The Glacier National Park located in Montana, United States attracts plenty of visitors from across the United States and other countries across the globe. The national park covers an area of 1,583 square miles covering Montana’s Rocky Mountains along with carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border.
You must be wondering how to reach the National Park. There are various ways to access the national park however, the best and convenient are the closest airports to Glacier National Park.
Some airports close to the Glacier National Park include Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), Missoula Montana Airport, Kalispell City Airport, Sanders Airport, Weaver Airport, and other airfields.
Among these airports, the Glacier Park International Airport and the Missoula Montana Airport (MSO) are the best because they are the closest airports to the national park and the gateway to northwest Montana. The FCA airport is just 30 miles away from the West Entrance section of the park whereas the MSO is 137.6 miles far.
You can also take a flight to Calgary International Airport in Alberta and reach the Glacier National Park with a four-hour drive.
We discovered some popular ways to reach Glacier National Park now, let us explore the Glacier Park International Airport and the Missoula Montana Airport along with some information on Glacier National Park.
Glacier Park International Airport (Closest Airports to Glacier National Park)
Being among the closest airports to Glacier National Park, the Glacier Park International Airport (FCA) has expanded and enhanced to serve more tourists. Major airlines operating in the United Airlines including Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and Allegiant Air operate direct flights to the airport.
Delta Air Lines operate flights to Glacier Park International Airport from Salt Lake City and Minneapolis throughout the year whereas United Airlines operates from Denver. Likewise, Alaska Airlines also operates scheduled flights to the airport from Seattle. In addition, Allegiant Air operates regular flights to and from Las Vegas and Phoenix year-round to the Glacier Park International Airport.
Airlines operate seasonal direct seasonal flights during the summertime. Delta Air Lines operates scheduled flights to the Glacier Park International Airport from Los Angeles and Atlanta whereas United Airlines operates from Chicago. American Airlines flies from Dallas, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Likewise, Alaska Airlines operates seasonal flights from Portland. In addition, the budget airline Allegiant Air operates flights to FCA from Los Angeles and Oakland.
The Glacier Park International Airport is just 30 miles away from Glacier National Park so, you just need a 31-minute drive to reach the park from the airport.
About Glacier Park International Airport (ICAO: KGPI, IATA: FCA, FAA LID: GPI)
The Glacier Park International Airport is located in Kalispell, Montana and is operated by the Flathead Municipal Airport Authority. It is situated at an elevation of 2,976 ft (907m) above mean sea level (AMSL).
The airport was previously known as Flathead County Airport when introduced in 1942 due to which the IATA name was declared ‘FCA’. The latest name was finalized when the airport was declared as an international airport in 1970.
The airport was running short of passengers for various years from 1950 however, the passenger traffic increased from the 1970s after the declaration of the international airport. Various airlines including Horizon Air, Frontier Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Western Airlines, and Hughes Airwest operated flights to and from the Glacier Park International Airport with Boeing 727-100, Boeing 757-200, Boeing 737-200, Fokker F28, and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30.
The airport went through a terminal up-gradation project in 1981 and runways including other infrastructures were enhanced in the 1990s. With all these improvements, the passenger traffic skyrocketed between 1974 and 1998.
An up-gradation project with an estimated cost of US$8 million was completed in 2011. The airport created a new record of passenger numbers in November 2017 with the 247,446th passenger departing that year.
Facilities at FCA
The Glacier Park International Airport covers an area of 1,525 acres and features two asphalt runways; Runway 2/20 and Runway 12/30.
Runway 2/20 has a dimension of 9,006 by 150 ft (2,745 by 46m) whereas runway 12/30 is 3,504 by 75 ft (1,068 by 23 m).
Eight major airlines operating in the United States namely Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air, and Alaska Airlines operate flights to and from the Glacier Park International Airport. These airlines operate from their hubs in Las Vegas, Denver, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, and Seattle.
The major airlines mentioned above operate daily and weekly flights from their main hubs. Besides, direct seasonal flights are also available to Dallas, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Minneapolis/St. Paul, San Francisco, Oakland, San Diego, Atlanta, Phoenix, Charlotte, and Portland.
