NEWS

Myrtle Beach travel:
Direct flights help fill
airline void for golfers

By Tim McDonald,
National Golf Editor

(Jan. 8, 2007) - Three discount airlines are poised to boost Myrtle Beach golf tourism with new direct flights from several eastern cities.

The service by Southern Skyways, Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Spirit Airlines will help fill the void created when Hooters Air shut down last year, eliminating a significant chunk of Myrtle Beach's air traffic.

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Atlanta-based start-up Southern Skyways will shuttle between Charleston, W.Va.'s Yeager Airport and Myrtle Beach International from early March through Labor Day, encompassing the Strand's main golf season.

"As a major tourist destination, we believe that Myrtle Beach is greatly underserved by the network and low-fare air carriers," Southern Skyways' Cary Evans said. "Many of these underserved markets have non-stop service to Orlando and we are convinced that Myrtle Beach would be just as popular if travel were convenient and affordable."

The Charleston flights run Mondays and Fridays beginning March 2.

"There's a bonus," Kanawah County, W.Va., Commissioner Kent Carper told the Charleston Daily Mail. "The plane will come in from Cincinnati and go back to Cincinnati. So you can ride to or from Cincinnati for $39. The trip to or from Myrtle Beach starts at $99 each way."

That compares favorably to current Charleston-Myrtle Beach fares of $369 in March.

Myrtle Beach Direct Air Phone: 877-432-DIRECT Web: myrtlebeachdirectair.com Southern Skyways Phone: 877-235-9768 Web: Southernskyways.com Spirit Airlines Phone: 800-772-7117 Web: www.spiritair.com For Myrtle Beach tee times, call 1-866-409-2177 or (843) 842-3472.

The flights are scheduled to leave Cincinnati at 9 a.m., arrive in Charleston at 9:45 a.m. and depart 45 minutes later for Myrtle Beach, arriving there at 11:45 a.m.

Return flights will leave Myrtle Beach at 6 p.m., arriving in Charleston at 7:15 p.m., and leaving Charleston at 8 p.m. and arriving in Cincinnati at 8:45 p.m.

Southern Skyways might add Wednesday flights during the busy summer months. A 148-seat Boeing 737 will serve the route.

Another start-up, Myrtle Beach Direct, will offer flights to and from Niagara Falls from March 7 to Nov. 1, improving Grand Strand access for New York state and Canadian golfers.

Myrtle Beach Direct is also planning service from Pittsburgh and Newark, N.J.

In addition, Florida's Spirit Airlines will begin flights to Fort Lauderdale from Myrtle Beach on Feb. 15.

The information in this story was accurate at the time of publication. Content for this site is provided by GolfPublisher Syndications.