There’s nothing worse than flight problems to start you ski trip.
When you’ve carefully planned your itinerary and your stoked to hit the slopes, missing precious hours (or days!) because of a delayed or cancelled flight is a seriously stressful situation.
On the other hand, there’s no better way to start a ski vacation than a smooth day of travel.
Which fate you receive can feel like a total roll of the dice. But what if you could increase your odds for easy travel, by a factor of 10 or more?
Spoiler alert: you can.
It’s all about choosing the best airports near ski resorts, while avoiding the worst.
The data the airports don’t want you to know about…
As it turns out, the U.S. Department of Transportation keeps very, very detailed records about exactly how bad each airport is.
They measure this by recording data on each airport’s on-time performance, including flight delays, cancellations, and diversions.
To make this data relevant to us skiers, you can filter the data for winter flights (December-March) and you can even focus on the worst scenarios possible. (Cancelled or diverted flights)
Run some statistical analysis for each airport near a major ski resort, go back 12+ years to ensure a statistically relevant sample, and viola! You’ve now figured out a foolproof way to expose the best and worst places to fly into for your next ski trip!
The 15 Best Airports for Ski Trips
If you book these airports, you can sleep easy knowing that you’ve stacked the deck in your favor for a painless travel day.
Based on statistical analysis, these are the most reliable airports near ski resorts.
15. Denver International Airport, Colorado (DEN)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 2.10%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 4.16%
- Statistically, one out of every 24.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Skiers from all over the world flock to Denver as a cost-effective starting point for their ski trips. Its convenient location near all of Colorado’s “I-70” resorts means you’ll land within driving distance to more mountains than any other airport in the country! (Among others, list of derivable resorts from Denver includes Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek, Winter Park, and depending on how far you’re willing to sit in a car, Steamboat, Crested Butte, or even Aspen!)
Given this popularity, it’s a relief to see DEN confirmed as one of the most reliable airports, too. According to the data, only 2.1% of winter flights into Denver experience major inconveniences, such as airport diversions or outright cancellations.
Even better, since this airport has so much traffic, finding a replacement flight, if needed, is much easier than a similar event at other places.
14. Reno-Tahoe International, Nevada (RNO)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.77%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.51%
- Statistically, one out of 28.5 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
If you’re planning on visiting the many ski resorts of California’s Lake Tahoe region, then RNO is your most convenient option. And with just 1 in 28.5 winter flights experiencing inconveniences, it’s one of your most reliable options, too.
13. Bozeman Yellowstone International, Montana (BZN)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.74%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.44%
- Statistically, one out of 29.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
This is the airport that services Big Sky Resort, located just over 1 hour from BZN.
Despite being in the middle of Montana, BZN’s relatively flat, lower elevation position helps protect it against cancellations due to winter storms.
12. Oakland International, California (OAK)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.72%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.41%
- Statistically, one out of 29.3 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
For ski trips to Lake Tahoe, some skiers have better options flying into Oakland and making the 3.5-4 hour drive to Kirkwood, Heavenly, Palisades, and rest of the Sierra Mountains.
11. Los Angeles International, California (LAX)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.71%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.40%
- Statistically, one out of 29.4 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
LAX is one of the biggest airports in the world, and the City of Angels is near ski resorts, too.
Most of those resorts are smaller, day-trip areas. But the biggest destination resort is without a doubt Mammoth Mountain. And as explained in SlopeLab’s article about How to Get to Mammoth Mountain, flying into LAX and making the ~5 hour drive is one of the safer options. With this data showing LAX is one of the most reliable winter airports, that option gets even more bonus points!
10. Bellingham International, Washington (BLI)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.67%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.30%
- Statistically, one out of 30.3 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Bellingham International Airport, located about an hour and a half north of Seattle, is an often overlooked ski airport. But remember, it’s only 1.5 hours to Mt. Baker, 2.5 hours to Stevens Pass, and less than 3 hours to Whistler, British Columbia.
And even better, you have a less than 2% chance for flight complications!
9. Salt Lake City International, Utah (SLC)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.61%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.20%
- Statistically, one out of 31.3 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Right behind Denver, SLC is the most popular ski airport in the country. And for good reason!
No other major airport in the country allows skiers to land and be right at the base of world class mountains in 45 minutes or less. Popular destinations from SLC include Alta, Snowbird, Snowbasin, Park City, and Deer Valley.
