The Golden State is about to be more accessible to Central Oregonians, just in time for the heart of winter.

Alaska Air announced Wednesday new flights from Redmond’s Roberts Field to Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.

The LAX flights begin in early January while flights to SFO and San Diego begin in mid-March.

Tickets for the flights are already on sale.

RDM officials want to assure passenger that even with the additional flights, the airport will continue to maintain its small-town convenience.

“We want to keep this airport the regional airport, but at the same time we want to be able to offer our customers a lot of great destinations,” said Airport Director Zachary Bass. “A lot of frequency. A lot of great options to get out of Central Oregon without having to drive over the mountains to PDX and get involved in all that traffic.”

Bass said the airport has been growing fast – passenger numbers have increased 100 percent in the last six years.

And with the new flights it’s expected to increase another 10 percent.

Along with the new flights, the airport is working on some other projects like a third TSA Precheck line, more parking and a new operations building.

“We’re growing quickly and it’s part of our job to make sure that infrastructure keeps up,” he said. “The feel is what it has been and will continue to be.”

United currently offers service out of Redmond to Los Angeles and San Francisco while American Airlines offers service now to LA.

With the addition of new flights to San Diego, RDM now offers direct flights to 10 markets including Portland, Seattle, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Chicago, Denver and Salt Lake City.

Alaska also announced additional flights to LAX and SFO from Boise, Missoula and Spokane.

“We’re excited to offer even more nonstops between vibrant Pacific Northwest communities and our growing hubs in California,” said Brett Catlin, Alaska Airlines managing director of capacity planning and alliances. “Whether it’s travel for a weekend getaway to Missoula or a day trip to San Francisco, we’re proud to offer nearly 600 daily flights between West Coast cities.” 

According to the airline, “A majority of the new routes will be served by the Embraer 175 jet, an aircraft with only window and aisle seating – no middle seats. On all of the new routes, guests will enjoy award-winning service in a three-class cabin that includes First Class and Premium Class; a fresh, seasonal food and beverage menu; Most Free Movies in the Sky with hundreds of movies and TV shows available for viewing on personal devices; free texting on most flights; and Wi-Fi connectivity for purchase.”