Silver Airways expands to another new city in South Carolina, plans 3 routes to Florida
Silver Airways is rapidly expanding its map in the Palmetto State, planning three new routes from the South Carolina capital of Columbia even as the coronavirus pandemic persists.
Beginning Dec. 17, the South Florida-based regional carrier will connect Columbia (CAE) with Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA), Silver said Tuesday. All three routes will be flown twice-weekly with same-plane service available to Key West (EYW) via Tampa. Silver flies ATR and Saab 340 turboprop aircraft.
Columbia is Silver's second destination in South Carolina after renewing its plans to add Charleston (CHS) to its map. Flights to the coastal city begin Nov. 22.
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The new flights come as the U.S. faces a resurgence in COVID infections. The seven-day moving average of new case has been on an upward trajectory since mid-September, with 60,426 infections reported on Oct. 20, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
Both Florida and South Carolina are seeing rising case numbers.
However, rising infections have yet to dampen travel as they did during the summer. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 1 million people on Sunday, Oct. 18 — the first time the count passed the symbolic million-person mark since March.
Related: Silver Airways expands to Charleston, South Carolina, with 3 new routes
"Columbia and the surrounding communities comprise a vibrant region bursting with natural beauty, historic significance, countless recreational opportunities, a growing and progressive business community, and the University of South Carolina," said Silver CEO Steve Rossum in a statement on the new service.
Leisure travel has dominated the U.S. recovery so far. Few expect business flyers to return in significant numbers until next year, at the earliest.
Silver has limited frequent flyer partnerships with JetBlue Airways and United Airlines.
Related: TSA screenings top 1 million for first time since March