American Airlines will launch nonstop service from Jacksonville to Phoenix beginning Nov. 5.

Strong business ties between Jacksonville and Phoenix were one factor for adding the service, airport officials said. Both cities are home to Mayo Clinic campuses.

The flight, on an Airbus A320, will depart Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport at 5 p.m. and arrive at Jacksonville International Airport at 10 p.m. The return flight will leave Jacksonville at 8 a.m. daily and arrive in Phoenix just past 9:30 a.m.

“This nonstop flight will not only link us to our largest unserved market, but it will also offer excellent

connecting opportunities for passengers,” Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh said Monday in a news release. “American Airlines has given Northeast Florida travelers an opportunity to trade in humidity for the desert heat.”

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American Airlines was founded more than 95 years ago and operates 931 aircraft out of nine major hubs including John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York City, Los Angeles International, Charlotte and Miami.

According to June flight schedule data provided by Cirium Diio Mi, American Airlines is the largest carrier at

Jacksonville, offering nonstop service to Austin, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; Chicago; Dallas; Miami; Philadelphia; and Washington D.C.

For more information, go to aa.com.