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American Airlines announced last month that it will be offering daily, nonstop service between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, starting in December.

The airline has served Chihuahua since 2005 from its hub in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, and has continued to see strength in that market, according to Kelsey Gion, a spokesperson for American Airlines.

鈥淭he new route from Phoenix will benefit both leisure and business travelers, providing a more convenient way to reach Mexico鈥檚 largest state from the Valley of the Sun,鈥� Gion said. 鈥淲hile we don鈥檛 have additional route announcements at this time, we are continually evaluating opportunities to strengthen and grow our hub in Phoenix.鈥�

American Airlines and its regional airline, American Eagle, offer an average of nearly 6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50 countries, according to a . Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) is one of nine American Airlines hubs in the United States.

American Airlines is the largest carrier in the Mexico trans-border market as measured by departures and seats, Gion said. This latest flight to Chihuahua International Airport (CUU) marks the 10th destination in Mexico from PHX.

Luis Ramirez, president of Ramirez Advisors Inter-National and an expert in Arizona-Mexico relations, said he believes the new connection will further Arizona鈥檚 friendship with Mexico and make life easier for business people who often travel between the two states.

鈥淥ur connectivity to Mexico is Mexico City, Guadalajara and every beach resort you can think of,鈥� Ramirez said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 limited when it comes to business centers throughout the country 鈥� Monterrey; Le贸n, Guanajuato; Chihuahua City. One of the principal points of interconnection from a trade perspective is Culiac谩n, but we have no flights to Culiac谩n.鈥�

Ramirez said the new flight is 鈥渇antastic鈥� because, although Chihuahua may not be a typical tourism destination for Arizonans, it is certainly a business destination. Additionally, there is a growing trend of people from the state of Chihuahua traveling to Arizona for tourism opportunities, he said.

Previously, people who needed to get to Chihuahua for business would have to take a connecting flight through Hermosillo, Mexico, or they would fly to El Paso, Texas, and drive across the border, Ramirez said.

鈥淎ny time I鈥檝e had to go to Chihuahua, one of those two were my only options,鈥� he said.

Arizona is already working on fostering a closer relationship with the state of Chihuahua, he said.

鈥淭he governor was here, and he鈥檚 a fairly new governor,鈥� Ramirez said, referring to Chihuahua Gov. Javier Corral. 鈥淎s in any state 鈥� U.S. or Mexico 鈥� when there鈥檚 a change in administration, you kind of start all over again in rebuilding. So, with the new governor coming here, there鈥檚 a pending invitation for Gov. Ducey to visit Chihuahua.鈥�

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is even considering partnering with Chihuahua and sharing best practices from the state鈥檚 relationship with Sonora, Mexico, Ramirez said.

Arizona and Chihuahua both excel in the automotive, aerospace and industries, creating 鈥渟ynergies鈥� between the states.

鈥淔or instance, Caterpillar mining has set up their headquarters out of Tucson,鈥� Ramirez said. 鈥淭hey do business all over northwest and central Mexico, which includes Chihuahua. All that business is out of Tucson.鈥�

The existing business relationships between Arizona and Chihuahua indicate that a direct flight between the two states might make life easier for companies like Caterpillar, and the is a top priority in both states, he said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e busy promoting the development of a supply chain 鈥� whether it鈥檚 services, equipment, maintenance, whatever 鈥� for the mining sector,鈥� Ramirez said. 鈥淲hen you look at Chihuahua, Sonora and Arizona, our mining sector is even $5 [billion], $10 [billion], $15 billion worth of investment over the next three to five years. It鈥檚 huge amounts of investment and job creation that is coming along.鈥