United Airlines Adds Flights for Fans Traveling to NFL’s AFC Championship Game

Fans contemplating making the trip from Cincinnati to Kansas City for this weekend’s AFC Championship Game just got another option to consider.

According to Cincinnati’s CVG Airport, United is adding a nonstop roundtrip between CVG and Kansas City International Airport (MCI). The flights will depart at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, and return at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 30, giving Bengals fans enough time to get in, see the game, and get out on Monday.

The nonstop saves fans at least three hours in transit—a typical one-stop route, with a connection in Chicago O’Hare or Dulles International Airport, could take four-and-a-half or more than five hours, compared to just one-a-half hours for the direct flight, according to United.

The flights would also save some time from the about 9-hour drive from Cincinnati to Kansas City (a distance of about 600 miles) that fans could make otherwise, a drive that could feel significantly different depending on the outcome of the game.

However, the flights aren’t cheap. Pricing for the nonstop starts at $1,419 for economy.

This is far from the first time United has added flights to its schedule to cater to sports fans. It had previously expanded its fall 2022 schedule with 120 new flights built around some of the U.S.’s biggest college football markets, including flights from Birmingham, Madison, and more.