This summer, Helena Regional Airport will have a third daily United Airlines flight to Denver, it announced Tuesday.
“These added United flights are a huge win for Helena,” Airport Director Jeff Wadekamper said in a news release.
The added flights will begin May 22, lasting through summer. However, if the flights do well, they could remain year-round, officials said.
The new flight departs from Denver at 2:55 p.m. and arrives in Helena at 4:47 p.m. It leaves Helena at 5:39 p.m. and arrives at Denver International Airport at 7:32 p.m.
The new coverage is a big moment for the Helena airport, officials said. Air travel resources have been tighter since the pandemic, and small airports across the country are competing for the limited planes.
That said, Helena has recovered well from the pandemic, Wadekamper said in early January.
People are also reading…
In 2024, 101,053 passengers flew out of Helena compared to 89,423 in 2023, he said.
It nears 2019’s passenger count of 118,743, which was Helena Regional Airport’s biggest year ever for flights.
The 2024 boom was partially because of a seasonal flight expansion Helena struck with Alaska Airlines, adding a second daily Helena-Seattle flight May-August, Wadekamper said.
That deal looks like it’s coming back for the upcoming summer, joining the expanded Denver coverage, he said.
Because of the competitive nature, securing deals like these can have a snowball effect, making Helena more attractive with each new flight, Wadekamper said in January.
In the first quarter of 2025, Helena is set to talk with Delta Airlines to return the Helena-Minneapolis service, American Airlines to access Dallas/Fort Worth in Texas and Breeze Airways for service to Phoenix.
Helena is also talking with Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, Cape Air and many other airlines, Wadekamper said. These talks typically happen two or three times a year.
“Helena is still growing, and its air travel is bouncing back faster,” he said. “That makes us look really good.”
For more information about the Helena Regional Airport and the Air Service Alliance, visit helenaairservice.com.
Christine Compton is a reporter for the Helena Independent Record.