Lewiston's Missing Link: How a Local Airline Could Boost the Economy

Lewiston, a city in Idaho, is currently facing a transportation challenge. The city lacks direct flights to other parts of the state, making business travel and tourism more difficult. This situation is not new. In the past, two small airlines, Empire and Horizon, used to operate from Lewiston. They provided regular flights to places like Boise, Spokane, Pullman, and Seattle. However, both airlines eventually left Lewiston. Empire Air moved its operations to Sandpoint and now only offers freight services. Horizon was bought by Alaska Airlines and stopped its Lewiston-Pullman-Seattle route. Currently, the only airline serving Lewiston is Delta, through its regional partner SkyWest. It offers one daily round trip to either Salt Lake City or Seattle. This limited service is not ideal for residents who need to travel within Idaho for business or leisure. In 2025, United Airlines tried to operate a service from Lewiston, but it was not profitable, even with local taxpayer subsidies. The subsidies amounted to $4. 9 million annually from the city of Lewiston and Nez Perce County. Eventually, the city and county decided not to continue the subsidies.To solve this problem, a new approach is needed. The city of Lewiston, Nez Perce County, and the Nez Perce Tribe could work together to create a new, for-profit airline. This public-private partnership could build a new hangar facility at the airport and buy three airplanes. The airplanes could be either new or previously owned, with options like the Fairchild-Swearengen Metroliners or Dornier 228 models. The initial investment would be less than what was previously spent on subsidies. Staffing the new airline would require a professional manager, an administrative assistant, four to six pilots, one or two mechanics, and up to three flight attendants. Employees could be compensated with stock paid annually to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) fund. Profits would be shared among the city, county, tribe, and ESOP until the airline is 50% owned by the ESOP. This model would ensure that the airline remains locally owned and operated, minimizing the risk of a corporate buyout. It would also allow the airline to focus on serving Idaho cities and towns, with Spokane as the only out-of-state destination for the first decade. The Green Bay Packers, a famous football team, started in a similar way. They are publicly owned and run by a board of directors focused on winning over profits. Lewiston and its community are not much smaller than Green Bay was in 1919. With the right planning and investment, a new local airline could boost the economy and improve transportation options for residents.