United Airlines introduced 70-to-76 seat E-175 jets on its non-stop flights between Lewiston and Denver in the last week of September.

The larger aircraft have replaced 1990s-era, 50-seat CRJ-200 jets on the route, said Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport Director Michael Isaacs in an email.

United is seeking a $4.9 million revenue guarantee for this year to continue the service and had told airport officials it would start using larger aircraft on the route.

The airline had requested direction from the community about the subsidy by Tuesday, but airport officials are hoping United will wait until Oct. 15.

On Friday there were no new updates about if any party would be willing to cover the revenue guarantee.

The owners of the airport, the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County, have no money for a revenue guarantee for United in their budgets this year.

The growing number of flights at the Lewiston airport has lowered fares, according to a news release issued Friday by the airport.

In 2018, travelers could only reach one destination, Salt Lake, on direct Delta flights from the Lewiston airport after Horizon Air withdrew its Seattle and Boise flights.

United introduced direct Denver flights in 2021 that were supported for three years with $4 million. The money came from the county’s $7.8 million allocation from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Those flights also received a revenue guarantee for the fiscal year that ended Monday worth as much as $4 million from the city of Lewiston after United reported losing $5.5 million on the flights in 2023.

Delta debuted direct Seattle flights last year that are not subsidized.

The Salt Lake City, Denver and Seattle flights have allowed for airfares to decline at the Lewiston airport by 18% from “an average of $298 to $243 each way” according to the news release that cited statistics from the Bureau of Transportation.

“On a relative basis, Lewiston one-way fares were 33% higher than the national average in 2021,” according to the news release. “For the first quarter of 2024, they are 12% lower than the national average — a 45% point swing estimated to save travelers $6 million annually.”

Flights from the Lewiston airport connect to three hubs, which together provide 903 daily flights to 306 destinations, according to the news release.

Connecticut-based American Cruise Lines was able to fly a record number of cruise passengers to Lewiston this year, 8,300 inbound customers with more than 4,000 hotel rooms booked in the area, said Bret Bullock, director of guest experience with American Cruise Lines, in the Lewiston airport news release.

“A strong resurgence in commercial airline passengers would not have been possible without the vision and commitment from … the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County,” Isaacs said.

Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.