Updated on Monday, April 6 at 12:00 p.m. CT
United Airlines has delayed its original plans to bring new flights to Willard Airport from April 30 to June 1.
The airline cancelled customers’ previously scheduled flights for earlier dates and said it was pushing back the start date for four new daily flights to and from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
“While we await the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restrictions limiting the number of flights we can operate at Chicago O’Hare (ORD), we made the difficult decision to delay our new service to Champaign,” United wrote it its message.
United also delayed the start of new service at Bloomington-Normal’s Central Illinois Regional Airport and at other airports in the Midwest.
In response to a request for comment, Willard Airport Executive Director Tim Bannon said “all plans remain in place to launch the new service on June 1, 2026.”
Original story on Jan. 27 at 3:33 p.m. CT
United Airlines is returning to Willard Airport with the promise of expanded service.
Starting on April 30, the airline will operate four daily, nonstop flights to and from O’ Hare International Airport in Chicago, according to a news release from Willard.
The new service also offers travelers from Champaign-Urbana connections to 207 cities.
“This route will provide our customers with greater access between east central Illinois and Chicago – making it convenient for travelers to visit all of the places they want to travel with United’s leading global route network,” Mark Weithofer, Managing Director of Domestic Network Planning for United, said in a statement.
United was the first airline to offer scheduled flights at Willard. It most recently served the University of Illinois-owned airport from 2017 to 2019.
Willard currently has flights to Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth through American Airlines.
“United’s return to the market will increase our daily seats by more than 50%, ensuring more people can fly Champaign-Urbana,” said airport executive director Tim Bannon in a statement.