Sachin Walls
Montana, The Land of the Shining Mountains, is a well-known tourist destination with 123 public airports. The cities of Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Glacier-Kalispell, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, and West Yellowstone all offer airport services. These airports vary in terms of runway conditions, fuel availability, and services, so careful research and preparation are recommended when flying into Montana. This article will provide an overview of the airports in Montana, including their locations, IATA codes, and notable features.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Public Airports | 123 |
| Cities with Airports | Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Glacier-Kalispell, Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, West Yellowstone, Sidney-Richland, Glasgow, Havre, Wolf Point, Jordan, Miles City, Helena |
| Airports with International Terminals | The Glacier Park International Airport, Missoula International Airport, Great Falls International Airport, Glasgow International Airport, Whetstone International Airport, Ross International Airport |
| Airlines | Cape Air, Alaska, Delta, Big Sky Airlines, US Airways, Northwest Airlines, Delta Connection, Horizon Airways, Allegiant, United, Allegiant Air, Sky West Airlines |
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What You'll Learn
Missoula International Airport
Missoula Montana Airport, formerly known as Missoula International Airport, is located in Missoula, Missoula County, Montana. It is owned by the Missoula County Airport Authority. The airport is a vital part of Western Montana and is categorised as a primary commercial service airport, with more than 10,000 enplanements per year.
The airport has undergone several expansion projects in recent years. A new security screening area was added to the old terminal building in 2007, and a 101-foot control tower was completed in 2012. Due to increased patronage, it was decided in 2013 that expanding the current terminal was not financially prudent, and a new terminal was proposed instead. Construction on the new terminal began in 2018 and was completed in 2022, with the old terminal being demolished in 2023. In 2024, additional funding was secured for the eastward terminal expansion, which will include four new gates, an expanded baggage claim area, and a new rental car centre.
The airport's history dates back to the 1920s. Missoula's first landing strip was established in 1923, south of the university. In 1927, an additional strip near the Western Montana Fair Grounds was sold to the county and became Missoula's first official airport. The current airfield is named after Harry O. Bell, the first president of the Missoula chapter of the National Aeronautic Association, and mountain flying pioneer Bob Johnson of Johnson Flying Service (now Minuteman Aviation).
Missoula Montana Airport is home to a U.S. Forest Service smokejumper base, the largest of seven in the nation. It also serves as the base for Neptune Aviation, an aerial firefighting company. Federal Aviation Administration records show that the airport handled between 280,000 and 290,000 passenger boardings annually from 2008 to 2010. In 2024, the airport became one of the few in the country to allow non-ticketed persons to visit areas past security.
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Yellowstone Airport
There are several airports in Montana that provide access to Yellowstone National Park. These include Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, Yellowstone Airport, Yellowstone Regional Airport, and Yellowstone International Airport.
History
The airport was first served by the original Frontier Airlines in 1967, with seasonal summer flights to Denver using Convair 580 turboprop aircraft. In 1981, Frontier upgraded these flights to Boeing 737-200 jetliners, continuing seasonal operations until the summer of 1985. SkyWest Airlines then took over the route, beginning with the 1986 summer season and operating as Western Express. Western Airlines was later acquired by Delta Air Lines, which transitioned the service to its regional affiliate Delta Connection, operated by SkyWest Airlines. Delta Connection's flights to Salt Lake City commenced in the summer of 1987 and have continued since.
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Great Falls International Airport
The airport has a diverse range of operations, with an average of 95 aircraft operations per day as of 2018. These operations include general aviation, air taxi, airline, and military flights. In 2011, Great Falls International Airport recorded its highest number of boardings, with 172,415 enplanements, making it the fifth-busiest airport in Montana that year. The airport has also been recognised for its low-cost flight options, with Frontier Airlines announcing new flights to Great Falls from their Denver hub in 2012.
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Glacier Park International Airport
In the year ending January 1, 2022, the airport recorded 42,058 aircraft operations, averaging 115 per day. The breakdown of these operations included 57% general aviation, 27% airline, 13% air taxi, and 3% military. Around 159 aircraft were based at the airport, including single-engine, multi-engine, jet, and helicopter variants.
The history of the airport dates back to the 1960s when it was served by West Coast Airlines with Fairchild F-27 turboprops flying to Spokane, Seattle, and Great Falls. Over the years, the airport has been served by various airlines, including Air West, Hughes Airwest, Western Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and the original Frontier Airlines. The airport was designated as an international airport in 1970 and received its current name. The terminal and other facilities have undergone upgrades over the years, including in the 1980s and 1990s, to accommodate increasing passenger traffic.
Shuttle services to and from the airport are available, although they require a 48-hour advance reservation. Additionally, rental car services are offered, providing unlimited miles and a free seventh day. Limited taxi and limousine services are also available from the airport to nearby areas.
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Military airports
During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) established several airfields in Montana for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers. Most of these airfields were commanded by the Second Air Force or the Army Air Forces Training Command (AAFTC). However, other USAAF support commands, such as the Air Technical Service Command (ATSC) and the Air Transport Command (ATC), also played a significant role in commanding a number of these airfields.
Many of these wartime airfields were converted into municipal airports, returned to agricultural use, or retained as United States Air Force bases that served as front-line bases during the Cold War. It is still possible to find remnants of these wartime airfields today, and hundreds of the temporary buildings that were used are now being used for other purposes.
Montana's military airports include all public-use and military airports in the state. Some private-use and former airports may also be included where notable, such as those with commercial enplanements recorded by the FAA or airports assigned an IATA airport code. The FAA and IATA airport codes are assigned by the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Air Transport Association, respectively.
Unfortunately, I could not find specific names of military airports in Montana.
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Frequently asked questions
Great Falls, Glacier Park (Kalispell), Missoula, Glasgow, Whetstone (Port of Del Bonita), and Ross (Sweetgrass) all have international airports in Montana.
Billings Logan International Airport is the busiest airport in Montana by passenger numbers.
It is unclear which airport is the smallest in Montana, but some of the smaller airports include Whetstone International Airport and Ross International Airport.
Great Falls, Missoula, Kalispell, Glasgow, Port of Del Bonita, and Sweetgrass all have airports with international flights.
Yes, there are some private-use airports in Montana, but the locations are not specified.
