than just a new route. It’s a gateway to the world for the people of Provo, Utah County and the entire state of Utah,” Airport Director Brian Torgersen said.

In April, the major airline announced service twice daily to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and one daily flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Then in June, American Airlines added a third daily flight from Provo to Dallas/Fort Worth, set to begin next month.

“American Airlines looks forward to offering four daily flights to Provo starting this November,” said Joe Sottile, American’s director of domestic network planning, in a press release. “American’s convenient schedule from PVU to DFW and PHX will enable one-stop connections to more than 200 destinations around the world on our comprehensive global network.”

From either location, one could take a flight to popular vacation destinations like Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Montego Bay or Turks and Caicos just to name a few.

Dallas/Fort Worth is American Airlines’ largest hub, where the company offers more than 925 peak daily departures to more than 230 destinations around the world. Phoenix Sky Harbor also is a hub for American, with more than 260 peak daily departures to more than 100 destinations, the press release stated.

Provo City and airport leaders have longed for the opportunity to provide international travel from Utah County.

Mayor Michelle Kaufusi marked it as a priority during her State of the City address in early 2023.

During Monday’s launch party just before the first incoming flight on American Airlines arrived at the Provo Airport, Kaufusi said the new partnership marks a significant milestone, especially with the 2034 Winter Olympics approaching, positioning Provo as a gateway to the global stage.

“It truly is a small world, and thanks to this collaboration, that world is now just a flight away from Provo,” Kaufusi told a room full of community members and press.

Dozens of passengers awaited at the American Airlines gate to board the first flight departing from Provo to Dallas/Fort Worth.

Melissa Seipel of Orem was one of those excited to travel to Dallas, where she was heading for a work trip — one of six that she has to take during the year. She noted the reduced stress of not having to drive to the Salt Lake City International Airport for the trip and looks forward to flying more frequently out of Provo.

“I mean, it’s great to have more options so close to home. Driving through that traffic is the worst, so it’s nice to be able to just hop over here to Provo,” Seipel said.

Her co-worker Memo Caldera of Provo, also on the trip to Dallas, agreed. “It’s pretty exciting,” he said.

Caldera said he’s flown out of Provo on other occasions. But with access to more destinations through connected flights on American Airlines, it makes it that much more appealing, he added.

“The convenience of just being here, local. … Going to a bigger major airport, it’s a much more convenient option for us as a community,” Caldera said.

American Airlines’ flights from Provo will be on CRJ700 aircraft, which hold 65 passengers and include nine first-class seats.

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