Flights in and out of Key West may soon be cheaper.

AirTran Airways on Tuesday announced it will offer four direct flights a week between Key West and Orlando starting Dec. 17, company spokesman Christopher White said.

Though the cost has not been determined, it will be the first time a major, low-cost carrier has provided scheduled service to the Southernmost City, White said.

AirTran will fly the new route on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, departing from Orlando at 11:30 a.m. and arriving in Key West at 12:40 p.m., then departing Key West at 1:30 p.m. and arriving in Orlando at 2:40 p.m., White said. AirTran offers more destinations from Orlando than any other airline, White said.

AirTran flies coast-to-coast and recently announced new flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Nassau, Bahamas.

"We are pleased to be able to provide a fresh alternative in this traditionally overpriced, underserved market," Kevin Healy, senior vice president of marketing and planning, said in a prepared statement Tuesday. "Offering our passengers the ability to change planes only once from almost any point in our network to Key West is a real benefit."

No carrier has flown between Key West and Orlando for more than a year and a half, since Delta and Continental abandoned the route, Monroe County Airports Director Peter Horton said.

"We are especially pleased that AirTran is picking up this service," Horton said. "This will be another revenue stream for us."

AirTran's 737 holds 128 passengers, making it the largest plane to provide service to Key West, which has not had full-sized jets since 1989, Horton said. Currently, the largest plane carries 86 passengers.

Ranked as the No. 1 low-cost carrier in the Airline Quality Rating study for the past two years, AirTran boasts its special features, including complementary XM Satellite Radio.

"Our full-sized jets, low fares and industry-leading features -- like Wi-Fi, business class and the nation's largest overhead bins on every flight -- are unique in the industry and in this market," Healy said.

Vision Airlines also has expressed an interest in conducting three flights a week between Key West and Miami. The small carrier specializes in on-demand air charter and tour operations. It started in Las Vegas in 1994, operating primarily as a Grand Canyon tour airline. The company expanded into other operations including on-demand air charter, business jet sales and management, and limited scheduled operations, according to its Web site.

tohara@keysnews.com