Loganair will to continue operating flights between Dundee and Stansted after the UK government agreed to subsidise the route.
The Department for Transport (DFT) will invest £1.8 million over two years to secure the route’s future until 2019.
The payment is part of a public service obligation (PSO) agreed with the Scottish government and Dundee City Council which will also be paying £1.4 million and £400,000 respectively to support the flights.
The Dundee-Stansted route was first launched in 2014 thanks to public funding - Loganair will operate twice daily flights on weekdays and one flight on Sundays under the new deal.
Aviation minister Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon said: “Passengers and businesses will continue to benefit from the connectivity this route provides. It will further boost trade and tourism opportunities will continue to flourish in Scotland.
“Regional airports are vital to our long-term economic strategy, and we are committed to strengthening links across the whole country and in particular ensuring access to London to further boost growth across the whole of the UK.”