Salem could get commercial flights to Seattle and San Diego if a $950,000 federal grant application pays off.
The city applied for the grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASD) after the Salem City Council authorized the application on April 27.
SkyWest Airlines, which operates regional flights for Alaska Airlines, submitted a letter of support on Salem's behalf in April, Salem Reporter reported.
That letter is not a commitment to fly. But it signals SkyWest's interest in serving Salem if the grant comes through.
The SCASD program made up to $12 million available nationally in its fiscal year 2024 funding round, with a cap of 40 awards and no more than four per state. Individual grants have ranged from $20,000 to nearly $1.6 million in past years.
The application window closed May 20, and Salem is now waiting on a decision. No timeline for the announcement has been made public.
A long push for air service
The grant application is the latest chapter in Salem's yearslong effort to maintain commercial flights at the Salem-Willamette Valley Airport.
The airport went without commercial service from 2008 until October 2023, when Avelo Airlines launched nonstop flights. The city had allocated $2.3 million from its general fund in January 2024 to renovate the terminal and hire airport staff.
Avelo ended commercial service at the Salem-Willamette Valley Airport in August 2025. City data estimated the airline generated $19 million in local economic activity during its time in Salem.
When Avelo's departure was announced, Brent DeHart, owner of Salem Aviation Fuel and a Fly Salem spokesperson, said the region was ready for a new carrier. "We've proven that people will get on the plane in Salem," DeHart told the Salem Business Journal in July 2025.
Building the financial package
To attract a replacement airline, the Salem City Council voted 6–3 on Oct. 13, 2025, to commit up to $300,000 over three years, drawn from existing airport operations funds at $100,000 per year through 2028.
That city money joined nearly $1.2 million raised by community partners, including Travel Salem, Fly Salem and Marion County, forming a $1.5 million Minimum Revenue Guarantee pool, according to the Salem Business Journal.
The vote drew support from Councilor Paul Tigan, who said at the Oct. 13, 2025, council meeting, "We have made a significant commitment and we will continue to make a significant commitment as this moves forward." Councilor Micki Varney was among the three no votes, saying at the time that the city was investing in something the community had not broadly asked for.
The original effort to bring Avelo required a $1.2 million minimum revenue guarantee funded by $350,000 from local businesses and an $850,000 federal grant, with no city budget contribution, according to Tom Hoffert, CEO of the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce.
The current $950,000 SCASD application would add federal dollars on top of the $1.5 million local pool already assembled. If awarded, the grant could help Salem offer SkyWest flights connecting the mid-Willamette Valley to Seattle and San Diego.
