Beginning Oct. 5, State College Regional Airport will add two daily flights via American Airlines to Charlotte, North Carolina, according to a release from the State College Air Service Alliance on Tuesday morning.

“This significant advancement for our community is a result of dedicated work to demonstrate regional demand and grow air service in Centre County,” Mark Higgins, chair of the Centre County Board of Commissioners, said in the news release.

“This expansion impacts our region’s economic vitality by attracting businesses, strengthening workforce, and making it more attainable for residents to reach major hub airports, making this new nonstop service a pivotal development for Central Pennsylvania.”

The decision comes just seven months after a local air service summit, where businesses and community leaders voiced the priority of adding more destinations to the local airport, ideally Charlotte and somewhere in Florida. Additional flights into and out of the area only benefit the local community, as they have a direct impact on the health and growth of the economy.

Data showed that Centre County travelers and those in the region were most often flying to Orlando or south Florida. Charlotte was deemed an important destination due to its position as a major hub, especially for American Airlines.

The American Airlines hub in Charlotte is recognized as one of the largest in the world with 170 destinations, including 17 in Florida alone. American currently operates the flights to Philadelphia out of the State College Regional Airport.

Other destinations to and from the State College airport include Chicago and Washington, D.C., both of which are operated by United Airlines. Both American and United released plans to add additional flights to the original three locations earlier this year.