Burlington to provide daily flights to Chicago through Contour

 BURLINGTON – The Southeast Iowa Regional Airport in Burlington has secured a new operator for daily flights to Chicago.
According to SEIRA Director Sara Sandburg, the airport board has entered into a two-year deal with Contour Airlines beginning July 1.
Contour will provide one flight seven days per week from Burlington to O’Hare Airport in Chicago leaving at 9:20 a.m. They will also provide a second flight five days a week on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday at 4 p.m.
Return flights from O’Hare take place at 11:30 a.m. and 6:40 p.m. on the five days with a second flight. On Tuesday and Saturday, a single return flight leaves Chicago at 2:05 p.m.
The contract will run through June 2027 at which time the service will go out for bids again as part of the federal Essential Air Services assistance program to small airports across the country.
Sandburg said current grant funds don’t allow for an expansion of the service to other metro hubs such as St. Louis or Minneapolis.
“Not at this time. It wouldn’t be supported through the grants and EAS. There’s currently some higher scrutiny around the funding,” she said.
The jets are 30 passenger jets with leather seating, complimentary snacks and beverages, and one free checked bag.
Sandburg said the Contour fleet is typically a 50-seat jet, but these have been reconfigured to provide more leg room for passengers on the approximate hour flights to Chicago.
In celebration of this exciting new route, Contour is offering an introductory fare starting at just $59 one way.
Contour President Ben Munson said the service enhances regional access for southeast Iowa.
"We are thrilled to launch new nonstop jet service from Burlington, IA, to Chicago," stated Munson. "This enhances access to Chicago and its surrounding areas, while also allowing passengers to connect seamlessly to over 100 destinations with our partners, Alaska, American, and United Airlines."
Sandburg said the level of service is transformational for southeast Iowa.
“Southeast Iowa Regional Airport Authority’s Board is excited to announce the arrival of Jet Service by Contour Airlines,” Sandburg said.
“Our community is looking forward to having dependable service to meet your travel needs. This service will help our community’s economic growth with the help of Contour’s transformation service.”
For further details, please visit www.contourairlines.com. For customer inquiries or travel assistance, kindly contact them at (888) 332-6686.
About Contour
Contour Airlines offers a premium airline product that includes a complimentary first checked bag and snack and beverage service on all flights. Contour operates a growing fleet of regional jets featuring leather seating with expanded legroom in every row. Tickets are available for purchase on Contour’s website at contourairlines.com, by calling the Contour call center at (888) 332-6686, and through local and online travel agencies. Travelers can also book seamless connections with Contour’s interline partners; Alaska, American, and United Airlines.