St. Cloud Airport adds United flights to Chicago O'Hare

St. Cloud Regional Airport will begin twice daily, direct flight to Chicago O'Hare starting May 6.

The 50-passenger flights, operated by SkyWest Airlines, will give Minnesotans a new option for connecting to the O'Hare hub and will spare some St. Cloud business travelers the drive to the Twin Cities.

"Our community is grateful for the opportunity this service provides for strong economic growth and regional vitality," St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis said.

Just 3 years ago, St. Cloud Regional Airport was sitting empty. The airport has since added direct flights to Orlando and to Phoenix/Mesa Gateway Airport on Allegiant Air.

When the city started recruiting carriers to fly out of St. Cloud, attracting one willing to fly direct to Chicago was a top priority.