Bozeman, Montana is an up and coming tourist destination found in the Rocky Mountains. People are traveling to Bozeman to soak up their fill for outdoor activities like hiking or skiing.
Airlines are catching wind of this increased passenger demand, and have been jockeying for position to dominate the market share at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
One airline stands out for one reason. Delta Air Lines is the only airline that offers year round service into Bozeman. Every other airline offers flights on a seasonal basis, generally during the region’s winter months.
In this guide, we will uncover Delta’s operations into Bozeman, Montana. We will explore why Delta chooses to fly into Bozeman, the routes they offer, and some of the aircraft they fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
Delta Flies Into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is found seven miles away from the city of Bozeman, Montana. It is the most trafficked airport in the state of Montana, being utilized by 2,498,000 passengers so far in 2024.
The high passenger count is largely thanks to the extra regional travel demand as well as a smorgasbord of airlines that choose to fly into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
Compared to the second largest airport in Montana, Billings International Airport, Bozeman has a total of three more air carrier options for passengers than Billing’s International Airport.
Despite being an international airport, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is probably equivalent to most larger metro areas secondary airports. It features one runway and one terminal building. That means during peak travel season, the airport can get a bit hectic.
Why Delta Chooses To Fly To Bozeman?
When you hear about the state of Montana, it’s probably not one of the first places in the United States you would think of when it comes to desirable tourist destinations.
However, it does appeal to the demographic of people who enjoy the great outdoors.
Bozeman, Montana is close to Yellowstone National Park and has some of the best skiing that the Western United States has to offer.
Delta Air Lines very much acknowledges this demand. Just about every other major airline in the United States offers seasonal direct flights to Bozeman to capitalize on the peak travel during the winter season.
Delta is the only airline that flies to Bozeman from several cities year round.
That provides Delta an untapped market as well as a benefit to passengers that want to visit Bozeman for summer activities like hiking and various watersports.
Currently, Delta is in a tie with ownership of the Bozeman’s market share with United Airlines. Both of these airlines represented 21% percent each of all passenger aircraft operations at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport.
Travelers flock to Bozeman for mainly two reasons; tourism and outdoor activities.
Tourism
Bozeman, Montana offers travelers a chance to experience the best that Montana has to offer.
The city has a very home-like feel to it, it isn’t large like New York City or Los Angeles. The city is only 20 square miles and is home to about 53,000 residents.
The smaller city makes the experience a personal one as there are many mom and pop shops, restaurants, and unique attractions like the Museum of the Rockies.
Travelers looking for a change up and escape the large city may seek destinations like Bozeman, Montana.
Outdoor Activities
Probably the largest demand for travelers to Bozeman evidenced by many airlines’ selective seasonality service is the area’s appeal to outdoorsmen.
The city is centered right in the heart of the Rocky Mountains giving outdoor lovers access to many of their favorite activities like hiking, skiing, fishing, and much more.
The most prominent attraction is the city’s proximity to Yellowstone National Park, a national park that features wildlife like Wild Buffalo and geothermal geysers like Old Faithful.
These Are The Four Delta Air Lines Cities That Have Nonstop Flights to Bozeman, Montana.
Delta Air Lines offers nonstop flights to Bozeman, Montana from four cities across the United States.
From its hubs at Atlanta, Minneapolis, Salt Lake City, and Los Angeles, passengers will be able to fly with Delta to Bozeman.
Interestingly enough, the Northeast and South portion of the United States like New York and Texas have no direct flights to Montana on board Delta. Passengers from these regions will have to find a connection.
Northeast travelers will likely fly to Minneapolis while Southern U.S travelers will either have to fly to Minneapolis or Atlanta.
Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia is home to Delta’s Southeastern point of access for travelers wanting to get to Montana.
From Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, passengers can find yearound flights to Bozeman through Delta Air Lines. These flights are offered once per day between 5 to 7 times per week.
For this route, Delta taps their aging Boeing 757 for flights. The Boeing 757 is capable of flying across the country and is powerful enough to operate at higher elevations, like Bozeman’s elevation of 4817 feet above sea level.
Delta should be looking for a replacement for the 757 very soon. The Airbus A321 is a capable aircraft that serves a rather similar capacity as the 757 in terms of aircraft range and passenger counts.
Minneapolis
The most northerly city offering Delta flights to Bozeman, Montana is Delta’s hub city of Minneapolis.
