West Yellowstone Airport is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park’s West Entrance, just a couple of miles from the park and a short drive from town. If you’re flying in during the summer season, here’s what to know before you land.

West Yellowstone Airport at a Glance

• Official name: Yellowstone Airport
• Airport code: WYS
• Address: 721 Airport Road, West Yellowstone, MT 59758 (406-646-7631)
• Season: commercial flights run seasonally, roughly mid-May through mid-October
• Airlines: Delta Connection (via Salt Lake City) and United Express (via Denver), both operated by SkyWest
• Distance to the park: about two miles

Flights and Season

West Yellowstone Airport is a seasonal airport. Commercial service usually runs from roughly mid-May through mid-October. Delta Connection flies to Salt Lake City and United Express flies to Denver, so most travelers connect through one of those two hubs. Schedules change from year to year, so check with the airlines or the Yellowstone Airport website for this season’s dates.

Getting from the Airport to Town and the Park

• Rental cars: rental cars are available at the airport, but the fleet is small. Reserve well ahead of a summer trip.
• Lodging shuttles: some West Yellowstone hotels offer airport pickup. Ask when you book.
• Into the park: from the airport it’s a few minutes to town and the West Entrance, and about 30 miles to Old Faithful.

For more on getting here and getting around, see our West Yellowstone transportation guide.

Is West Yellowstone the Closest Airport to Yellowstone?

Yes. For travelers using the West Entrance, Yellowstone Airport is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park. Outside its season, the nearest year-round option is Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN), about 90 miles north of West Yellowstone, with nonstop flights to more than 20 U.S. cities. From Bozeman, plan on a scenic drive south through the Gallatin Canyon.

More at the Airport

The airport is a state-owned public-use airport just north of town. It covers 735 acres at an elevation of 6,649 feet above sea level and has one asphalt runway, 8,400 by 150 feet. Food service at the airport runs on the same seasonal schedule as the flights.

For non-commercial flights and pilot services you can check with Air Methods and Yeti Aviation. Choice Aviation is the fixed-base operator and offers fuel, flight instruction, aircraft/hangar rental and other services.

Not only does the airport offer commercial air service, but it is home to the West Yellowstone Interagency Fire Center, which oversees aerial firefighting operations. The base was established in 1951 at the old airport but moved to its present location in 1965. It is operated jointly by the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service. It has a primary response area of the Gallatin, Shoshone, Beaverhead/Deer Lodge, Targhee, Bridger/Teton and Custer National Forests as well as Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.

During the summer it serves as a base for 21 smokejumpers, pilots for the jump plane and the firefighting air tanker. It supports visiting jumpers, tankers and other aerial firefighting resources.

The long runways at the airport can easily accommodate the large tanker planes that the firefighters use. It has also accommodated Air Force One when the President came to visit Yellowstone.

A Bit of History: The First Airport to Serve a National Park

As we all know, Yellowstone National Park owns the distinction of being the “First” National Park in our nation. In my research I discovered that the airport constructed in West Yellowstone was the first airport to service a National Park.

In the early 1930’s the Montana Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA) allocated over $50,000 in grants and labor which resulted in the construction of 74 airports throughout Montana and the West Yellowstone Airport was one of those projects.

The West Yellowstone Commercial Club was formed at this time by some progressive West Yellowstone residents. Among those involved in the Commercial Club were Sam Eagle who, at that time was the local Postmaster, along with Alex Stuart, H. G. Bartlett, George Whittaker and C. S. Peterson. In 1932 the Club filed a Special Use Permit application with the U. S. Department of Agriculture. In 1934 this permit was reissued to Gallatin County and the designated project leaders were Forest Service officer J. C. Whitman and Sam Eagle.

With $1,100 in donations from local businesses and individuals as well as Scenic Airways the initial work was soon to begin. The Forest Service contributed 130 acres directly west of the city limits and across from Iris Street. If you drive west out of town on Highway 20 you will notice the large open field to your left adjacent to Iris Street. This is the site of the original West Yellowstone airport, now referred to by locals as the “old” airport. Now you know why this space is absent of all trees!

The task of cutting and removing the standing timber was contracted to Herklas Righteour in the autumn of 1933. The CWA and FERA contributed labor in order to accomplish this massive task. The logs that could be used were trimmed and salvaged and the slash piles were burned and stumps pulled out of the ground. The runway needed to be leveled and this was accomplished by using approximately one thousand pounds of gravel which was removed from a large pit that was between the two runways. In May of 1935 a letter reporting that the runway was “fixed” was sent to Sam Eagle.

Work on the airport was delayed by a snowstorm in early May of 1935. The final landing strip was 500 feet wide by 5000 feet long and was in the shape of a block letter “V”. The airport included a private hangar belonging to Scenic Airways, a gasoline pump and an airplane repair shop. Scenic Airways offered air tours and charter services over the Park while National Parks Airways had regular scheduled air and mail service until 1937 at which time they were purchased by West Air Express.

The grand opening ceremony and dedication was held on June 22, 1938. In 1941 the air service to West Yellowstone was classified by the government as “non-essential” because of the war and service was discontinued. After the war, Western Airlines, formerly Western Air Express, resumed service in 1946. By this time the trees at the end of the runway had grown dangerously tall and, for safety reasons, Western Airlines ceased service in the fall of 1947.

Air service would not resume in West Yellowstone until 1964 when the new (and current) airport was completed.

In the 1960’s and 1970’s Western Airlines serviced the airport. They were sold to Delta Air Lines which turned service at the airport over to their affiliate Delta Connection which is operated by SkyWest Airlines. Frontier Airlines served the airport from 1950 to 1986. On June 1, 2015, for the first time since 1978, the Yellowstone Airport was pleased to welcome back commercial jet service when Delta Connection (operated by SkyWest) replaced its 30-seat turboprop with a 50-seat Canadair Regional Jet 200.

West Yellowstone Airport FAQ

What is the West Yellowstone airport code?

WYS.

Is West Yellowstone Airport open year-round?

No. Commercial flights run seasonally, roughly mid-May through mid-October.

What airlines fly into West Yellowstone?

Delta Connection from Salt Lake City and United Express from Denver.

What is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park?

For the West Entrance, Yellowstone Airport (WYS) in West Yellowstone. Bozeman (BZN) is the closest year-round airport.

Once you land, you’re minutes from the park. Find a place to stay in West Yellowstone and start planning your first day in Yellowstone.

AUTHOR: SUE KNAPP