Federal regulators are reviewing proposals to bring service to Augusta State Airport — including one that hopes to bring 30-seat passenger jets and service to both Boston and Washington, D.C.

Contour Airlines, a Tennessee-based small-plane service, submitted a proposal to the U.S. Department of Transportation last month that would use the biggest commercial planes in the Augusta airport’s history. Contour hopes to provide an average of 12 flights weekly to Boston Logan International Airport or Washington Dulles International Airport — or both.

Contour submitted the plans to federal regulators as part of a regular contract renewal process.

Cape Air, owned by Massachusetts-based Hyannis Air Service, currently holds the contract and has flown in and out of Augusta State Airport since December 2010. The airline’s contract runs out Oct. 31, and it also hopes to maintain its service of nine-seat planes, three or four times daily.

California-based Boutique Air also submitted a bid to operate eight- or nine-seat planes on a similarly frequent schedule to Cape Air.

Under the submitted proposals, one-way Cape Air flights to Boston would cost $78. One-way service on Boutique Air to Boston would cost $79. Contour Airlines is proposing to price one-way tickets to Boston at $85 and one-way tickets to Washington Dulles International Airport at $105.

For the U.S. Department of Transportation, sticking with Cape Air would remain the cheapest option of the three.

To operate regular flights to and from Augusta, Cape Air requested just over $4.3 million in federal subsidies through the DOT’s Essential Air Service program over the first year of the contract. Boutique Air asked for at least $6.3 million, and Contour proposed $5.7 million.

Essential Air Service subsidies fund airlines that provide regular service from communities that otherwise would not connect to bigger airport hubs. Airlines sign two- to four-year contracts with the federal government, outlining those subsidies and the frequency of service required. The 177 communities that are part of the EAS program include four in Maine: Augusta, Rockland, Presque Isle and Bar Harbor.

But on top of subsidies, passenger estimates could play into federal regulators’ decision.

Data from the past three years of traffic at the Augusta State Airport shows declining use. Just 8,566 passengers boarded or left on planes at the airport in 2025, down from 10,451 in 2024 and 10,549 in 2023.

Cape Air estimates continuing its service will result in 10,341 passengers annually, while Boutique Air said it could shuttle more than 15,000 passengers per year to Boston.

Contour Airlines said it would bring almost 16,000 through the Augusta airport to both Boston and Washington, D.C., if its 30-seat service were allowed.

Matt Nazar, Augusta’s development director, said the city planned to submit comments to the DOT after meeting with each airline about their proposals. He said he expects “our comments to carry a significant amount of influence over the final decision.”

Nazar did not comment on the proposals, as submitted to the DOT.

A decision is expected later this year.