Alaska Airlines added new daily nonstop flights between Denver and Portland, Oregon, on Tuesday. Previously, Denver was the largest market in the country without Alaska Airlines’ service from Portland.

“We are pleased to have Alaska Airlines expand in Denver,” said Kim Day, CEO of Denver International Airport. “As the domestic travel market continues to exhibit strength, these new flights will provide additional opportunities for Portlanders to explore the Mile High City.”

More than 1,500 people traveled between Denver and Portland per day in 2019, peaking the demand for air travel between the cities.

“We are happy to connect the millions of like-minded travelers who will visit these great cities,” said Brett Caitlan, Alaska Airlines’ managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Both Portland and Denver boast some of the country’s best breweries, recreation and music scenes in the U.S.”

The service will operate once per day using a Boeing 737-900 aircraft with 178 seats.

Alaska Airlines has operated flights from Denver to its primary hub in Seattle since 2002; however, the airline hopes the new nonstop flight to Portland will strengthen its network and connection to the cities.

DIA is the fifth-busiest airport in the country and generates more than $33 billion for Colorado annually.

“Travel between these two cities has always been plentiful — and we hope to see it return even stronger,” said David Zielke, the air service development director of Portland International Airport. “Alaska is a great airline partner and it’s exciting to see them add Denver to the cities they serve nonstop from PDX.”