A regional airline is introducing a new weekday commercial air service allowing businesspeople and other commuters to travel between between Felts Field, in Spokane, and Boeing Field, in Seattle in just 2 1/2 hours.

SeaPort Airlines, a division of Juneau, Alaska-based Kalinin Holdings' group of regional airlines, has flown an existing route between Seattle and Portland, Oregon, since the airline relaunched flight services in 2025 after being closed since 2016, says CEO Kent Craford, who co-founded SeaPort Airlines in 2008.

The new route launched March 9.

Flights take between 60 and 70 minutes, Craford says. Passengers will park for free outside of the airline’s office at Felts Field's terminal, at 6105 E. Rutter, and can be on their plane 20 minutes later, he adds.

“We want your terminal experience to be as brief as possible; if we’re really doing our jobs, you barely have time to sit down,” Craford says. “The whole idea is to keep our customers moving through the terminal and onto the airplane and be on their way.”

Kalinin Holdings operates other airlines in the Pacific Northwest, including Island Air Express, which travels between Ketchikan and Klawock, Alaska, and Alaska Seaplanes, which acts as a regional airline between 14 towns in southeast Alaska, explains Craford, who also serves as Kalinin Holdings' CEO and chairman. 

Craford co-founded SeaPort Airlines after experiencing frustrations with the commute time between Portland and Seattle. Flights into Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, including time spent at security checkpoints and including the commute into downtown Seattle, took 3 1/2 hours, roughly the same time as it took Craford to drive from his home in Portland to his office in downtown Seattle.

“There’s nothing wrong with Sea-Tac if you’re going a long distance, but for folks who just want to get between Seattle and Spokane, there is a better way,” he says. “We’ve right-sized the airport experience for the distance you’re traveling.”

Boeing Field is located about five miles south of Seattle, about half the distance between Seattle and Sea-Tac. 

“We have this wonderful collection of alternative airfields all over the state that are underutilized, that we could bring air service back to,” says Craford. “We’re doing it ourselves with 100% private dollars.”

Felts Field has operated since 1927, but commercial flights haven’t occured since 1946, says David Haring, CEO of Spokane Airlines.

“Aviation was still in its infancy, and Felts Field was still the only commercial airport in Spokane,” he says. “It’s safe to say a lot has changed over the last eight decades, but one thing that has not changed is that air service development has always been more about connecting. For visitors, that means giving greater access to all the great amenities that the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene region has.”

Craford chose Spokane as the airline’s third hub due to its size, distance from Seattle, and proximity to North Idaho. He also credits Spokane Airports and Greater Spokane Incorporated for advocating for the region. 

The airline flies Pilatus PC-12s, which are pressurized nine-passenger, turboprop aircraft capable of traveling at 200 knots, says Ian Fisk, head pilot for SeaPort Airlines. SeaPort plans to fly four of the aircraft between Felts and Boeing fields with four round-trip flights a day. 

A one-way ticket will cost $299, he says, however, costs are subject to change.

Craford declines to disclose the airline’s revenue or costs associated with launching the new air service. SeaPort currently has three employees in Spokane, and Kalinin Holdings employs a total of 300 people.

Passengers traveling between Spokane and Seattle through Spokane international Airport total about 500 every day, equating to 350,000 round trips annually, Haring says. 

The new Spokane-Seattle connection is expected to benefit businesses as well as private passengers, says Joey Gunning, director of economic development at Greater Spokane Incorporated.

“We have a lot of exporters and aerospace parts manufacturers here who rely on employers like Boeing or rely on the Port of Seattle to reach those global markets,” Gunning says. “Anytime you’re able to increase the connections between Spokane and an economic hub like that, it creates immense benefit for our local economy.”

SeaPort's passengers typically include businesspeople traveling for meetings, travelers visiting family, day trippers, and vacationers, among others. Craford says he expects a similar customer base on the Spokane-Seattle route. The airline’s earliest flight from Spokane departs at 7:35 a.m.; and from Seattle at 6 a.m., while end-of-day departures leave Spokane at 7:10 p.m. and depart at 5:30 p.m. from Seattle. Additional flights and aircraft will be included as the airline expands. SeaPort plans to eventually open a route between Portland and Spokane, completing a triangle of economic activity between the three regions, he adds.

“We have the capacity to add more flights as demand increases,” Craford explains. “Our vision is to make it a true shuttle service, with lots of flight options.”

SeaPort's aircraft are also available for charter, he adds.

“The reality is that we allow people to have same-day business trips once again by air, so they can come home, have dinner with their family, they can sleep in their own bed,” he adds. “They don’t have to kill an extra day just for the travel, and what that’s worth to people is what it’s worth to make your daughter’s play or your son’s soccer game, or to have dinner with your spouse — it’s immeasurable.”