Pierre’s airport will soon have a second hub airport for passengers leaving the state’s capital.
Denver Air Connection will begin offering flights to Minneapolis at the end of November.
City Commissioner Jamie Huizenga said this gives residents options, no matter which way they’re going.
“At the current time, we have flights to Denver only," Huizenga said. "So, what this essentially does is turn rural Pierre, South Dakota to a community that has dual hubs. We can get from Pierre to Denver, and we’ll be able to get from Pierre to Minneapolis. So, it’s a big improvement for our flight service.”
Huizenga said another advantage for Pierre has been its status as a state capital. That drives traffic from D.C. officials and government employees to the city.
“All across America, especially over the last couple of years when we’ve had flight shortages, there are communities far bigger than Pierre that have no airline service or have limited airline service," Huizenga said. "Here we are in the prairie with 50-seat jets going both directions every day of the week."
The first flight to Minneapolis is scheduled for November 30th.