Folks in southwest Mississippi will soon have an easier way to travel to one of the nation’s largest cities.
The city of Natchez announced that United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, will soon be connecting Natchez-Adams County Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas — America’s fourth-most populous city. The new flights are set to begin on July 1, 2026.
According to officials, the new route will operate daily, using a 50-passenger CRJ200 jet aircraft, offering a flight time of less than 45 minutes to Houston. Passengers will go through full TSA screening in Natchez, allowing for smoother connections to other United flights in Houston without additional security checks.
“This achievement is a game-changer for Natchez,” Mayor Dan Gibson said. “For the first time in over thirty years, we will not only have commercial air service again, but we will have the best. SkyWest and United are the premier partners for airports all over the world. Natchez will now be connected by air to those markets.”
The announcement represents a joint achievement by the Adams County Board of Supervisors, the city of Natchez, the Natchez–Adams County Airport, SkyWest Airlines, and United Airlines. It follows several years of collaboration under the JET Natchez initiative, a program launched in 2021 to secure commercial air connectivity for historic Natchez and Adams County, the oldest county in the Magnolia State and the oldest city on the Mississippi River.
An independent catchment study projects more than 10,000 passengers during the first 12-18 months of service, as demand for increased travel options rises in Mississippi and neighboring Louisiana. The new flights are expected to drive tourism, industrial recruitment, and film production.
“These new flights will make it easier than ever for travelers in the Miss-Lou region to get anywhere they want to go on United’s global network,” Cody Thomas, Managing Director Market Development for SkyWest Airlines, said. “We’re proud to add the beautiful city of Natchez to our Mississippi destinations, alongside our operations in Meridian and Hattiesburg.”
There is also a campaign for American Cruise Lines, the country’s largest cruise line, to develop new Mississippi River itineraries beginning and ending in Adams County as early as the spring of 2028, with the new flight service playing a role in that coming to fruition.
SkyWest Airlines operates through partnerships with United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, carrying over 42 million passengers in 2024. Based in St. George, Utah, SkyWest’s fleet of 500 aircraft connects passengers to 257 destinations throughout North America.
