Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands leaders are pushing for cheaper airfares between the islands.

A roundtrip ticket from Saipan to Guam can cost up to $580 on United Airlines. That’s more expensive than some tickets from the Marianas to destinations in Asia. 

In a recent meeting, Guam and NMI lawmakers discussed potentially pushing for the U.S. Congress to exempt the Marianas from federal cabotage laws, allowing foreign airlines to provide low-cost travel in the Marianas. 

KUAM recently asked Lt. Gov. Tenorio for his comment on the matter.

“We need a solution that is going to be an economic tool for the Northern Marianas to get back on its feet, but also to enable the goals that we have, which is to see more social [and] economic integration with the Marianas and to truly have a very good one Marianas approach on a lot of the economic development and community development,” said Tenorio. 

Lt. Gov. Tenorio said he has asked United Airlines to look into a Domestic Air Service program that could lower airfare.