Originally Posted by
BiggAW
No one NEEDS regional airports.
WN serves PSP with quite literally 5 airports in Burbank, LAX, Ontario, Orange County, and San Diego. It looks like Ontario is the best one. You are correct in that WN doesn't serve BIL or the next few. It has mainline service from DL, as does BZN, although the prices appear to be insanity from a quick Orbitz search. COD is probably the definition of BFE, although it is served by mainline DL out of BIL. FAR has mainline DL. GJT is equidistant from the DL hub at SLC and the WN hub at DEN. I've looked at going to the D&S, and it's near nothing. It's a good drive from either DEN or Albuquerque, depending on what else I want to see with it. Amtrak serves GJT, but it's slower than driving. SUN has WN service at Boise. JAC is BFE, but is served by the DL hub at SLC and WN at SLC. LWS has WN at Spokane. GCC is served by DL mainline out of Billings. MSN is served out of MKE on WN. MSN was actually part of the genius (or map-reading skills) of WN. They realized that instead of operating out of MSN and GRB, they could efficiently consolidate operations at MKE, and they just sucked the wind right out of the other carriers in that whole market. I never claimed WN went to Alaska, AS and AA both offer mainline service to ANC, and no one flies regional to there from the lower 48 anyway. WN serves CVG via Dayton and Louisville, and other airlines must have mainline service there. HLN is Billings again. MED is in Saudi Arabia, ... does that have to do with US regional airlines? WN goes to IAD. Tyler, TX is served out of the mega-cluster**** mega hub at DFW, as well as WN at Love Field. Witchita Falls is served equally by Oklahoma City and Love Field.
People who live in small cities need regional airports. If you fly a lot, you want an airport convenient to both your origin and destination. Otherwise, you're wasting your time driving to and from airports. Business travelers have better things to do than go on long road trips.
If I have a conference or business in PSP, I'm not flying into LAX, BUR, SAN, or SNA and driving along I-10 to Palm Springs. I might consider ONT.
If I want to go skiing at Jackson Hole, I'm flying into JAC, not spending a day behind the wheel driving from DEN so I can fly WN. I have better things to do with my time.