Pangborn adds daily Portland flight starting in October

WENATCHEE — A new daily flight from Pangborn Memorial Airport to Portland will begin this fall, Port officials announced April 29 during a Partners in Economic Development breakfast at the Wenatchee Convention Center.

They received the news less than 24 hours prior to the gathering, during a regularly scheduled meeting of the Chelan-Douglas Regional Port Authority.

The announcement came as regional leaders, business owners and public officials gathered to hear updates on the local economy and air service, following a presentation that underscored how difficult it has become for small communities to maintain commercial flights.

Port Commissioner JC Baldwin said the new route, operated by Horizon Air for Alaska Airlines, will begin Oct. 3, with one daily round-trip flight between Wenatchee and Portland.

Tickets went on sale the same day.

The flight will use a 76-seat regional jet and is designed to connect passengers through Portland to more than 65 nonstop destinations, including national and international routes.

“I am very excited to be able to announce new commercial air service from Wenatchee to Portland,” Baldwin said.

“Direct service to Portland enhances mobility for residents, supports local businesses, and strengthens our ability to attract visitors and investment.”

The announcement followed a presentation from aviation consultant Jack Penning, who told the room that airlines are cutting routes nationwide as fuel costs rise and capacity tightens.

As he spoke, Penning said 10 small-market airports had already been notified that they would lose service.

“The fact that we are going to announce a new service in this environment is stunning,” he said.

Airlines are increasingly prioritizing shorter, more fuel-efficient routes that feed into larger hubs, a shift that makes Portland a strategic addition for Wenatchee.

Flights will arrive in Wenatchee just before noon and depart shortly after, timed to connect with tightly scheduled groups of incoming and outgoing flights in Portland.

Those connections allow travelers to reach dozens of destinations with minimal layover time.

The new route also responds to strong local demand.

Flights out of Wenatchee are frequently near capacity, particularly in premium seating, even as many residents continue to drive to Seattle or Spokane for more options. Penning said about 61 percent of local travelers drive to Seattle for flights, compared to a much smaller share who use Pangborn.

Port officials said the Portland service is expected to increase available seats while helping recapture travelers who currently leave the valley to fly.

The route is supported by a $1.15 million revenue guarantee, combining a federal Small Community Air Service Development grant with local contributions. That grant was made possible by Washington’s federal delegation, including Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Representatives Kim Schrier and Dan Newhouse, who all supported the effort to land the SCASD funding.

Port CEO Jim Kuntz said that kind of incentive has become essential: “Airlines are not in the risk business anymore in small markets,” Kuntz said.

Even with the new flight, officials said the work to expand service is ongoing.

Port leaders said they are continuing discussions with multiple airlines as they look to build out additional routes in the future.

For now, the Portland connection represents a significant step forward, particularly at a time when many communities are seeing service reduced rather than expanded.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media