Minneapolis serves not only the demand of Midwesterners found near the Great Lakes but also travelers from the Northeast portion of the country, like New England, New York Tri State Area, and some of the Middle Atlantic states.
From Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, Delta offers 2-3 flights per day, all year long.
All of Delta’s flights to Bozeman from Minneapolis are completed with the Boeing 737-900.
It is interesting to see that this flight is offered so many times per day. With very similar cold weather climates, you would expect to see less demand for this route however, the opposite occurs.
This likely has to do with Minnesota’s lack of mountain ranges which doesn’t bode well for local residents who want to ski.
Also, hiking in Minnesota can be brutal considering it’s the land of lakes which brings along annoying bugs and other challenges.
Salt Lake City
Just like Minnesota, Salt Lake City boasts a similar climate and appeal to that of Montana. It is known for winter sports and is found in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
Delta offers 3 daily flights all year round from its hub at Salt Lake City International Airport.
Salt Lake City likely serves as the departure point for several of the Rocky Mountain states like Colorado.
While Montana is found at the northern tip of the Rocky Mountain range here in America, getting there by car may prove to be difficult due to the mountain ranges. Flying is probably the better option for any Rocky Mountain settler.
Salt Lake City also serves as the nearest airport with a direct flight to Bozeman for people in the Southwest portion of the United States like California and Arizona.
With Delta just announcing a new seasonal route offering from Los Angeles starting in December 2024, Salt Lake City and its year round offering to Bozeman will remain a strong option for these travelers.
It is worth noting that this route is operated by Delta Air Lines as well as its regional brand called Delta Connection. The main Delta brand operates Boeing 737s into Bozeman. The regional airline of choice for Delta Connection is SkyWest Airlines. SkyWest Airlines flies their Embraer 175 into Bozeman.
Los Angeles
Delta Air Lines is starting a route from Los Angeles beginning in December 2024.
The flight will be offered only on a seasonal basis, between December and March being offered once per day on Delta’s regional brand “Delta Connection”. It will likely be operated by SkyWest Airlines.
This is a great option for West Coast travelers. West Coast travelers before had to fly east to at least Salt Lake City to find a connecting flight to Bozeman.
With Lake Tahoe found nearby and the lack of winter weather found in Southern California and Arizona, Delta is likely capitalizing on the demand for out of state skiing or other winter sporting activities.
What Aircraft Does Delta Use for Flights to Bozeman?
Delta mainly uses three aircraft types for their nonstop flights to Bozeman spanning across their main fleet and their regional fleet. They use the Embraer 175, Boeing 737-900, and the Boeing 757.
Embraer 175
Delta uses their Embraer 175 on flights from Salt Lake City and plans to use the aircraft type on flights from Los Angeles. The Embraer 175 is a regional jet meaning it is better suited for carrying less passengers and flying shorter distances.
Embraer 175 flights operate under the Delta Connection banner and are flown by SkyWest Airlines. SkyWest Airlines configures their Embraer 175s to carry 76 passengers across First Class, Delta Comfort +, and Main Cabin.
Boeing 737-900ER
The Boeing 737-900ER is a domestic passenger aircraft that can handle routes of all distances, short, medium, and long. Delta operates the Boeing 737-900ER under their main brand.
Delta’s Boeing 737-900ER is used on two routes into Bozeman. It has been observed flying on the Minneapolis and Salt Lake City routes. This is likely due to high passenger demand as the Boeing 737 can fit more passengers per flight than a regional jet.
180 passengers can fit on the Delta Boeing 737-900ER spread out across three passenger classes, First Class, Delta Comfort +, and Main Cabin.
Boeing 757
In a rather unique role for the airline, Delta flies their Boeing 757 on flights between Atlanta and Bozeman, Montana. The Boeing 757 once ruled the skies as a transcontinental passenger aircraft but their role has been reduced as the airline’s are now focusing on newer, more fuel efficient aircraft.
Delta’s 757s can accommodate upwards of 200 passengers per flight depending on the aircraft configuration. Just like most Delta aircraft, the cabin is configured in a three cabin setup featuring First Class, Delta Comfort +, and Main Cabin.
Sources
https://www.delta.com/us/en/aircraft/overview
https://www.flightconnections.com/route-map-delta-dl
https://bozemanchamber.com/blog/how-tourism-positively-affects-the-bozeman-economy
