New flights to region added to growing list

Two more airlines have added area airports as destinations, joining what’s becoming a crowded field.

Swoop, a Canadian low-cost, low-frills airline, announced Tuesday it would operate five weekly non-stop flights to St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport. United Airlines, meanwhile, is adding daily non-stop flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco from Southwest International Airport in Fort Myers.

These new flights are just the latest in a spate of announcements in recent weeks that include flights to Portland, Oregon, Bentonville, Arkansas, Provo, Utah, Atlantic City, Louisville, Kentucky, Green Bay, Wisconsin and St. Louis.

In all, more than 50 new flights have been added at airports in southwest Florida, from Tampa International Airport to Southwest International.

The Swoop routes to St. Pete-Clearwater include twice-a-week flights from Hamilton beginning Nov. 9. and flights three times a week from Toronto beginning Nov. 5.

United will fly to and from Los Angeles and San Francisco to Southwest International seasonally from Dec. 16 until May 5.