Delta Air Lines announced today it would begin twice-daily service from the Arcata-Eureka Airport to Salt Lake City starting June 5.

“I am a happy camper today,” said Madelin Holtkamp, director of the Redwood Region Economic Development Commission.

“It’s a reality, that’s for sure,” said Gregg Foster, the former director of the RREDC who received the formal announcement of service this morning.

“I feel elated for the community,” Airports Manager Jacquelyn Hulsey said. “The thing that gets me most is how the community pulled together on it and how the businesses participated.”

RREDC spearheaded the effort to bring Delta to the North Coast. It rallied the business community to commit $500,000 to an air travel bank and the Headwaters Fund to offer another $500,000 as a revenue guarantee during the first-year startup.

The initial flight for the new service will depart Thursday, June 5, at 12:45 p.m. with a 3:35 p.m. arrival in Utah.

The regular service will feature 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft departing from the Arcata-Eureka Airport daily at 6:25 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.

Salt Lake City flights bound for the North Coast will leave at 9:15 a.m. and 3:35 p.m.

To celebrate the new route, Delta is offering at www.delta.com a limited number of one-way fares of $109 from Arcata-Eureka to Salt Lake City.

Additional taxes, fees and restrictions apply, and tickets must be purchased by Feb. 29.

“We look forward to offering our customers the opportunity to visit the stunning coastline of Northern California or to explore the majestic redwood trees in one of America’s greatest national parks,” said Bob Cortelyou, Delta’s senior vice president of network planning.

Cortelyou said Delta’s connecting hub in Salt Lake City offers flights to more than 106 destinations, including 10 international spots.

“With this new destination, Arcata-Eureka residents will have the ability to travel coast to coast,” he said.

Delta is also offering online discounted one-way fares of $139 to $169 to a variety of destinations, including Nashville, Tenn.; Denver, Colo.; and Phoenix, Ariz.

The discounted fare wasn’t offered by phone, where an agent identified as Lesseps quoted a $700 round-trip — tax and other charges included — on the first flight out of Eureka to Salt Lake City June 5 with a June 8 return.

Holtkamp said she expects to receive air travel bank paperwork from Columbia Bank and Trust this week and will immediately forward it to businesses making pledges.

“People will be asked to send their money to RREDC,” she said. “Once we receive the checks, we can turn it around quickly. If we can do that, they can have their credit cards in two weeks.”