Nonstop flights from Key West to N.J. and Chicago will resume Oct. 1

United Airlines next month will resume nonstop flights to Key West from Chicago and New Jersey and plans to add new nonstop trips between Washington, D.C., and the Southernmost City later this year.

Starting Oct. 1, flights will head to Key West from Chicago O’Hare and New Jersey’s Newark Liberty international airports, the Monroe County Tourist Development Council announced Wednesday.

“Key West is a very, very exciting and safe destination within the boundaries of the United States,” said Richard Strickland, the county’s director of airports.. “Our demand is strong. We’re anticipating that airline seats for fall into Key West will exceed the number of seats we had in fall 2019.”

The flights are on United Express 70-seat Embraer E170 regional jets.

On Nov. 6, United plans to launch new nonstop service five times weekly between Key West and Washington Dulles International Airport. It’s a new market for the Florida Keys with United.

Those flights will operate Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Starting Dec. 17, United will step up the service by offering daily flights to Key West from Dulles.

“The Washington, D.C., Beltway region has the potential to increase our visitor numbers in the fall shoulder season, which would be a great boost to our lodging properties and tourism-related businesses,” said Stacey Mitchell, director of the TDC. “This new market is likely to become a top draw for visitors from the Northeast, which traditionally is one of our top winter feeder markets.”

United’s E170 aircraft have seating for 64 main cabin and six first-class passengers.

Also on Wednesday, the airline announced it is adding to its cleaning procedures an EPA-registered antimicrobial coating that it said forms a long-lasting bond with surfaces.

“United is currently applying the coating each week on more than 30 aircraft to seats, tray tables, armrests, overhead bins, lavatories and crew stations and expects to add this latest measure to its entire mainline and express fleet before the end of the year,” the airline said in a news release.

United is currently applying the Zoono Microbe Shield on aircraft at

O’Hare and expects to expand it to each of its six other hubs and approximately 200 U.S. airports where United aircraft remain overnight in the coming months.

“This long-lasting, antimicrobial spray adds an extra level of protection on our aircraft to help better protect our employees and customers” amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said Toby Enqvist, United’s Chief Customer Officer.