The last of three inaugural flights this month to Bermuda touched down on Saturday with the arrival of US Airways' new weekly service from Orlando.

The Orlando flight is the second direct flight to Florida, joining the US Airways' Fort Lauderdale flight.

It reached Bermuda at 4.40 p.m. on Saturday with two dozen passengers on board and will depart the Island on Saturdays at 1.30 p.m..

According to US Airways, it is the carrier's 52nd weekly frequency into Bermuda, joining flights from Boston, Charlotte, Baltimore, New York LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Washington Reagan National and two weekly flights to Fort Lauderdale.

On May 1, United Airlines returned to Bermuda after a ten year absence with a weekly summer flight from Chicago's O'Hare Airport.

And on Friday night, USA 3000's first twice weekly flight to the Island touched down from Baltimore.

Transport Minister Ewart Brown, who was on hand to welcome in the Orlando flight, said he had been lobbying for five years to get a direct flight from Florida.

“This (direct flight to Orlando) represents a goal that was set five years ago and I want to thank all of the players, because we work as a team and it has been a very enjoyable experience for me,” he said.

He said when he approached the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority to try to get a flight, he was told it was all about having the right numbers to make the service viable.

US Airways District Sales Manager Jim Ewing said: “This service not only benefits Bermuda's travel interests which rely on airlift to bring in tourism revenue, but also benefits Bermuda residents who are now offered additional service when making their travel arrangements to travel to the US, Canada, the Caribbean and Europe.”