Bermudians will be able to fly direct to Chicago for the first time this summer with the help of the world?s second largest airlines.

Yesterday Transport Minister Ewart Brown announced a new weekly air link with the Windy City on United Airlines that will begin on May 1 and run until September 11. ?This is truly a momentous event ? not only is Bermuda gaining a major new gateway city, we are also, for the first time in years, attracting a new airline to Bermuda,? Dr. Brown said.

?And not just any city or any airline. Chicago is, of course, one of the largest cities in the US, having a metropolitan area population of eight million. It is the transportation hub for the US Midwest region and has long been coveted as a new gateway city for Bermuda.?

Director of airport operations James Howes pointed out that the Chicago hub was a main market for leisure travel.

He added that the weekly flight from the city would not deter business travellers as United Airlines has a code share agreement with US Airways. Travellers will be able to use the United Airlines return ticket to fly on a US Airways flight to other destinations.

?It is especially noteworthy that this new service will result in an immediate 40 percent reduction in published fares from Chicago,? Dr. Brown added.

?We applaud United?s willingness to innovate and develop this new partnership with Bermuda and, for our part, Bermuda Tourism will shortly launch an expanded promotional campaign in the Chicago area to support United?s new service.?

*This summer?s service will leave Chicago O?Hare International at 8 a.m. every Saturday, arriving in Bermuda at 1.29 p.m. The return flight will depart at 2.29 p.m. and arrive in Chicago at 4.15 p.m.

The route will be serviced by a 138-seater Airbus A320 with 12 seats in first class and 126 seats in economy. A promotional fare of $239 will be offered through February 20.