United Airlines is increasing direct flights between Kalispell and several major cities for the 2025-26 ski season. 

“Improved connectivity into Glacier Park International Airport strengthens Kalispell’s role as the gateway to Northwest Montana while supporting local businesses, as well as making it easy to ski at both Whitefish Mountain Resort and Blacktail Mountain Ski Area,” said Diane Medler, executive director of Discover Kalispell, in a Dec. 18 press release. 

Flights to and from Kalispell vary throughout the year to reflect the highly seasonal tourism economy in the Flathead Valley. Glacier Park International Airport director Rob Ratkowski said flights typically increase during the winter ski season, though the exact schedule varies from year to year. 

“What we’re seeing here is very positive incremental increases from United,” he said of the new wintertime offerings, which expand service to four major cities. 

Service to San Francisco will run five times per week from early January through April 5.  

Weekend-only flights will run to and from Los Angeles Dec. 19 through April 5. Flights will arrive in Kalispell on Friday and Saturday evenings and depart for Los Angeles on Saturday and Sunday mornings. 

Travelers will be able to catch daily flights to Chicago O’Hare through Jan. 5. Saturday flights will be available from Jan. 6 through Feb. 11 before service increases to five flights a week beginning Feb. 12 and continuing through the end of the ski season. 

Flights between Kalispell and Denver will run three times a day through Jan. 5 and twice a day between Jan. 6 and early April. 

“It’s still a fraction of what we see in the summertime,” added Ratkowski. 

He predicted that the airport would have no issues accommodating the extra flights. 

Reporter Hailey Smalley can be reached at 758-4433 or [email protected].