HELENA — The Helena Regional Airport announced that United Airlines is reinstating the second daily flight from Helena to Denver starting in June.
United Airlines started its Helena to Denver route in 2008.
The route originally operated as two daily flights, on smaller 50-seat jets, but one of the flights has occasionally been cut.
The second daily flight has not been in place since the pandemic. Now it's set to return with a greater seat capacity.
"This coming summer, in addition to that, they're going to operate that aircraft on a larger 76-seat jet. Both flights each day. So that'll net gain us 52% more seats than we had in 2019 prior to the pandemic when they were operating those flights on 53 jets," said Helena Airport Director Jeff Wadekamper.
Wadekamper also says this is good news for travelers looking for more options.
"Having two flights a day just gives you added flexibility for your schedules, for your travel schedules, gives you options, you know, for different whether you're trying to make connections to different destinations through the hub or even coming back home," said Wadekamper.
Wadekamper tells me that this is a crucial step in the right direction for the Helena regional airport.
"So many communities that are still losing service. I mean, in the last couple of years, united completely pulled out of 31 markets around the country. So the fact that we're getting this back and seeing a net increase in their in their airline is good," said Wadekamper.
Wadekamper also says the airport is in discussions with delta to restore flights to Minneapolis and has offered a two-year fee waiver to any airline willing to bring more flights to the Helena Regional Airport.
