BANGOR – June 6 is D-Day for Bangor International Airport. That’s ‘D’ as in Detroit.

Airport officials announced Thursday that Northwest Airlines will begin nonstop jet service between BIA and Detroit International Airport on that date. Detroit is the largest hub for Minneapolis-based Northwest. Tickets for the service are available now through travel agents.

The announcement comes after BIA experienced an 11 percent growth in passenger traffic last year, bucking the national trend. That growth helped convince Northwest to offer twice-daily flights on 50-passenger Canadair Regional Jets from BIA year round, officials said. A third flight will be offered during the summer on Saturdays.

“Bangor International Airport’s continued growth is good news for the region,” said BIA Director Rebecca Hupp, in making the announcement on the second floor of the domestic terminal. “Local and regional consumers are certainly discovering that the airport offers convenient and affordable air service closer to home. Using your own airport is the best way to help grow air service locally, which ultimately means lower prices.”

The price of a round-trip ticket to Detroit from Bangor with 14 days notice and a Saturday stay is $208, according to Bangor Travel Agency. With 7 days notice and no Saturday stay, the price is $498. A passenger connecting at Detroit on a round-trip flight to Minneapolis with 14 days notice would pay $266. Detroit offers connections to hundreds of other destinations.

“This is huge for us,” said Bangor Mayor Nichi Farnham, who attended the press conference along with city Councilor Gerry Palmer. “We can go west without having to go south first.”

Northwest has previous links to BIA through affiliations with commuter carriers. Northwest Airlink previously offered a turboprop shuttle service between BIA and Boston’s Logan Airport. It also was affiliated with Business Express, which offered small jet service to East Coast airports.