Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

As of the writing of this post, there are no nonstop flights between Ohio’s two largest metropolitan areas, Cleveland and Cincinnati.  There used to be a direct flight, which is a shade over 200 miles and takes about 40 minutes by air, but with cuts at Cincinnati / Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) by Delta coupled with cuts at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) by United, the direct flight was gone

(SEE ALSO: United and Frontier pulling flights from Cleveland)

(SEE ALSO: The curious case of Delta and CVG)

Ultimate Air Shuttle starting a direct flight

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that there is a direct flight being introduced between Cleveland and Cincinnati, but it’s not by Delta, United or any of the other “main” carriers.  Instead, it’s being operated by Ultimate Air Shuttle, a company that caters more to business travelers.

As such, the flights don’t go from CVG to CLE, but instead from Lunken Airport (LUK) a smaller airport closer to downtown Cincinnati to Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL), which is (wait for it….) on the Lakefront, in downtown Cleveland a mile or so east of Public Square and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

a bridge with lights on it

The flights are scheduled to start at the end of October, and run twice a day (once in the morning and once in the evening).  Prices are at $199 one-way or $379 roundtrip, though they are offering Buy 1 Get 1 Free through the end of December.

How does an Ultimate Air Shuttle flight differ from a “regular” flight

Ultimate Air Shuttle promotes its flights as a more premium service.  The $379 includes transportation from Lunken Airport to either CVG or downtown Cincinnati, as well as parking, baggage, and in-flight food and drink.  Ultimate Air Shuttle markets that passengers can arrive at the airport as late as 15 minutes before the flight time.  According to the FAQs, there is also no TSA screening though you do have to show a government-issued ID (driver’s license)

I actually took a direct CLE-CVG flight 20 years ago before connecting via Delta to Salt Lake City – it’s there on my openflights map

open-flights-2015-september

(SEE ALSO: What’s the best site to track your flights?)

What do you think?  $379 is actually pretty competitive with the current offerings between Cleveland and Cincinnati (usually routing through Detroit or Chicago) and takes a fraction of the time!


Points With a Crew has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Points With a Crew and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers and that compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. Any opinions expressed in this post are my own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by my advertising partners and I do not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers and other offers and benefits listed on this page. Other links on this page may also pay me a commission - as always, thanks for your support if you use them

User Generated Content Disclosure: Points With a Crew encourages constructive discussions, comments, and questions. Responses are not provided by or commissioned by any bank advertisers. These responses have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the responsibility of the bank advertiser to respond to comments.

BoardingArea