Airlines and Flight Schedule
| AIRLINES | SCHEDULE |
| Alaska Airlines | Daily Service via SeattleSeason Service through Los Angeles, San Diego, and Portland |
| Allegiant Air | Twice-weekly, non-stop service to Las Vegas and PhoenixSeasonal service through Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Diego |
| United Airlines | Daily Service through DenverSeasonal Service through Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago |
| Delta Airlines | Daily, non-stop flights through Salt Lake City and Minneapolis under Delta Connection Service operated by SkyWest AirlinesSeasonal Service through Seattle, Los Angeles, and Atlanta |
| Sun Country Airlines | Seasonal, twice-weekly service to Minneapolis/ St. Paul |
| Frontier Airlines | Seasonal Service to Denver (three times a week) |
| JetBlue | Seasonal service to New York, JFK (three times a week) |
| American Airlines | Seasonal, weekly service to Dallas, New York (LGA), Los Angeles, and Chicago |
Major Destinations from FCA
| DESTINATION | OPERATING AIRLINES |
| Salt Lake City | Delta Air Lines |
| Seattle | Alaska |
| Denver | United Airlines |
| Minneapolis/ St. Paul | Delta Air Lines |
| Chicago O’Hare | American Airlines, United Airlines |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | American Airlines |
| Las Vegas | Allegiant Air |
| Phoenix/Mesa | Allegiant Air |
| San Francisco | United Airlines |
| Oakland, CA | United Airlines, Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines |
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Missoula Montana Airport (ICAO: KMSO, IATA: MSO, FAA LID: MSO)
The Missoula Montana Airport is situated at an elevation of 3,206 ft (977m) above mean sea level (AMSL) in Missoula County, Montana. The airport is owned and operated by the Missoula County Airport Authority.
The official opening of the Missoula County Airport was taken place in 1941 with support from Work Progress Administration (WPA) funds. The US Forest Service offered necessary cooperation to operate the airport as it needed access to an airport.
The MSO Airport is 132 miles away from Glacier National Park so, you need to drive for at least 2 hours 30 minutes.
Facilities at MSO
The Missoula Montana Airport covers an area of 2,700 acres and is equipped with two asphalt runways designated as RWY 12/30 and RWY 8/26. The runway 12/30 has a dimension of 9,501 by 150 feet (2,896 by 46 m) whereas runway 8/26 is 4,612 by 75 feet (1,406 by 23 m).
The airport got a new 101-foot tall air traffic control tower replacing the old one constructed in 1961. The tower built with an estimated cost of $6.77 million is known to be the tallest control tower in Montana.
The construction project of the new terminal began in 2018 which is expected to complete and operate by the end of this year (2021).
Airlines and Flight Schedule
Major Airlines including Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, and United Airlines operate flights to and from the Missoula Montana Airport.
| AIRLINES | FLIGHT SCHEDULE |
| Alaska Airlines | Year-round service to Seattle, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Los Angeles |
| Allegiant Air | Year-round service to Phoenix/Mesa, Orange County, and Las VegasSeasonal Service to Portland, Oakland, and Los Angeles |
| American Airlines | Year-round service to Dallas/Fort WorthSeasonal Service to Chicago/O’Hare |
| Delta Air Lines | Year-round service to Salt Lake City and MinneapolisSeasonal Service to Atlanta, and Los Angeles |
| Frontier Airlines | Seasonal Service to Denver |
| United Airlines | Year-round service to DenverSeasonal Service to San Francisco, and Chicago/O’Hare |
Major Domestic Destinations from MSO
| Destination | Operating Airlines |
| Denver | Frontier Airlines, United Airlines |
| Seattle/Tacoma | Alaska Airlines |
| Salt Lake City | Delta Air Lines |
| Minneapolis/St. Paul | Delta Air Lines |
| Dallas/Fort Worth | American Airlines |
| Phoenix/Mesa | Allegiant Air |
| Chicago-O’Hare | American Airlines, United Airlines |
| Los Angeles | Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant Air |
| Las Vegas | Allegiant Air |
| Portland | Allegiant Air |
About Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park stars alpine meadows, magnificent lakes, rugged mountains, and Glacier’s pristine forests. You can visit the park and experience these naturally beautiful creations.
The park features over 700 miles of trails due to which it is known as a hiker’s paradise. If you are seeking isolation and wilderness, Glacier National Park is one of the top attractions. Lodges, historic chalets, and the popular Going-to-the-Sun Road mesmerize your journey through the park.
Best time to visit Glacier National Park
You can visit Glacier National Park throughout the year with the availability of various adventurous activities. The park looks crowded during July and August and in case you don’t prefer a busy environment, avoid visiting the park during the summer months.
The famous Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed for vehicles and only open to bikes during the spring season. You can get a fantastic experience of hiking through the road at this time. During the winter season, you have options for skiing or snowmobiling.
Conclusion
Glacier National Park is an awesome destination to break your monotonous life and enjoy the beautiful vibe of mother nature. The park offers a peaceful ambience along with views of awesome hills, mighty mountains, lakes, waterfall, rivers, and much more.
As we discussed above, reaching the National Park is not that difficult as you can fly to the closest airports to Glacier National Park and then take a short drive.
We found out two closest airports to Glacier National Park namely Glacier Park International Airport and Missoula Montana Airport. Both these airports offer regular service from various cities across the United States.
Among the two closest airports to Glacier National Park, the Glacier Park International Airport is the best choice because it is just 30 miles away from the park and features all facilities related to lodging, flooding, and other travel amenities. If you choose this airport, you need just a 31 minutes drive to reach the national park whereas 2 hours 30 minutes drive is required to reach the park from Missoula Montana Airport.
