HELENA – Travelers going through Helena Regional Airport this summer will have another option.
On Thursday, United Express started operating a second daily flight between Helena and Denver. The new flight arrived in Helena just before 1:30 p.m. and departed at 2:35. It joins an existing flight that comes into town at night and leaves early in the morning.
Airport director Jeff Wadekamper said adding that extra flight will increase the number of available seats by about 18,000 a year. He said the second daily trip will also make it easier for travelers to make connections in Denver.
“I think it’ll be a valuable addition to our travel library,” he said.
The airline has already scheduled the flight through the end of 2018. Wadekamper said there has been strong interest in preordering tickets. He’s hopeful that, if demand continues to be high, the flight will remain permanently.
“It’s a big thing for us,” he said.
Wadekamper said the Helena Regional Airport has seen passenger traffic increase more than 11 percent over the same time last year.
