Chattanooga Airport adds non-stop to Newark, New Jersey

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The Chattanooga metropolitan airport added a new non-stop to its roster.

Travelers can now enjoy service to Newark New Jersey, giving Chattanoogans easy access to New York City and the rest of the northeast.

We were there as the very first travelers from new Jersey arrived… and as the very first flight bound for Newark took off.

We were told that this represents an important expansion, not just for tourism, but also for business.

Donna Elle Harrison, Vice President of Engagement and Impact, Visit Chattanooga said, “Economic impact is very important, especially for us because visitors come and they experience us, when we have people that will come here from New York to travel when they come experience our restaurants and they experience our outdoors attractions, our hotels that goes back into our city so that’s really an economic driver as well, and you aren’t just limited to the United States.”

Newark opens up International Travel for Chattanoogans, too.

Kristen Behm, Vice President of Air Service Development and Public Relations at Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport said, “So it’s wonderful as far as the impact for international travel from Chattanooga. Newark is a major international hub for United and so there will be 157 cities that people could get to globally from Newark and 56 countries, so it’s a great option for people wishing to get out and explore the world right here from Chattanooga.”

Officials say this development increases the footprint of not just Chattanooga, but also the state of Tennessee.

State Senator Bo Watson told us, “You know the state has a large economic strategy and part of that strategy is making sure that we have airports that can provide modern day air travel that’s efficient effective convenient in Hamilton County the Metropolitan airport here checks all those boxes.”

Flights will run five days a week, excluding Tuesdays and Saturdays.