Southwest and AirTran broaden nonstop network from MKE

Partner airlines Southwest and AirTran are adding new nonstop flight options from MKE. Beginning September 6, AirTran will add two more daily roundtrips between MKE and Des Moines, Iowa (DSM) and two more daily nonstops to Akron-Canton Airport (CAK), an alternative airport for Cleveland, Ohio. Also on September 6, Southwest will launch two daily roundtrips between MKE and St. Louis, Missouri (STL), and a daily roundtrip to Denver, Colorado (DEN) – adding to the once daily trip AirTran already makes to the Mile High city. And for your wintertime getaway, Southwest will launch nonstop service between MKE and Fort Lauderdale, Florida (FLL) on January 7.

Learn more about Southwest/AirTran nonstop destinations and fares by visiting www.southwest.com and www.airtran.com.

This winter, sunny skies and swaying palms are just a nonstop away via MKE

With fall right around the corner, Frontier Airlines is helping travelers kick start their winter vacation planning with newly announced nonstop service to sunny Florida.  Starting December 15 and lasting through April 15 2012, Frontier will offer thrice-weekly nonstop service from MKE to Tampa (TPA).

Compare fares and check out all of Frontier’s nonstop destinations at www.frontierairlines.com.

MKE ranked third most affordable airport in the nation

Cheapflights.com named MKE the third most affordable airport in the nation! The site’s 101 airports affordability list allows travelers to see how their favorite airports stack up in terms of airfare. Rankings are based on Cheapflights’ 101 most searched airports, and consider the average airfares users found in June on flights to the site’s most popular destinations, including Orlando, London Heathrow, Las Vegas and Cancun. As a smart alternative to Chicago’s O’Hare, MKE passengers are taking off smiling, with average airfares coming in at $274, compared to O’Hare, which came in at $462 and ranked 85th out of 101.

Travelers! Escape Illinois tollway increases by flying from MKE

The Illinois tollway system is proposing increased rates of $0.35 for those who use I-PASS, and as much as $0.90 at many of the state’s toll plazas. Wisconsin and northern Illinois residents: steer clear of the tolls by traveling via MKE as an alternative to Chicago’s O’Hare.

New access lanes open for drivers heading north to MKE

MKE passengers driving to the airport from the south will exit on new access lanes built during the reconstruction of I-94. Make sure to watch the signs, as drivers will approach the exit a little earlier than before.

For more information, click on this Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article.

MKE instead of ORD: New study reveals “alternative airports” are taking off

Fans of Mitchell Airport already know that MKE is a smart Chicago O’Hare alternative offering low fares, affordable parking, convenient amenities and a healthy list of nonstops . To get a bird’s eye view of nationwide usage of “alternative airports,” MKE commissioned a study with Harris Interactive. The survey found that nearly half of U.S. adults who’ve traveled on an airplane in the past year have flown through an alternative airport, and a whopping 92% would do so again! Plus, 77% said flying through an alternative airport brought less stress than flying through a major airport, and 88% said they’ve had a happy experience at an alternative airport. For more results, check out MKE’s news release on MitchellAirport.com!

Peter Greenberg names MKE favorite alternate airport for Chicago region

Travel guru and CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg recently touted Mitchell Airport as his favorite alternate airport– and a potential solution for avoiding flight delays. His article lists the 10 worst U.S. airports for delays, with Chicago’s O’Hare coming in at number two. Peter’s advice: choose “Milwaukee instead of Chicago.”

Visit flyMKE.com for a full listing of cities served nonstop by MKE.

Fan of Mitchell Airport? Enter the contest and “Like” us on Facebook for a chance to win

Fly over to the “Enter to Win an iPad2” link on our Facebook fan page and “Like” Mitchell Airport for your chance to win. At 5,000 fans, an iPad2 (16GB) will be awarded to a randomly drawn entrant. Don’t forget to share it with your friends!

Rows of Harleys (parked for free) @ MKE = summertime

It’s officially summer at Mitchell Airport when the Harley-Davidsons line up in the special motorcycle parking area. And, the best part? It’s FREE. Visit MKE’s parking page for information about all of the affordable parking rates!

Ping-Pong at MKE garners smiles and national attention

From the popular Mitchell Gallery of Flight museum, to, yes – Ping-Pong – there’s never a lack of fun at Mitchell Airport. To help celebrate Milwaukee’s “Summer of China” events, which included an exhibit of Chinese art and architecture at the Milwaukee Art Museum, Visit Milwaukee set-up complimentary Ping-Pong tables for MKE passengers. The activity generated plenty of smiles, as well as national media attention – including a post by Harriet Baskas on her popular Stuck at the Airport blog!