South Bend is adding a special flight to help fans reach the CFP National Championship game in Atlanta
SOUTH BEND: If you’re a fan of Notre Dame, you’re in luck! There’s a new flight to help you get to the CFP National Championship game against Ohio State in Atlanta.
United Airlines is rolling out Flight 1941, which will leave South Bend at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 19. It’ll head back from Atlanta on Tuesday, January 21, at 10:20 a.m. Just a heads up, though—it’s going to cost you over $2,000 for an economy seat!
Delta Air Lines is also stepping up, adding a return flight from Atlanta to South Bend. They already have three daily round trips with a 76-seat regional jet, according to Julie Curtis from South Bend International Airport.
And it’s not just South Bend getting extra flights. Other cities with lots of Notre Dame and Ohio State fans are seeing more flights to Atlanta too. Airlines have been ramping up special flights for big events like this to make it easier for fans to travel.
This season, flights were added from places like New York and Washington, catering to both Irish fans and those from visiting teams. While the airport doesn’t track how many extra passengers come in for game weekends, it definitely impacts their annual numbers.
They expect around 886,000 passengers to fly in and out of South Bend in 2024, which would break the record set in 2019. Mike Daigle, the airport’s CEO, mentioned that the excitement around the Irish football team this season will likely bring in even more visitors next year.
“People travel for Notre Dame football games,” Daigle said. “The better their season, the more visitors we get.”
With plans for 17 direct flights, the airport is aiming for a million passengers in 2025, a milestone they haven’t hit since 1997.
Email Tribune staff writer Ed Semmler at esemmler@sbtinfo.com.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: United Airlines adds flight to Atlanta for South Bend Notre Dame fans
