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| Founded | 1997 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOC # | KY7A882H [1] | ||||||
| Hubs | Denver International Airport | ||||||
| Destinations | 12 | ||||||
| Parent company | Key Lime Air | ||||||
| Key people |
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| Website | denverairconnection | ||||||
Denver Air Connection is a subsidiary of Key Lime Air providing both charter and scheduled passenger air service.
Key Lime Air, dba Denver Air Connection (DAC), operates FAR Part 121 regional airline scheduled passenger service and scheduled passenger air charter. DAC operates a public charter route between Grand Junction Regional Airport in western Colorado and Centennial Airport in the Denver area twice daily. DAC public-charter flights are operated with various aircraft, including Embraer ERJ-145 and Fairchild Dornier 328JET regional jets as well as Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops under FAR Part 135.
Denver Air Connection has an interline relationship with both United Airlines and American Airlines enabling travelers to book flights on United or American and travel on Denver Air Connection. [2] [3] The carrier announced in January 2024 that it would start an agreement with Delta Air Lines. [4]
On 15 May 2019, the airline began service to Telluride Regional Airport also operating as Denver Air Connection and using the Fairchild Dornier 328JET. The service is the first jet service at the Telluride airport.
On June 1, 2019, the airline began its first Essential Air Service (EAS) contract at Alliance Municipal Airport under the Denver Air Connection brand, using the Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner. The service offers 12 weekly round trips to Denver. Only one of Key Lime Air's Metroliners is set up using the required 9-seat configuration. [5]
In addition to the scheduled service, DAC offers private charters on its various airframes.
Denver Air Connection serves the following destinations:
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Arizona | ||||
| Phoenix | Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport | PHX | Cortez Telluride | |
 Colorado | ||||
| Alamosa | San Luis Valley Regional Airport | ALS | Denver | Contract awarded from SkyWest due to contract termination [6] |
| Cortez | Cortez Municipal Airport | CEZ | Denver Phoenix | Contract awarded from Boutique Air [7] |
| Denver | Denver International Airport | DEN | Alamosa Alliance Cortez Clovis Kearney McCook Pierre Telluride Watertown | Hub |
| Telluride | Telluride Regional Airport | TEX | Denver Phoenix | |
 Illinois | ||||
| Chicago | O'Hare International Airport | ORD | Ironwood Watertown | |
 Nebraska | ||||
| Alliance | Alliance Municipal Airport | AIA | Denver | EAS Community |
| Kearney | Kearney Regional Airport | EAR | Denver [8] | EAS Community | Contract awarded from SkyWest |
| McCook | McCook Ben Nelson Regional Airport | MCK | Denver | EAS Community |
 New Mexico | ||||
| Clovis | Clovis Municipal Airport | CVN | Dallas-Ft. Worth [9] Denver | EAS Community |
 Michigan | ||||
| Ironwood | Gogebic–Iron County Airport | IWD | Chicago O'Hare Minneapolis | EAS Community |
 Minnesota | ||||
| Minneapolis/St Paul | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport | MSP | Ironwood Thief River Falls | |
| Thief River Falls | Thief River Falls Regional Airport | TVF | Minneapolis | EAS Community |
 South Dakota | ||||
| Pierre | Pierre Regional Airport | PIR | Denver | EAS Community [10] |
| Watertown | Watertown Regional Airport | ATY | Chicago O'Hare Denver | EAS Community [11] |
 Texas | ||||
| Dallas/Fort Worth | Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport | DFW | Clovis | |
| City | Airport | IATA Code | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | ||||
| Broomfield | Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport | BJC | Grand Junction | Ended due to low demand. |
| Denver-Centennial | Centennial Airport | APA | Grand Junction | Hub |
| Grand Junction | Grand Junction Regional Airport | GJT | Denver-Centennial | Ended due to low demand [12] |
 Wyoming | ||||
| Riverton | Central Wyoming Regional Airport | RIW | Denver Sheridan | EAS Community | SkyWest Airlines awarded contract |
| Sheridan | Sheridan County Airport | SHR | Denver Riverton | EAS Community | SkyWest awarded contract |
SkyWest Airlines is an American regional airline headquartered in St. George, Utah, United States. SkyWest operates and maintains aircraft used on flights that are scheduled, marketed and sold by a partner mainline airline. The company is contracted by Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. In all, it is the largest regional airline in North America when measured by fleet size, number of passengers carried, and number of destinations served.
Telluride Regional Airport is a public airport six miles west of Telluride, in San Miguel County, Colorado, United States. It is owned by the Telluride Regional Airport Authority. At an elevation of 9,078 feet above sea level, it was the highest commercial airport in North America with scheduled passenger flights when Great Lakes Airlines resumed scheduled passenger service in December 2016; however, those flights ceased in March 2018. In August 2018, commercial service returned with the introduction of Boutique Air, and the airport remains the highest airfield in the U.S. with scheduled passenger flights, and the second highest overall airfield in the US behind Leadville Airport. Denver Air Connection is currently the only airline flying scheduled passenger flights from Telluride with daily nonstop flights to Denver and Phoenix. Denver Air operates the Fairchild-Dornier 328JET into Telluride. The 328JET is one of the few regional jet airliners in service capable of operating at such high field elevations as TEX.
