Mobile’s new direct air connection to Washington, D.C., opened Thursday and will provide two United flights daily.

The service, announced in March, connects Mobile Regional Airport in west Mobile to Washington Dulles International Airport. United already offered a connection to Dulles via George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, and that will still be an option according to United’s booking site. But the Houston route takes five to six hours, according to the site, while the new direct connection takes two and a half.

From there, fliers can link to “more than 70 domestic and international destinations via United’s hub and Dulles International,” according to a release from the Mobile Airport Authority. Mobile Airport Authority President Chris Curry told AL.com that the route essentially puts Mobile closer to Europe.

“It makes travel very easy for Europeans to get to Mobile,” said Curry. “Where before, it was very complicated and time-consuming.”

That thought was seconded by Bradley Byrne, President of the Mobile Chamber, and Steven Franklin, senior director of plant production support for Airbus’ U.S. manufacturing facility in Mobile, in a Mobile Airport Authority news release.

“The addition of direct service to Washington D.C. further positions Mobile as a hub for growth,” said Byrne. “These flights make it easy for you to stop at Dulles and then get to just about anywhere in Europe, a major selling point as we attract European aerospace companies to Mobile.”

“This new United Airlines route brings important business connectivity to the Mobile region,” said Franklin. “We are thrilled to experience the additional efficiency and capacity this route will bring to our community.”

Airport Authority Board Chair Elliot Maisel described the first flight in the service as “a pivotal moment for our region.” He said the direct D.C. connection “meets a long-standing demand.”

United’s booking site indicates that the flights take about two and a half hours and depart Mobile at 8:10 a.m. and 12:55 p.m. daily, with prices running as low as $229. The flights will use the Embraer ERJ145, a 50-seat regional jet.