United, Delta and American expand flights for Notre Dame football fans
SOUTH BEND – Airlines serving South Bend International Airport are offering more flights to make it easier than ever for Irish fans to watch their favorite soccer team, whether at home or abroad.
Because of the increased air traffic during football games, it is especially important to arrive at South Bend International Airport two hours before departure to allow enough time for TSA screening, said Julie Curtis, the airport’s vice president of marketing and flight service development.
This rule should apply to every football weekend, even if passengers board flights to different destinations, she explained.
The football flights complement the airport’s regular scheduled services and ensure a nice increase in passenger numbers every year, Curtis said.
“Special flight events have become more popular across the country in recent years,” she said. “An iconic football program with a rich history has created a large fan base and put it on many people’s bucket lists.”
As usual, the airport is also expecting an influx of private planes for home games. Here are flights that have been added so far, but it’s best to check each airline’s website for new additions.
The airline will offer additional flights connecting local fans to away games against Georgia Tech (Atlanta, departing South Bend on Oct. 18), Navy (Newark, departing South Bend on Oct. 25) and Army (LaGuardia, departing South Bend on Nov. 22).
For Notre Dame fans who don’t live nearby — and for fans of some of the Fighting Irish’s opponents — United offers the following flights to South Bend: Northern Illinois (Newark, departing Sept. 6), Miami of Ohio (Cincinnati, departing Sept. 20), Louisville (Louisville, departing Sept. 27), Stanford (Palo Alto, departing Oct. 11), Florida State (departing Newark on Nov. 8) and Virginia (Charlottesville, departing Nov. 15).
American Airlines
American has added direct service between New York’s LaGuardia Airport and South Bend and between Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport and South Bend for each Notre Dame home game. Flights arrive on Friday and depart on Sunday. Flights from Miami, Philadelphia and Boston have also been added for the game against Florida State on Nov. 9.
Delta Airlines
Delta has added flights from LaGuardia Airport to South Bend for each home game and another from Tallahassee for Florida State’s home game on Nov. 9.
