Continental Airlines has announced plans for the first nonstop commercial air service between Jackson and the New York City metropolitan area, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., said Monday.

Lott, a member of the Senate’s Aviation Committee, said the daily flights between Jackson/Evers International Airport and Continental’s New York hub at Newark, N.J., would begin in September.

“This will give Mississippians a direct link to our nation’s business center and one of America’s top tourist destinations,” Lott said in a statement. “It’ll also enable visitors and investors to better access Mississippi and see firsthand the many opportunities for growth our state now provides.”

The new service will begin Sept. 6, using a 50-passenger regional jet operated by ExpressJet, Continental’s regional partner.

Continental already provides six flights a day between Jackson and its hub in Houston, and six flights a day between Gulfport/Biloxi and Houston.

The proposed flight schedule is timed to provide Jackson travelers the opportunity to conduct a full day of business in the New York area, the company said. The schedule also offers numerous connection opportunities to dozens of cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Asia by way of Continental’s hub at Newark Liberty.

Continental Airlines is the world’s fifth largest airline. The airline, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 150 domestic and 136 international destinations.