Daily airline service takes off in Santa Maria after nearly a decade
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – For the first time in nearly a decade, Santa Maria Airport (SMX) once again has daily service for airline passengers.
On Wednesday, SMX launches its long-awaited hub service with the start of a new twice-daily route to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).
For the airport, it marks a historic return to providing local travelers with daily service to a major airport, something that has not been available since 2017.
“This is a great day for the Santa Maria Valley and the Central Coast as a whole,” SMX General Manager Martin Pehl said in a release. “The whole region, including the City of Santa Maria and Vandenberg Space Force Base, have been pushing for a return of hub service at Santa Maria for nearly a decade. With free parking, short security lines and competitive fares, there’s never been a better time to fly from Santa Maria!”
Beginning Oct. 15, American Airlines will fly each day to PHX from Santa Maria with two flights, one in the early morning and the other in the late afternoon.
“Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is excited to welcome the first passengers on the Santa Maria route, and for the access the flights will provide from Phoenix to the Santa Maria Valley,” said Phoenix Aviation Director Chad Makovsky said in a release. “Whether they’re visiting Phoenix or connecting to the more than 140 domestic and international destinations through America’s Friendliest Airport®, we’ll make sure customers have a great experience.”
The flights will be operated by SkyWest Airlines using 76-seat regional jets and will offer passengers 12 first class seats and 64-coach seats.
“Whether it’s going to Phoenix for Spring Training or seeing family or connecting to the more than 100 destinations that American Airlines serves from Phoenix, this new service will help our residents’ quality of life as well as bring new business to the Santa Maria area,” said Nash Moreno, Santa Maria Public Airport District Board President. “Flying from Santa Maria allows passengers to be just minutes from home, saving both time and money by flying local.”
SMX has been working to re-establish daily service since Hawaii-based Mokuele Airlines stopped its service in 2017.
The Hawaii-based airline provided service on small nine-seat Grand Cessna Caravan planes for about a year, first flying to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and then briefly to Hollywood-Burbank Airport (BUR).
In early 2020, SMX, along with United Airlines, announced daily service would return with flights to three major hub airports, LAX, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Denver International Airport (DEN).
However, within just weeks of the announcement, the COVID-19 pandemic started, which ultimately led to the cancellation of the flights even before they began as planned in June 2020.
Now, five years later, SMX is once again finally able to provide daily service, which will give the Central Coast air travelers with another option, joining Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA) and San Luis Obispo County Airport (SBP).
The new flights to Phoenix will be the first daily jet service provided at SMX since United Airlines ended its route to SFO in Oct. 2016.
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