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Mayor's October Article on the Regional Airport
9/30/25 New Airline Contract with Contour Airlines
On September 30th, the United States Department of Transportation (US DOT) announced the awarding of Cape’s next air carrier contract, something many in the region have been looking forward to for quite a while. Air travel to and from the City of Cape Girardeau Regional Airport (CGI) is an essential part of many things people look to as they consider living or working in Cape and the region, as it touches on many important aspects of life here—infrastructure, economic development, jobs, education, and general quality of life.
After an extensive bidding process that began in late 2024, the US DOT has awarded the next four year airline contract to Contour Airlines, which has served the region since 2022. Before I mention the details of the new contract with Contour, I’d like to offer a quick reminder of how we’ve gotten here:
- SkyWest Airlines began a regional jet service at CGI in 2017, with direct flights to Chicago, through the US DOT’s Essential Air Service (EAS) government program that subsidizes airlines to serve small, rural communities. Passenger air travel before that was only offered through Cape Air’s ten-seat flights to St Louis Lambert.
- The US DOT signed a new three year contract with SkyWest in 2021.
- In early 2022, SkyWest abruptly cancelled its contract with CGI and approximately 30 other communities across the country, filing a termination notice with the US DOT.
- The US DOT quickly issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to resume service to CGI. Contour Airlines submitted the only jet service proposal, for air service to Nashville. This was accepted and that contract began in the fall of 2022.
- Contour changed its Nashville service to Chicago O’Hare in 2024.
- As Contour’s contract expired in 2025, another RFP was issued, and 6 bids were received this past spring—from American Airlines, SkyWest Airlines, Contour, Air Wisconsin, Southern Airways, and Denver Air Connection.
Regarding the US DOT’s application process, its EAS webpage lists factors to be considered as it determines how to award contracts to regional airports. The main factors are:
1) reliability of the airline
2) interline agreements with larger carriers
3) preferences of actual and potential users, including those of elected officials
4) the marketing plan of the carrier
5) compensation provided by the carrier
Throughout this process, the City of Cape has worked with various partners to help assess the only factor under our purview, the preferences of our local users. The city’s marketing team, the Cape Chamber of Commerce, and the airport board all spent a lot of time gathering input from the community, as well as from regional and federal elected officials and stakeholders. From that, and for all the other factors listed, Cape’s city council voted unanimously last May to recommend American Airlines for the new EAS contract to the US DOT.
What is important to understand is that since the US DOT subsidizes the EAS program, it is really the only decision maker for service to and from CGI and other regional airports. The bid from American Airlines was substantially higher than other bids offered, which is understandable given the size and scope of American Airlines and the services it provides. It is exactly those services, however, that promoted American to the top of the list as the community’s recommendation.
What we have just learned this week is that the US DOT has awarded the new EAS contract to Contour Airlines. While it is not the top choice we were asked to provide, this decision does provide great continuity for our area travelers, with continued service to Chicago O’Hare. And in what is a potential game changer for area travel, Contour is interested in bringing air service to Dallas/Fort Worth, as well as seasonal flights to Pensacola, Florida. The main details of the proposal are as follows:
We hope to hear of the US DOT approval of these new travel options very soon. These aspects of the new carrier contract would connect travelers to two of the nation's largest airline hubs, and would make CGI one of only a handful of EAS airports nationwide offering service to three or more destinations. There is much to be excited about for the city and region with this contract, and we look forward to building on our strong partnership with Contour Airlines, and creating an even stronger one in the years to come.
When I first joined the city council in 2018, one of my first questions to the city administration was how we could consider expanding air service to more than one hub. The response by many was that it would never happen. Granted, this was just one year after the City had shifted from very small Cape Air flights to St Louis, so it did seem hard to fathom!
Since then, there has been an incredible amount of planning and investment at CGI. Several rounds of carrier bids have played out, a new modern terminal has been built, outlying facilities have been renovated, and educational and workforce partnerships have been created. Much more of all this is currently in development at the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, and we are very enthusiastic about continued growth and opportunity there.
This new contract with Contour is one more step on that path of progress. We should all recognize, however, that none of this is possible without the federal EAS program. The City of Cape is extremely thankful for the continued support from our federal partners of the EAS program, and the incredible opportunity it brings to the City of Cape and the entire region.