News · Traverse City
United adds seasonal nonstops from Traverse City to Los Angeles and San Francisco starting June 19, 2027
TRAVERSE CITY — United Airlines will add seasonal nonstop flights from Cherry Capital Airport to Los Angeles International Airport and San Francisco International Airport beginning June 19, 2027, the airport and local newsrooms reported Thursday.
Both routes will use Boeing 737-800 aircraft. Service is scheduled primarily on Saturdays from June 19 through Sept. 11, 2027, with additional Wednesday flights June 30 through July 7 and Sept. 1 through Sept. 8, according to 9&10 News and UpNorthLive. Tickets are already on sale at United.com.
With the new routes, Traverse City will have nonstop service to all seven of United’s mainland hub airports — Chicago O’Hare, Denver, Houston, Newark, Washington Dulles, Los Angeles and San Francisco — airport CEO Kevin Klein said in statements carried by those outlets.
Why it matters Up North
“The addition of nonstop service to Los Angeles and San Francisco marks a transformational milestone for TVC and the entire Northern Michigan region,” Klein said. Mark Weithofer, United’s managing director of domestic network planning, said the flights open convenient West Coast access and one-stop connections worldwide through SFO and LAX.
Trevor Tkach, president and CEO of Traverse City Tourism, said the routes connect Traverse City coast to coast by nonstop air for the first time and support the area’s push as a four-season destination.
The Northwest Regional Airport Authority posted a Nov. 5 special-meeting agenda whose sole action item was Resolution No. 2026-108 to approve an agreement with United Airlines. That follows the authority’s October work on a federal Small Community Air Service Development Program grant aimed at West Coast service, which we covered when the board prepared to accept a $750,000 grant vote.
What travelers should know
The flights are seasonal, not year-round. Schedules and aircraft can change; passengers should confirm times and buy only through United or a trusted agent. Cherry Capital’s administration office is at 727 Fly Don’t Drive; the airport lists (231) 947-2250 for general contact.
Local tourism and business groups have pushed for West Coast lift for years because California is a major visitor market for Traverse City. Direct LAX and SFO flights cut a connection in Chicago or Denver for travelers who previously had to change planes to reach Northern Michigan — and they give residents a straighter path to the West Coast for work or family trips during the peak summer window.
Sources:
9&10 News, “United Airlines adds nonstop service from Traverse City to California,” Nov. 5, 2026 (dates, 737-800, Wednesday windows, Klein/Weithofer/Tkach quotes, seven hubs), https://www.9and10news.com/2026/11/05/united-airlines-adds-nonstop-service-from-traverse-city-to-california/
UpNorthLive / WPBN, “Cherry Capital Airport announces nonstop flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco,” Nov. 5, 2026, https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/cherry-capital-airport-announces-nonstop-flights-to-los-angeles-san-francisco-united-traverse-city-northern-michigan-upnorthlive-tvc
Northwest Regional Airport Authority, Special Meeting Agenda, Nov. 5, 2026 (Resolution 2026-108 United agreement), https://tvcairport.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/NRAA-Special-Meeting-November-5-2026-agenda.pdf
Photo: my name, “Traverse City Airport II.JPG,” Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/), cropped and resized; derivative shared under the same license, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Traverse_City_Airport_II.JPG
More from Traverse City
All Traverse City newsNews · October 30, 2026
Traverse City airport luggage thefts: Cherry Capital Airport police arrest a Gaylord woman and say all of the stolen bags, worth over $10,000, were recovered
Travelers began reporting checked bags missing from baggage claim in August. The airport’s year-old police department says surveillance video and Flock license-plate cameras led to a suspect, who faces two felony counts.
News · October 20, 2026
Traverse City’s Cherry Capital Airport board votes Oct. 27 on a $750,000 grant aimed at nonstop flights to Los Angeles or San Francisco
The federal money would guarantee an airline’s revenue on a seasonal West Coast route. United has written a letter of support, but no deal is signed. Meanwhile, steel is rising on the $120 million Concourse B.
News · November 3, 2026
South Airport Road sewer main replacement starts Nov. 9 near Logan’s Landing: expect westbound lane closures during a $1.77 million, three-week job
Garfield Township is replacing about 1,400 feet of the 1970s force main that cracked this summer and spilled sewage toward the Boardman River. Crews will bore the new pipe, but lane closures are still expected.
News · October 31, 2026
Traverse City police are switching patrol cars to all-blue lights and high-visibility decals
The department says blue lights stand out at night and its new lights dim automatically to cut glare for drivers. Reflective striping and a larger “POLICE” on the back are part of the change, as the city buys two new hybrid patrol vehicles.
News · October 30, 2026
Traverse City-area road commission asks for $47 million in federal money to rebuild four Boardman River crossings
After April floods collapsed the Beitner Road bridge and nearly took out South Airport Road, the Grand Traverse County Road Commission applied to a federal resilience program. Its director calls it a lottery ticket, and a win would still mean about $9.5 million locally.