Plus, with it’s lower elevation and desert-like climate, SLC’s airport only experiences major disruptions in less than 1 out of 31 round-trip winter flights.
8. Portland International, Oregon (PDX)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.57%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 3.12%
- Statistically, one out of 32.0 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Portland is mostly considered a ski airport for its location near Mt. Hood (1.5 hours) and to a lesser extend, Mt. Bachelor (4 hours).
7. Ontario International, California (ONT)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.44%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.85%
- Statistically, one out of 35.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
This is another Los Angeles area airport that’s not used super frequently by skiers, but is still an option for someone wanting to get a quick trip into the LA areas mountains, or as an alternative starting point for a trip to Mammoth.
6. Sacramento International, California (SMF)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.41%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.79%
- Statistically, one out of 35.8 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
At just over 2 hours to Lake Tahoe, this is another option for those traveling to the Sierra Mountain resorts.
5. Seattle-Tacoma International, Washington (SEA)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.38%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.75%
- Statistically, one out of 36.4 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Destination skiers flying into Seattle will most likely be interested in either Crystal Mountain (1.5 hours) Mt. Baker (3 hours) or Stevens Pass (1.5 hours). Occasionally, some folks will use Seattle as the launchpad for a 4+ hour drive to Whistler, although flying into Vancouver is usually recommended.
4. Spokane International, Washington (GEG)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.36%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.70%
- Statistically, one out of 37.0 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Schweitzer is the biggest destination resort near Spokane. In SlopeLAb’s guide for How to Get to Schweitzer Mountain, flying into GEG was the runaway recommendation.
But there’s a few other (smaller) mountains near Spokane, including 49 degrees North and Silver Mountain.
For the truly dedicated, Spokane is also a great option to make the bucket-list-worthy trip across the Canadian border and around the Canadian Powder Highway, which includes Revelstoke, RED Mountain, Whitewater, Kicking Horse, and several others.
3. Albuquerque International, New Mexico (ABQ)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.29%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.55%
- Statistically, one out of 39.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
If you’re planning on skiing Taos, the data shows that flying into ABQ and making the 2.5 hour drive is your best bet.
2. Boise Airport (BOI)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.27%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.53%
- Statistically, one out of 39.5 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Boise is the second most reliable airport for skiers in the United States. Although what it scores in reliability it lacks in options… the only major destination resort near Boise Airport is Sun Valley, at about 2 hours and 45 minutes away.
And the number 1 ski airport in the country is…
1. Harry Reid International, Nevada (LAS)
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 1.20%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 2.39%
- Statistically, one out of 41.8 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
And the number 1 ski airport in the country is… Las Vegas???
Okay, admittedly that’s a little anti-climactic. Calling Las Vegas a ski airport might be a stretch, considering the only time this one is used by skiers is probably to make the long and cumbersome drive to either Mammoth or Brain Head.
But the data doesn’t lie, with less than 2.4% of major inconveniences per round trip winter flight into Las Vegas.
The 10 Worst Airports for Ski Trips
Okay, enough with the kudos… let’s get to the juicy bits!
The rest of this list is populated with smaller, regional airports. While their locations are certainly convenient for us skiers, just know that if you book a winter flight to any of these airports, there’s a not-insignificant probability that you could face some serious delays/cancellations.
10. Yampa Valley Regional (HDN) – Steamboat Springs, Colorado
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 3.33%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 6.55%
- Statistically, one out of 15.3 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
For those who want to avoid the 3+ hour drive from Denver to Steamboat’s mouthwatering tree runs, be warned that about 1 in 15 winter flights here have major inconveniences.
9. Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) – Durango, Colorado
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 3.62%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 7.10%
- Statistically, one out of 14.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Durango’s airport is a tiny little thing that’s often used by skiers to get to Southern Colorado’s resorts, including Wolf Creek (1.5 hours) Purgatory (1 hour) Silverton (1.5 hours) and Telluride (2.5 hours).
Unfortunately, over 7% of round-trip winter flights experience diversions or cancellations.
8. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) – Jackson, Wyoming
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 4.11%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 8.06%
- Statistically, one out of 12.4 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
JAC is one of the most convenient ski airports in the country, located just 15 minutes from the town of Jackson and 30 minutes to Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. It’s also one of the most popular options on this list, since it’s well-serviced with a surprising number of direct and connecting flights from around the country.
