Santa Fe Jet Center adding seasonal, upscale flight to Dallas in May
The Santa Fe Regional Airport will soon be adding a new flight to Dallas through the public charter jet service JSX.
The flight will operate out of the airport's Jet Center as the airport continues to work on adding additional commercial flights following the completion of the first phase of a terminal expansion.
The JSX flight has been in the works for about a year, and was driven by demand from passengers at the carrier's other locations.
"Over the past few years, we've seen an increasing interest in travel to Santa Fe," said Ben Kaufman, senior director of customer experience and brand partnerships for JSX, who said the City Different has been at "the top of the list" of requests for new flights. "... As we add aircraft to fleet, the stars aligned for us to be able to make it happen this year."
Flights went on sale Tuesday and will start May 22. They will run once per day, five days a week on a seasonal basis, with tickets starting at $349 one-way.
Headquartered in Dallas, JSX operates flights in the United States and Mexico, mostly in the American Southwest. In New Mexico, it also operates out of Taos Regional Airport.
The company has 47 aircraft, all of which seat 30 passengers, and flies between private airport terminals. Kaufman described its business model as providing the benefits of private jet service at a more attainable price. Fares include two checked bags, in-flight Wi-Fi and snacks and alcohol.
"The real joy of our model is we bring a lot of those perks and make it attainable," he said. "If you compare our introductory price of $349 one-way to what you see from network airlines, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised."
The air carrier is also certified by Autism Double-Checked, he said, and employees dealing with customers are trained in how to support and interact with travelers on the autism spectrum.
Kaufman described JSX's customer base as affluent and interested in arts and culture, making Santa Fe a natural fit.
"Santa Fe offers a lot of natural beauty that's a short flight away for our Dallas-based customers, but it's also an area that, much like the state of New Mexico at large, is just full of incredible arts, culture, rich heritage and fabulous cuisine," he said.
For Santa Feans who are Dallas-bound, Kaufman said visitors can take advantage of the city's booming dining scene and growing financial services sector, which he said has developed the tongue-in-cheek name "Y'all Street."
"Whether for business or pleasure, Dallas really has something for everybody," he said.
The Dallas-Santa Fe flight will fly into the Dallas Love Field Airport, which Kaufman noted is closer to the city center than the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
The airport has an existing flight into Dallas Fort Worth on American Airlines.
Kaufman said most seasonal JSX flights run from about Memorial Day through Labor Day, but because of October attractions in New Mexico, primarily the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, the flight to Santa Fe will run through the end of October.
Depending on demand, he said there's a possibility the route could be extended.
"If there's good, strong indicators that the market can sustain for the winter season as well, that's definitely something that we would consider," Kaufman said.
Airport Manager James Harris said the new flight "fits perfectly" at the airport and speaks to growing demand. Over the past several years, the airport has seen a significant increase in both revenue and passengers. This year, he said it expects to exceed 400,000 passengers.
The city last year completed the first phase of an expansion to the airport, which grew its footprint by 8,000 square feet and added additional gates, seating, parking and other amenities. Design work on the second phase is anticipated to start later this year with $2 million in capital outlay.
As of now, Harris said the airport has been told by the New Mexico Department of Transportation that it is not going to be affected by any federal funding changes. The airport has been very successful at securing state funding over the past several years.
Another aspect of the airport's work has been growing its passenger base, said Stuart C. Kirk, executive director of the Northern New Mexico Air Alliance. That effort has led the airport to now have about 1,000 daily passengers, he said.
Kirk said the airport is particularly interested in a flight to the Los Angeles International Airport or Hollywood Burbank Airport due to demand from the film industry, something Santa Fe is trying to cultivate with the development of a large film studio at the midtown campus and other initiatives.
He said the airport has met with American Airlines about the possibility of a flight to LAX. Nothing has been promised, but he said he's optimistic.
"For a while the limitation was the capacity of our terminal, but now that we've got this nice new terminal, more parking and when we're getting started on a next phase, that makes us more and more attractive," Kirk said.
Kirk said JSX also operates out of Burbank, and he would love for the carrier to begin offering that as a destination from Santa Fe.
Kaufman said JSX typically enters new markets with one route, but has "every intention" of expanding if the Santa Fe-Dallas flight proves successful.
He said the demand for a flight to the Los Angeles area is on the company's radar. "It's definitely top of mind for us," Kaufman said.
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