Ryan Bonneau
GETTING HERE
TIMELESS TELLURIDE
This summer, flying to your favorite mountain town is easy
T
here certainly have been lots of changes over the past year and a half. One constant, though? Telluride and Mountain Village and the serene timelessness of this enchanting corner of southwest Colorado. If this summer all you want are outdoor adventures amid stunning scenery, clear mountain air and sunshine, then this is the place to be. Happily, Telluride remains easily accessible with a summertime range of air options that are a mix of new and familiar. First, the basics: There are two airports that serve the destination: Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), a scenic 65-mile drive away, and Telluride Regional Airport (TEX), just 10 minutes from both Telluride and Mountain Village. And those familiar air options? All good news. Denver Air will continue to serve TEX from Denver International Airport (DEN) daily, offering connections nationwide through a codeshare with United Airlines and bookable at United.com or DenverAirConnection.com. In addition, United will operate its usual, multiple daily flights between Montrose and Denver, as well as daily service from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Houston’s George H.W. Bush International Airport (IAH). American Airlines’ daily flights between Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) are back on the schedule this summer, along with twice-daily flights from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to Montrose. Meanwhile there are some new developments too. After a successful winter launch, Southwest Airlines will continue service this summer to MTJ, with daily Denver service and Saturday and Sunday flights from Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL). In other news, the folks at the Telluride Regional Airport have been busy, with some outstanding results. TEX has become the first Colorado fixed-base operator to offer sustainable aviation fuel to its customers. The greener fuel is interchangeable with traditional jet fuel and produced using sustainably sourced, renewable waste and residue materials like used cooking oil. The upshot? Every 7,600-gallon truckload represents a 22-tonne reduction in CO2 emissions over the load’s lifecycle, the equivalent to the amount of carbon sequestered by 28.7 acres of American forests per year. Adding to the feel-good factor, prominent industry publication Aviation International News recently named TEX one of the top airports in the Rocky Mountain region in its 2021 survey. With abundant air options, moves toward sustainability and award-winning airports, the summer looks good for visitors seeking timeless Telluride and Mountain Village.
YEAR-ROUND FLIGHTS Denver DEN to Telluride TEX Denver Air/United — daily
Denver DEN to Montrose MTJ United Airlines — daily
Dallas DFW to Montrose MTJ American Airlines — daily
SUMMER 2021 FLIGHTS Chicago ORD to Montrose MTJ United Airlines — daily
Houston IAH to Montrose MTJ United Airlines — daily
Phoenix PHX to Montrose MTJ American Airlines — daily
Denver DEN to Montrose MTJ Southwest Airlines — daily
Dallas Love Field DAL to Montrose MTJ Southwest Airlines — Saturdays & Sundays telluride.com | 855.421.4360
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