Air travelers rejoice! The City of Rapid City and the Rapid City Regional Airport announced this week that American Airlines will be offering nonstop flights to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport starting April 6.

The daily flights will give travelers more connections to the Southern U.S., Mexico, Central America and South America.

The Dallas/Fort Worth flight will be the seventh nonstop destination from Rapid City and will join the already impressive lineup of Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Phoenix/Mesa and Salt Lake City.

For a regional airport of Rapid City’s size and location,  having seven direct outbound destinations is a real accomplishment. Executive Airport Director Cameron Humphres said, “If you look at a map of our current destinations, we have great service to all of the major regions of the country with the exception of the Southeast and the South Central U.S. This flight will go a long way to fill that gap.”

Rapid City Mayor Alan Hanks weighed in as well, “I’m encouraged by the increased commitment of American Airlines to Rapid City Regional Airport. Direct flights to the South will open up prospects for further economic development throughout the Black Hills.”

American Airlines has long served Rapid City and the Black Hills region and flies to more than 250 cities in 40 different countries. The airline was named the “Best North American Airline” for the 16th consecutive year at the 2008 Business Traveler Awards event.