Scheduled flights to return to Santa Rosa

It has been almost five years since Santa Rosa, California, had scheduled airline service. The month was October, and the year was 2001. September 11 prompted airlines to ax flights to small cities across the country. Santa Rosa and immediate air access to the nearby wine country of northern California were casualties.

Now, there is word that commuter/regional airline Horizon Air will start flying to Charles M. Schultz Sonoma County Airport on March 20, 2007. This is a long way off, but the payoff for travelers who want quick access to the wine country may be worth the wait.

Horizon will fly to the airport named after the creator of the Peanuts cartoon series from both Los Angeles International (LAX) and Seattle/Tacoma (SEA). From Los Angeles, Horizon plans twice daily service to Santa Rosa Sunday through Friday, and once-daily service from Seattle/Tacoma. Fares have yet to be finalized.

The benefit of flying directly into Santa Rosa instead of catching a flight to Oakland (OAK) or San Francisco (SFO), and then renting a car, is proximity. The drive from the Bay Area up to Sonoma County is 75 miles. Even in normal northern California freeway traffic, that can take two hours.

The airport itself is close to the center of the wine country. Napa is just 50 miles away. Napa, Sonoma, and Mendocino Counties are world renowned for their vintages. Wine tasting is a serious sport up in this part of the world, a deliciously lazy way to spend an afternoon.

© Cheapflights Ltd Jerry Chandler

Comments

[Daniel Grubaugh]

I am thrilled! I now drive from Ukiah to Sacramento weekly to fly to the East Coast. This will save me time and lots of gas.

[lisa toland]

It will make visiting my family in Sebastopol really easy so I will visit them more often now.

[Lindy Garza]

Visiting my family in Los Angeles will much easier for me for several reasons.
1, No travel time to Oakland.
2,Wife can drop me off at the airport saving parking fees.

[Colin Berry]

As a writer and husband of an actress, this is the best news I've heard in years. No more long bus rides! No more airport parking! I'm thrilled beyond belief... LA here we come!