Southern Oregon residents could get a big boost in booking more-convenient domestic and international air travel if Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport gets its way.

A $600,000 Small Community Air Service Development grant has been awarded by the federal government to help support new flights, via American Airlines, connecting Medford to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

While the new service is not a done deal, Medford airport Director Amber Judd said officials are “encouraged by American Airlines interest, and we are confident this funding underscores the strong demand and our community’s support for a direct MFR-DFW route.”

This could be a win-win for people not only traveling from Medford but also people who want to visit Southern Oregon. Officials at the local and federal level note that the potential new route comes with a host of positives.

U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ontario, took to social media to announce the funding, which he said would “open new doors for business, tourism, and personal travel in our community,” and create “additional connection opportunities that aren’t served with one-stop connections today via Medford.”

A primary driver of high fares from the Medford airport is a lack of nonstop service to any hub east of Denver, the Rogue Valley Times reported.

Average flight pricing from other major airports, to Orlando, for example, is $138, whereas the average for a flight between Medford and Orlando is $320. Average fares to New York, from other large cities, is $198 compared to an average of $353 from the Medford airport.

American Airlines officials fully back the plan as presented, as do regional tourism supporters and large regional businesses including Travel Medford, Travel Oregon, the Britt Music & Festival, Dove Media Group and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both Democrats, issued a joint statement on Halloween, the day the funding was announced.

“Making sure our regional airports have the support they need to keep Oregonians connected and moving is essential for the local economy,” Wyden said.

“I applaud this federal investment to Rogue Valley International Medford Airport and will continue to fight for more resources for airports and infrastructure upgrades across Oregon.”

Merkley said regional airports in Oregon “serve as vital hubs for our communities — supporting local businesses, connecting travelers to world-class recreational opportunities, and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters.”

“This federal funding will put Oregon’s Medford-Rogue Valley International Airport in a position to expand its service to Dallas-Ft. Worth and fill additional staffing needs for this new route, connecting Oregonians to more of the U.S.,” Merkley said in the written statement.

The Times reported that the Medford airport is in early stages of working with American Airlines to create new routes to DFR, which could be announced in coming months, Judd said.

Total project cost to help create the new line of service, outlined in the grant application, is $1,250,000, with funding derived from the grant in addition to airport in-kind funds ($408,500 from landing fee waivers and $75,000 from marketing) and in-kind contributions from Dove Media Group and Travel Medford.

And that’s not all that’s going on at the airport. In addition to the funding to expand air service, airport officials announced $6.41 million in federal grant funding earlier this year to extend an existing taxiway and build two new taxiways to reduce flight delays.

If this succeeds, it all points to better options for Southern Oregon residents who will make future travel plans across the U.S. or abroad. It also gives our region the chance to showcase itself to a potentially huge new group of visitors, igniting positive impacts for local tourism and businesses.