Skyway Airlines was an American ramp and aircraft ground handling services and catering company based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Until April 5, 2008, it operated as a regional airline and banner carrier exclusively for Midwest Express Airlines under the business name Midwest Connect, feeding Midwest's hub at General Mitchell International Airport with twelve 32-seat Fairchild-Dornier 328JET regional jet aircraft, and four 19-seat Beechcraft 1900 commuter turboprops. Skyway Airlines, along with its parent corporation, Midwest Air Group, has since ceased operations.
Cortez Municipal Airport is three miles southwest of Cortez, in Montezuma County, Colorado, United States. It has passenger service from one airline: Key Lime Air DBA Denver Air Connection.
ItAli Airlines S.p.A. was an airline based in Rome. It operated regional scheduled, charter and cargo services, as well as air taxi flights. Its main base was Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino International Airport, Rome.
Imperial County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Imperial County, California, United States. Also known as Boley Field, it is mostly used for general aviation, but has scheduled passenger service from one commercial airline. Service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
Sheridan County Airport is in Sheridan County, Wyoming, two miles southwest of Sheridan, Wyoming.
Central Nebraska Regional Airport is three miles northeast of Grand Island, in Hall County, Nebraska. It is owned by the Hall County Airport Authority. The airport sees two airlines, Allegiant Air which flies independently and American Eagle which is subsidized by the federal Essential Air Service program. In 2016 the airport had 68,879 passenger boardings (enplanements), a 6.6% increase from the 64,602 enplanements in 2015. The airport had 7,961 enplanements in calendar year 2008, 20,136 in 2009 and 37,101 in 2010.
Idaho Falls Regional Airport is two miles north-northwest of downtown Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States. It is locally known as Fanning Field. It is the second-busiest airport in Idaho after Boise Airport.
Clovis Regional Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located six nautical miles east of the central business district of Clovis, a city in Curry County, New Mexico, United States. The facility opened in April, 1959 and is mostly used for general aviation, but is also served by one commercial airline. Current scheduled passenger service is subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. The airport was previously known as Clovis Municipal Airport but underwent a name change to Clovis Regional Airport in 2021 when it was upgraded to Part 121 status.
Page Municipal Airport is a public use airport 1 mile east of Page, in Coconino County, Arizona. The airport has scheduled passenger service subsidized by the U.S. Federal Government's Essential Air Service program as well as regular sightseeing flights.
Flagstaff Pulliam Airport is 5 miles south of Flagstaff, in Coconino County, Arizona, United States. The airport is serviced by American Eagle, and is also used for general aviation. Federal Aviation Administration records show the airport had 51,765 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 66,627 in 2009 and 62,109 in 2010. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 called it a "primary commercial service" airport. It is the closest airport to Grand Canyon National Park with service by legacy carriers.
Durango–La Plata County Airport is a city- and county-owned public airport 12 miles southeast of Durango, in La Plata County, Colorado.
The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner is a 19-seat, pressurized, twin-turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild Aircraft at a plant in San Antonio, Texas.
Glacier Park International Airport is in Flathead County, Montana, United States, six miles northeast of Kalispell. The airport is owned and operated by the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority, a public agency created by the county in 1974.
The Fairchild-Dornier 328JET is a commuter airliner, based upon the turboprop-powered Dornier 328, developed by the German aircraft manufacturer Dornier Luftfahrt GmbH. It would be the last Dornier-designed aircraft to reach production before the company's collapse during the early 2000s.
Key Lime Air is a United States airline with corporate headquarters at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado, within the Denver metropolitan area. Established in 1997, Key Lime Air operates scheduled air service, various types of public and private charter, and United Parcel Service cargo feeder operations.
The Fairchild Dornier 428JET was a program undertaken by American company Fairchild Dornier to develop a 44-seat regional jet aircraft. The program was part of a broader attempt by the company to develop a family of regional jets, comprising the 328JET, 428JET, and the 728 series. This family of aircraft was designed to compete with the Bombardier CRJ and Embraer ERJ/Embraer E-Jets families. The aircraft was announced on May 19, 1998. It was cancelled in August 2000.
Contour Airlines is an independent regional airline headquartered at Smyrna Airport in Smyrna, Tennessee, United States.
Taos Air is a virtual airline that operates seasonal scheduled public air charter service between Taos Regional Airport in Taos, New Mexico and several airports in California and Texas. The airline is owned by Taos Ski Valley, Inc. Service to Texas began in the 2018–2019 winter season while the 2019–2020 winter season saw the introduction of California routes. The carrier operated Fairchild Dornier 328JETs from 2018 through summer 2022 then switched to Embraer 135 regional jets operated by JSX Air beginning with the 2022–2023 winter ski season.
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