US regional aha! will add Boise (BOI) in Idaho to its network from Aug, 31, entering a market that is much more a part of the US airline network than the previous points on its route map.

Aha! is the independent airline brand started by US regional ExpressJet in October 2021. The business model is based on flying short-haul routes using Embraer ERJ145 aircraft to/from Reno-Tahoe (RNO) in Nevada, a year-round resort market.

All markets are within 1-2 hours flight time RNO, and aha! aims to entice consumers to swap a long car drive for a short flight. “Our single largest competitor is the automobile,” Tim Sieber, head of ExpressJet's aha! business unit, told Routes earlier this year.

BOI stands out from the rest of the carrier’s network–including RNO–as one with traffic flows from a host of airlines. Aha! will follow ULCC Spirit Airlines entering the Boise market in August. Spirit will launch daily flights to Las Vegas (LAS) from Aug. 5. With the two additions, 10 airlines will serve BOI.

Aha! will be the only carrier operating the BOI-RNO route, which it will operate 3X weekly. The carrier is also adding Idaho Falls (IDA) to its route map in August with service to RNO starting Aug. 11. The two Idaho cities are east of all of aha!’s previous points.

Sieber said in a statement that RNO-Boise “has been the number one route that air passengers have requested since we launched aha! last October.”

Aha! noted that there is an 80 min.-flying time on a route that generally takes around 6 hr. to drive.

“Nonstop service to Reno is a route our community really wanted and we're thrilled that aha! is entering the market to answer that call,” BOI director Rebecca Hupp said.