Fifteen nonstop flights from 13 major hubs on six airlines
Article by Amy M. Peters, Telluride Daily Planet Contributor - October 20, 2025
An American Airlines jet takes off from Montrose Regional Airport in an undated photo. (Courtesy photo)
Colorado Flights Alliance (CFA) recently announced expanded air service into Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) for the winter 2025-26 travel season. With 15 nonstop flights from 13 major hubs on six airlines this winter, overall air capacity is up 3-4% year-over-year with significant additions to MTJ’s Los Angeles service and new flight service from Nashville (BNA) to MTJ in March.
United Airlines will more than double its Los Angeles (LAX)-MTJ service this winter, operating daily flights over the holidays and increasing from two to five flights weekly Thursday-Monday through the rest of the winter season. United will add mainline 737 jets on Saturdays from Houston (IAH) increasing that service by 17% this winter.
United’s New York/Newark (EWR) and Chicago (ORD) will operate daily except from early-January to early-February when both will run weekly. Flights to and from San Francisco (SFO) will run daily during the holidays and twice weekly on Saturdays and Sundays during the rest of the winter season. These winter route offerings on United will end Easter weekend, April 5.
United will fly larger 737 and A319 mainline jets several times daily from Denver (DEN) to MTJ. American Airlines will also fly 737 jets twice daily from Dallas Ft. Worth (DFW) to MTJ, logging a small increase in overall capacity.
“United runs mainline jets year-round now with regional jets occasionally added when there are multiple daily flights,” explained CEO of Colorado Flight Alliance Matt Skinner. “DFW runs mainline jets all year except November to early-December and mid-April to mid-May when they operate regional jets.”
Southwest will feature four destinations out of MTJ this winter with the addition of flights to and from BNA operating on Saturdays in March.
“Southwest has been flying from Nashville into Steamboat successfully for the last several seasons,” Skinner noted. “We welcomed their offer to fly these four flights this spring to test the market.”
Southwest will continue year-round DEN service with one to three daily flights to MTJ. Southwest flights between MTJ and Dallas Love Field (DAL) will run two to five times weekly from Dec. 19-April 7 while Southwest flights between MTJ and Austin (AUS) will operate on Saturdays in March.
Delta will continue daily service from Atlanta (ATL) to MTJ beginning Dec. 20 and ending March 29.
Breeze Airways returns for its second season with twice weekly flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays to and from John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, providing another option for Southern California travelers traveling to MTJ.
Skinner reported that winter flight bookings started strong early, but have been softer since Labor Day.
“Noting these are early numbers, current winter bookings are down about 7% with holiday bookings down about 9%,” he reported. “The holidays will fall into a two-week pattern again this year making for a quieter early December.”
Skinner said future goals for maximizing MTJ winter flight capacity include adding service from the northwest and southeast as well as continued growth of current flights.
“With our tourism demand, we offer far more options than Durango or Grand Junction in the winter,” he added. “Grand Junction has flights to six hubs with about 75% of our capacity while Durango has flights to three hubs and about 70% of our capacity.”
Denver Air Connection will continue offering year-round daily air service between TEX and DEN. Denver Air service between Phoenix (PHX) and TEX runs from Dec. 18-April 7 with travelers able to connect through United and American networks.
Last month TEX introduced a new fixed-based operation (FBO) 30,000-square-foot Hangar 30 with office space for flight departments, rental car service garages, snow removal equipment storage and a campus pump station for water and fire suppression.
“This is turning out to be an historic year for TEX,” said the airport’s manager, Kenneth E. Maenpa. “With the completion of over $30 million in improvements including the new FBO Hangar facility and $9.5 million in aviation improvements for new Taxiway B3, a 100,000 square foot aircraft parking apron and earthwork for future hangar development.”
With October being prime booking season for holiday and winter lodging, the Telluride Tourism Board’s executive director, Kiera Skinner, reports that holiday lodging bookings are currently flat compared to last year’s season.
“With the Christmas holiday falling in the middle of the week again this year, the first week — Dec. 20-27 — is slower and then picks up over New Year’s week — Dec. 29-Jan. 4,” she explained. “Occupancy during the first week is currently pacing behind 2%, while total occupancy over the second week is pacing 2% ahead.”
Lodging bookings for the winter 2025-2026 season are pacing 4% ahead of last season.
“All months are currently tracking ahead with the exception of March which is down 3% year-over-year,” she added. “Paid occupancy for winter is pacing 5% behind last season, indicating that an increase in owner bookings is contributing to the positive total occupancy metrics.”
For full flight schedules and booking links, visit coloradoflights.org/schedule.
To read the original Telluride Daily Planet article, please click this link.
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