Sales solid for American Airlines, United nonstop flights to, from Green Bay for marquee Packers games vs. Tampa Bay, Dallas
ASHWAUBENON - Tickets to Green Bay Packers games are in high demand, but they're not the only kind of tickets Packers (and Cowboys and Buccaneers) fans are after.
American Airlines in mid-July added two nonstop flights to its schedule, tied to two of the Packers' marquee matchups this season: against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Tampa on Sept. 25 and the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field on Nov. 13.
Seats for the flights into and out of Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport have sold well, according to Marty Piette, the airport director. American also plans to use larger jets, with more than 120 seats, on its Chicago-Green Bay flights on weekends when the Packers play at Lambeau to accommodate increased demand.
"These schedule changes and larger planes allow fans the best options when connecting to the game or to their home airport," Piette said in a media release. "It’s good for the fans and for our local economy."
About half the seats have already been sold on all four of the flights American announced, and United Airlines has also added nonstop flights between Dallas and Green Bay to its November schedule.
It also turns out there are four more flights on the Green Bay schedule beyond the flights targeted at Packers fans, too.
With two weeks until Tampa, Green Bay flight is about half sold
The Packers travel to Tampa for a Sept. 25 matchup and, with about two weeks to go, about 50% of seats have been sold on American's 7 a.m. Sept. 24 flight from Green Bay that arrives at 11:04 a.m. at Tampa International Airport.
Seat sales are about the same on the nonstop return flight that leaves Tampa at 9:15 a.m. Monday, Sept. 26 and arrives in Green Bay at 11:37 a.m.
Available round trip tickets start at $500, according to American's online booking system.
Now that Packers season is front-of-mind and the game day approaches, Piette expects the demand for remaining seats will increase.
"Fifty percent isn't too bad," Piette said. "It's not a route we typically have so it's a surprise to people."
Dallas to Green Bay fills up fast; United adds nonstop flights, too
Fans have not waited quite so long to book airfare for the Nov. 13 Packers-Cowboys matchup at Lambeau Field.
Only 13 seats remain on American's nonstop flight that leaves Dallas Fort Worth International Airport at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 12 and arrives in Green Bay at 1 p.m. First class seats have sold out. The return flight, which departs Green Bay at 11:25 a.m. Nov. 14 and arrives in Dallas at 2:05 a.m., has about 31 seats still available.
Available round trip tickets start at $1,800, according to American's online booking system.
Piette said the difference in sales between the Dallas arriving and departing flights could be a sign visitors extend their stay beyond the game.
"As long as they're up here, maybe they plan to take in some of the other things Green Bay has to offer," Piette said.
United Airlines also scheduled nonstop service between Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport for that same weekend.
United's flight departs Dallas at 2:10 p.m. Nov. 12 and arrives in Green Bay at 4:49 p.m. The return flight on Nov. 14 departs Green Bay at 10:55 a.m. and lands in Dallas at 1:47 p.m.
More than half the seats have already sold on both United flights. Round trip tickets for United's flights start at $1,002, according to United's online booking system.
For those uninterested in football, other nonstop flights start at $125
If you've been counting, there's been four flights American added to Green Bay Austin Strabuel International Airport schedule. But really, Piette said, American added eight flights
The game day flights require American to find an extra jet and crew to operate the flights. It turns out, Piette said, that the airline will fly the aircraft out of Green Bay after each of American's four announced flights.
The details were not announced in July, but you can book seats on the four nonstop flights via American's online booking system. It should be noted these flights are at times that will not get you to town in time for the game.
The extra, one-way flights are:
Friday, Sept. 23: Departs at 9:10 p.m. from Tampa and arrives in Green Bay at 11:32 p.m. Fares start at $280.
Monday, Sept. 26: Departs Green Bay at 12:23 p.m. and arrives at 1:33 p.m. at Chicago O'Hare International Airport. Fares start at $254.
Saturday, Nov. 12: Departs Green Bay at 1:45 p.m. and arrives in Dallas at 4:25 p.m. Fares start at $124.
Sunday, Nov. 13: Departs Dallas at 6:30 p.m. and arrives in Green Bay at 9 p.m. Fares start at $124.
Contact Jeff Bollier at (920) 431-8387 or jbollier@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JeffBollier.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Nonstop flights to Tampa, from Dallas for Packers games filling up