However, a stress-inducing 8% of trips here for skiers experience major inconveniences.
7. Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE) – Vail, Colorado
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 4.47%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 8.75%
- Statistically, one out of 11.4 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
I’ve listened to many-a-horror stories on the Vail chairlift from visitors whose connecting flights from Denver to Vail got delayed or cancelled, and they just ended up renting a car and finishing the 2.5 drive themselves.
It all makes sense after seeing the stats, which show 8.75% of winter flights having significant disruptions.
6. Bart Mooney Airport (BTN) – Butte, Montana
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 4.63%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 9.05%
- Statistically, one out of 11.1 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Honestly, I’m not really sure why skiers would take a winter flight to Butte, Montana.
It’s located smack in the middle of the state, and all of Montana’s major ski resorts, like Big Sky, Bridger Bowl, Whitefish, and Great Divide, have closer airports. And with 9% of flights having problems, is it worth the risk?
5. Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUT) – Gunnison, CO
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 5.21%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 10.14%
- Statistically, one out of 9.9 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
As the name implies, this is the nearest airport to Crested Butte. Unfortunately, Crested Butte’s reputation as a tough to reach mountain is only reinforced by the stats, since GUT is the first airport on our list with over 10% of winter flight problems.
4. Redding Airport (RDD) – Redding, California
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 5.40%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 10.51%
- Statistically, one out of 9.5 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
File this one in the same folder as BTN… this is a regional airport that’s out-convenienced to ski resorts by other, less flaky airports.
3. Apen/Pitkin County Airport (ASE) – Aspen, Colorado
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 11.03%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 20.85%
- Statistically, one out of 4.8 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
I suppose if you’re flying into Aspen and you’re not on your own private jet, you’re doing it wrong. During ski season, commercial flights for us mere mortals see a re-route/cancellation rate of an eye-popping 20.9% percent.
2. Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) – Hailey, Idaho
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 15.30%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 28.26%
- Statistically, one out of 3.5 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
Note to self – if I’m flying into Sun Valley, don’t be lured in by this airport’s location, just 25 minutes from the ski resort. With a problem rate of over 28 percent, it makes far more sense to take the extra time to fly into Boise, the second-best airport on our list.
1. Mammoth Yosemite Airport (MMH) – Mammoth Lakes, California
- Chance of single flight delay or cancellation: 17.29%
- Chance of delay/cancellation for either leg of a round trip: 31.59%
- Statistically, one out of 3.2 trips will have a diversion or cancellation
One out of every 3.2!?!?
Mammoth skiing is known for its high winds, which obviously impacts the airport as well. If you plan a flight into this airport, prepare for what’s essentially a 1/3 chance that your flight doesn’t make it. Just crazy!
Might I again suggest the SlopeLab guide for how to get to Mammoth Mountain?
The Full Analysis
| wdt_ID | Airport | City | Ski Destination | Problem Flights | Problem Trips | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LAS | Las Vegas | Mammoth | 1.20% | 2.39% | 41,8 |
| 2 | BOI | Boise | Sun Valley | 1.27% | 2.53% | 39,5 |
| 3 | ABQ | Albuquerque | Taos | 1.29% | 2.55% | 39,1 |
| 4 | GEG | Spokane | Schweitzer | 1.36% | 2.70% | 37,0 |
| 5 | SEA | Seattle | Crystal | 1.38% | 2.75% | 36,4 |
| 6 | SMF | Sacramento | Palisades | 1.41% | 2.79% | 35,8 |
| 7 | ONT | Ontario, CA | Mammoth | 1.44% | 2.85% | 35,1 |
| 8 | PDX | Portland | Mt. Hood | 1.57% | 3.12% | 32,0 |
| 9 | SLC | Salt Lake City | Snowbird | 1.61% | 3.20% | 31,3 |
| 10 | BLI | Bellingham | Mt. Baker | 1.67% | 3.30% | 30,3 |
Definitions:
- Destination: The nearest major ski resort
- Problems: Defined as flight cancellations or flight diversions (A diversion meaning landing at a different airport than originally scheduled.)
- Frequency Rate: One out of ever X trips will have a flight cancellation or diversion.
Raw data from USDOT. Special thanks to Natanvg from SkiTalk.com for sharing his analysis with us!