Natchez Democrat
Jet Service Takes Off in Natchez
Will result in a major boost for the local tourism industry
By Lisa Monti
You can’t blame the city of Natchez and Adams County for their excitement over the return of commercial air service after an absence of more than 30 years.
Starting July 1, United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, will offer a daily flight to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport with a 50-seat jet. The commercial jet service is a first for the county-owned airport.
The flight to Houston will take less than an hour and give travelers access to United’s routes and connections worldwide.
Mayor Dan Gibson said he knew of one resident who already bought tickets to fly from Natchez to London next fall. “He has suggested that we rename the airport Natchez International,” said Gibson.
Kevin Wilson, President of the Adams County Board of Supervisors, has been hearing from residents who are excited about the convenience of catching a flight close to home.
“So many people have to drive to Baton Rouge or New Orleans or Jackson for a flight,” he said. “With the new service, travelers will save on drive time and parking costs and avoid crowds and congestion at the larger airports.”
Another benefit is that passengers cleared for boarding by TSA in Natchez won’t need additional security screening in Houston.
Studies by airline insiders show more than 10,000 passengers will use the new service in the first year and a half.
“This is such a major step forward,” said Gibson. “Recruiting passenger service to Natchez has been four years in the making, sometimes uphill.” He started attending meetings and airline industry conferences in the fall of 2021, “working with all the experts we could find.”
The City of Natchez, the county Board of Supervisors, and the Natchez-Adams County Airport Advisory Board, worked together and with an aviation consultant and other airport officials in Mississippi to entice an airline to serve Natchez. Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith along with state officials helped secure grants for airport infrastructure and operations.
“The Small Community Air Service Development Grant, combined with city and county funds, helped us put together a $1.2 million fund for mitigation that will help offset the losses that the airline may experience during their first year or two of operation,” said Gibson.
He said they are looking for more funds to get the airport ready for the July 1 start date. Infrastructure improvements including the renovation of an existing hangar to accommodate a 10,000 square foot passenger terminal.
Tourism is the top industry in Natchez, drawing thousands of visitors a year to tour its fabled collection of historic structures and enjoy the hospitality that makes the city the “Bed and Breakfast Capital of the South.” In 2024, visitor spending generated $129 million with a total economic impact of nearly $194 million, according to tourism officials.
Gibson said the city, which actively recruits remote workers, could see an increase in the number of residents who work at home because of their access to the new flights.
The city’s movie industry, anchored by Crooked Letter Studio, a new 100,000 square foot movie studio and sound stage, is also expected to benefit from the new jet service.
“Our airport studies showed that LAX has been one of our top markets, with people flying to Natchez from Los Angeles because of the movie industry,” said Gibson. “Having United in Natchez will connect us to LA and will also connect us to New York and other places that you really need to be connected to in order to make movies and TV productions happen.”
The city also hosts passengers who travel aboard cruise ships including Viking and American Cruise Lines along the Mississippi River. He said two of American Cruise Line’s newest vessels are expected to make Natchez their home port and one will soon start selling tickets for the 2028 cruise season.
“We will become the only city I know of on the lower Mississippi outside of New Orleans and Memphis to host overnight cruises on a weekly basis,” said Gibson. “That will be about 200 people flying in and flying out every week to board cruise ships for over 40 weeks out of the year.”
He said the cruise company also is partnering with the historic Eola Hotel, which will soon be under renovation before becoming a Marriott Tribute property opening in 2027.