New Airlines in Dickinson | Video

Alex Hagan | 2/8/2013

We all know Dickinson is a growing community. Airline boardings are up at the Queen City`s airport.
That`s why airport managers are developing a master plan to keep up with traffic and two new airlines are the first step.

More baggage. More screenings. More passengers. Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport may look small from the outside, but it`s a busy spot with many workers coming through. Mitchael Jones came to Dickinson from Texas to drive trucks in the oil fields. Right now the best ways to get home are the small 25 passenger planes at the airport.

"I do like to go home pretty often and this is about the quickest, easiest way to get there," Jones said.

The airport had an 83 percent increase in passengers from 2010 to 2011, with another increase in 2012.

Great Lakes won`t be the only air service in Dickinson anymore.

"We now will have the jets, which is huge," Airport Manager Matthew Remynse said.

United and Delta airlines are on the way.

"Two three years ago, we just didn`t have the passenger numbers to sustain a regional jet service. Now we do have those numbers," Remynse said.

Jet service means bigger planes and faster flights.

"There`s a lot of things you can evaluate a community on and jet service is one of those," said City Administrator Shawn Kessel.

Kessel says jet service also helps out developers and employers looking to come to Dickinson. "If it`s easier to get here, they`re more likely to come."

United and Delta airlines may be the first of many things to come to the airport, which could include a longer runway and a bigger terminal.

"We are already starting to move down the path that the master plan has aligned for us," Remynse said.

For Jones, jet service just makes it easier for him to get home. "If there were some bigger planes going out there that`s definitely what I would be taking."

And pretty soon, larger planes will be taking off from the Dickinson Airport.

Delta Airlines just announced today they will also have two daily flights coming to Dickinson`s airport. Both airlines plan to begin their service in early June. Delta will have flights to Minneapolis.

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