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Meeting Planners evaluating the destination cost will want to note that that the bargain price of air travel to famous Wisconsin destination, Milwaukee. Newly released 4th Quarter 2009 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation shows that Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport offers some of the lowest airfares in the U.S.

The study, recently published by the Brookings Institute, shows that the average airfare out of Milwaukee dropped lower than the average at 92 other U.S. airports—a whopping $72 less than the nation's average. The price difference is even more significant when directly compared to specific  airport, such as Milwaukee’s Midwest rival, O’Hare, which costs an average of $91 more than Mitchell International.

Recognizing that in this current budgetary era of belt-tightening, the city’s hospitality industry is promoting the low-cost flight advantage as another reason to organize an event in Milwaukee. "We have a great city for meetings and conventions and now, thanks to the positive developments at our airport, the Milwaukee story has gotten even better," said Paul Upchurch, President & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee, the City’s Convention & Visitors Bureau. "The market growth from Southwest, AirTran and Frontier, enhances Milwaukee's appeal as a value destination with the world-class tourism amenities to accommodate meetings and conventions."

With 51 markets, Mitchell International has moved up to 28th among U.S. airports in number of markets served nonstop, according to data recently published by the. Indicative of the progress the airport has made, Mitchell's rank in a similar 2004 study was 34th. The new ranking also  means that more nonstop markets are served out of Milwaukee than out of many other like-sized, Mid-Market destinations, including: Nashville, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Columbus, Portland, Austin, San Diego, Raleigh/Durham and Hartford.

Other statistics show that in 2009, 7,946,562 passengers used the airport. The 10 airlines that operated in the Airport offer more than 200 daily departures. Over 40 airports are served nonstop or direct from Mitchell International. It is also the largest airport in Wisconsin.

"Mitchell's April growth at 36 percent, far outpaced the nationwide growth rate of 0.5 percent,” said Barry Bateman, Airport Director, Mitchell International. “Travelers from this region, including the northern Chicago suburbs, see Mitchell as a low-fare, easy and accessible airport."

VISIT Milwaukee markets Greater Milwaukee to Meeting Planners, including organizers of conventions and trade shows, as well as to corporate and leisure tavellers. The CVB has more than 600 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. Meetings and Tourism generated $2.3 billion in spending for the destination in 2009 and supported more than 57,000 local jobs, according to VIST Milwaukee.

The centerpiece of Milwaukee’s robust Meetings Industry is the Frontier Airlines Center (formerly the Midwest Airlines Center), which is only eight miles from Mitchell International. Owned and operated by the Wisconsin Center District, the venue is adjacent to the 12,700-seat U.S. Cellular Arena and The Milwaukee Theatre, which seats 4,087. The Frontier Airlines Center features an extraordinary 188,695-square-foot exhibit hall that is divisible into four halls ranging from 31,000 square feet to 63,000 square feet as well as an  additional 39,360 square feet of meeting space that can be divided into as many as 28 or as few as six meeting/banquet rooms; and a 37,500-square-foot ballroom. In addition, the venue is connected via skywalk to two major hotels—the 484-room Hyatt Regency-Milwaukee and the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center. Milwaukee has about 3,000 rooms in the downtown area and 12,000+ citywide.