When the Covid-19 pandemic struck the United States and North Carolina in early 2020, it hit the air travel industry like a sledgehammer, and Piedmont Triad International Airport (PTI) – like airports around the world – saw airlines drop flights due to a lack of passengers.
One of those routes that fell by the wayside was United Airlines’ nonstop service between PTI and Washington Dulles International Airport.
PTI just got some very good news, however: Starting later this year – now that air travel is a roaring industry once again – United is resuming that service.
It’s one more sign that the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror.
The people who run PTI are always very happy when an airline adds more routes, and one person who’s happy about this is PTI Executive Director Kevin Baker.
“It’s a really important route for us,” Baker said.
He said one great thing about it is that with all the connecting flights coming in and out of Dulles, it will give those passengers using PTI many more options for getting to different destinations.
Baker said a lot of PTI’s flights were dropped during the pandemic and most had come back. He said it was his understanding that part of the problem United had getting this route going again was trouble finding enough crewmembers to staff the flights.
According to PTI officials, United will resume its nonstop service between the nation’s capital and Greensboro on Sunday, Oct. 27 of this year.
The trip between the two cities will take about an hour and 15 minutes.
United announced it plans to use Embraer ERJ-145XR aircraft for the service, which will run every day of the week between the two cities.
United already has tickets for sale for the flights.
Here’s a list of the flights that have been added…
Flights from PTI to Washington Dulles Airport:
Departing from PTI at 6 a.m. and arriving at Dulles at 7:16 a.m.
Departing from PTI at 2:45 p.m. and arriving at Dulles at 4:01 p.m.
Departing from PTI at 7:50 p.m. and arriving at Dulles at 9:06 p.m.
Flights from Dulles to PTI:
Departing from Dulles at 12:55 p.m. and arriving at PTI at 2:09 p.m.
Departing from Dulles at 5:50 p.m. and arriving at PTI at 7:04 p.m.
Departing from Dulles at 10:15 p.m. and arriving at PTI at 11:29 pm.
According to a statement from PTI regarding the good news, the service “will connect with three of the four banks out of IAD, [Dulles], bringing even more connectivity for passengers leaving PTI and connecting to destinations all over the world through Washington Dulles.”
GREAT NEWS!
The flight leaving GSO at 6.00am and arriving at Dulles at 7.16am allows you to catch the direct flight to London Heathrow which arrives that same evening. It’s not a “red eye” overnight flight that deprives you of your sleep.
This means that you spend the whole day travelling BUT you suffer no jet lag at all. Arriving in London around 9.30pm (4.30pm US Eastern Time), we just head straight to the pub and catch up over a few pints. I’ll hit the sack around 1.00am British time (8.00pm US) but sleep well from exhaustion and excitement… and beer!
Next day – fresh as a daisy!
Non-stop from RDU to Heathrow, CDG, etc. No missed connections.
Yes, but they’re overnight flights that arrive in Europe around 7.00am local time which is about 2.00am in Greensboro.- so you go a night without sleep and it takes 3-4 days of dragging (and insomnia) before you readjust.
And you have to drive to & from Raleigh.
These United flights work much better, Miller.
Whatever makes us happy. I much prefer non-stops.
Chacun a son gout.
none stop flight to the swamp!! sweet
Didn’t orange Cheetolini drain it? Oh yeah, he’s a failure…
Suburb of the swamp, National airport is by the swamp. Dulles is about 25 miles west.
The planes fly over my house on the way to the main North /South runway.
Still much easier to deal with than National. Also Metrorail now runs all the way to Dulles.
Silver line.