HEBRON, Ky. — People in northern Kentucky can once again fly directly to Europe.

It’s a milestone in the rebound of international travel, an industry hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Suzan Brenan and Dolly Kohls had been looking forward to making it back to France for a long time.

“It’s very exciting. And I’m so excited for the people of Cincinnati to be able to have a nonstop to Paris. It’s just immeasurably wonderful,” Kohls said.

The two started planning a flight to Paris out of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport about six months ago, but even then didn’t know it would be a direct flight.

The last scheduled nonstop transatlantic flight for CVG was March 22, 2020. Then the pandemic came along and shut down international travel.

On Monday, for the first time since then, Delta Airlines restarted nonstop service between CVG Airport and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), rejoining what is a relatively small list of airports in the country with direct flights to Europe. The flight will operate three times a week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings, departing CVG at 6:05 p.m.

CVG CEO Candace McGraw said she’s looking forward to taking the only transatlantic flight in all of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

“It’s a gateway to anywhere in the world. Paris is a great city in and of itself, but it’s a one stop connection to 40 beyond destinations. So we’re so pleased to welcome this flight back,” McGraw said.

The flight had been in service for the last 30 years. McGraw said it’s been a key component of the $6.8 billion yearly economic impact CVG has on the region.

“The pandemic was pretty hard on this airport and for the aviation industry as a whole. I’m pleased to say this summer we’re at about 85% of our 2019 passenger volume,” she said.

Molly Harris, Managing Director of ACS Operations for Delta Airlines, said reopening the flight is a significant step.

“Today’s event really marks another milestone in our recovery,” Harris said.

The first flight, which took off at 6:05 pm Tuesday, was nearly full. McGraw said she thinks it’s a sign of things to come.

“Travel is back with a vengeance, and people are anxious to get back out,” she said.

Rather than making a pit stop somewhere like Chicago, Brenan and Kohls were able to step directly into the only plane they’ll need to board, where only a six to seven-hour flight separated them from cheese, wine and, as Brenan is looking forward to, museums.

“The museums, and just looking at everything. Absorbing it all,” she said.

According to Delta’s website, current prices for trips from CVG to Paris start at about $876.