YOU to HLN
Helena’s Airport Expansion Project
When visitors land at the Helena Regional Airport, they can easily find their way from the terminal to baggage claim and to the rental car kiosks, which include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz and National.
With local art on the walls and a friendly voice, that just happens to belong to Jeff – the Airport Manager, over the PA system, it’s easy to feel at home in this small-town airport.
But, don’t let that small-town feeling deceive you. The Helena Regional Airport offers many flight options and is serviced by Delta, United and Alaska Air with direct flights daily to and from Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver and Seattle.
Need an Uber upon landing? Helena has Uber/Lyft along with a taxi service. Better yet, most Helena hotels offer free airport shuttles.
The airport’s passenger traffic has increased 13.1% year-to-date through October 2018, compared to the same period in 2017. This growth is a result of both Delta and United adding 24,714 additional seats to Helena’s air service offerings so far in 2018. This has been accomplished by a mix of larger aircraft and additional flights.
These numbers translate to more options for getting to Montana’s capital city at any time of year. It also means exciting things for the airport as they begin a 20,000-square-foot expansion. Many of these expansions have a direct positive impact to travelers with upgraded seating that includes USB ports, a full-service restaurant inside the secure area and additional restrooms.
The addition will also bring a third passenger loading bridge and raise the amount of gate/aircraft parking spaces to six which will allow for more efficient airline operations as well as capacity and space for future passenger growth and more future flights.
In the future, as you fly into the Helena Regional airport and take in the Elkhorn Range and the South Hills Trail System bordering the downtown area, you’ll also be looking down on bigger and better Helena Regional Airport.
Bigger and better for you, our guest. But, not to worry, it won’t be so big that you’ll have any trouble navigating the space. When you land at one of six gates, friendly faces and small-town charm will still await you.
As you make your Montana travel plans, be sure to use airport code HLN to bring you to the perfect Montana destination halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. See you soon!
“The Helena Regional Airport’s terminal expansion project will ensure adequate capacity to meet current and future growth in passenger traffic. So far this year alone the airport has received an additional 25,000 seats through additional flights and larger aircraft during peak travel periods. The increase in traffic combined with a changing aircraft fleet mix towards larger aircraft will continue to benefit Helena’s connection with the rest of the world. Additional capacity will further increase the ability for Helena to attract additional visitors to enjoy attractions in our region.” – Jeff Wadekamper, Airport Manager