Commercial Air Service between Las Cruces and Albuquerque
Advanced Air to Revive Commercial Air Service between Las Cruces and Albuquerque Following 15 Year Hiatus
Seven weekly flights begin January 16, tickets on sale now
Albuquerque, Las Cruces, N.M. and Hawthorne, CA – January 5, 2023 —
Following nearly a two decade gap in commercial air service, Southern California regional airline, Advanced Air, has been selected to provide service for the Las Cruces International Airport (LRU) with a new flight to the Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ).
Under the two-year contract beginning January 16, 2023, Advanced Air will provide seven flights per week (two flights on Mondays and Fridays, one flight on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays), between LRU and ABQ. Fixed pricing starts at $85 each way or customers can purchase bulk packets of 10 one-way tickets at a savings of 20% off refundable fares, for an all-inclusive cost of $826.60. Customers will be treated to free snacks and drinks aboard Advanced Air’s 9-seat King Air 350.
Las Cruces becomes the fourth airport in New Mexico serviced by Advanced Air, joining ABQ, Silver City’s Grant County Airport (SVC), and Gallup Municipal Airport (GUP). With this new service, the Sunport now offers 26 nonstop flights to destinations throughout the country.
“We are thrilled to be working with the City of Las Cruces and State of New Mexico to bring viable air service back to this vibrant culture and community,” said Levi Stockton, Founder & President of Advanced Air.
“Passenger air service returning to Las Cruces has been a long time in the making. We’re excited about having a new travel option for business, tourism, and health care,” said Las Cruces Airport Administrator, Andy Hume.
“We’re proud to work with our partners at Advanced Air to offer this new service between our communities,” said Richard McCurley, Director of Aviation for the City of Albuquerque. “The quick 54-minute flight will provide a convenient option for those who commute from Albuquerque to the Las Cruces area and is another encouraging indicator of our industry’s growth going into 2023.”
The funding for passenger air service comes from the New Mexico Rural Air Service Enhancement (RASE) Grant, which was put into place to guarantee that small communities without scheduled operations could attract regular air service, providing access to a large or medium-hub airport. This program provides a mix of State and City-allocated funds to induce airlines to enter the smaller markets in New Mexico. Last summer, Gallup became the first recipient of the grant, also serviced by Advanced Air.
For more information on pricing and schedule, please visit https://advancedairlines.com/airports/las-cruces-international-airport/, and follow @advancedairlines on Instagram and Facebook. Assets are available here and here.
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About the Albuquerque International Sunport:
Owned and operated by the City of Albuquerque’s Aviation Department, The Albuquerque International Sunport is New Mexico’s largest commercial airport, welcoming over 5 million passengers each year. Served by 8 major carriers, 3 cargo carriers and 2 commuter airlines, the Sunport offers non-stop service between ABQ and over 20 destinations, with worldwide connectivity. The Albuquerque International Sunport is the Gateway of New Mexico.
About City of Las Cruces
Home to over 110,000 residents, Las Cruces is the second largest city in New Mexico. Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), located about 10 miles west of downtown, serves a growing region of more than 250,000 people. The renovation and expansion of the terminal, airport infrastructure, and development of new areas for hangar construction supports the goals and priorities for LRU to be a hub for passenger air service and economic development in southern New Mexico.
About Advanced Air, LLC
Advanced Air is a world-class, Southern California based, multi-hyphenate aviation company offering a gamut of services including regional commercial service (Advanced Air), private charter, aviation management and corporate travel (Advanced Air Charters) and property management services. It owns and operates out of the award-winning fixed base operator (FBO), Jet Center Los Angeles located in Hawthorne, CA at the Hawthorne Municipal Airport, covering a total of 90 acres and 200,000 square feet of hangar space. Its real estate is commonly used for public and private events and filming.
Media Contacts:
Advanced Air
Lindsay Colker
Elevate Communications
lindsay@elevateprco.com
City of Las Cruces
Mandy Leatherwood Guss
mguss@lascruces.gov
ABQ Sunport
Daniel Jiron
505-464-6681
dajiron@cabq.gov
