Guam, CNMI Delegates introduce bill to add flight routes between territories

Seeking ways to help reduce the fares for flights between Guam and the CNMI, Delegates James Moylan and Gregorio “Kilili” Sablan introduced legislation to add the route between the two territories as part of the Essential Air Service program.

The EAS is a federal grant program created by Congress and administered by the Department of Transportation which would ensure small rural communities are still receiving air services.

Under the EAS, an airline can seek funding to help offset some of the airfare costs, which in turn would result in a reduction of the total price for the passenger. Today, it costs nearly $500 for a round-trip ticket between Guam and the CNMI, and if the EAS was applied, depending on the amount of a subsidy, the traveler could experience a savings of a few hundred dollars.

“As Congress sets forth to entertain the FY25 Transportation Appropriations bill, the funding of the EAS will be included in the measure. Our office has submitted amendments to not only increase this funding but also add the Guam-CNMI route to the program, hence the timing of the legislation. We have also reached out to the Defense Travel Agency to seek a report on the amount the Department of Defense spends annually on the flights between the two territories, as securing their support is paramount,” said Moylan.

Moylan is advocating for a special cabotage exemption for Guam and the CNMI that would allow foreign airlines to transport passengers and cargo between up to two U.S. ports.

This exemption aims to introduce competition from carriers in Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, which could lower travel costs.

Moylan is also pushing for an amendment in upcoming appropriations to support this measure and is working to secure Essential Air Service subsidies to reduce travel costs between Guam and Saipan.