Strong July traffic lifts Bozeman airport records

"That 12-consecutive-month period is the busiest 12 months we’ve ever had,” said airport CEO Brian Sprenger in a phone call with the Chronicle on Monday. During that 12-month span, the airport oversaw 131,111 takeoffs and landings combined, another all-time record.

July is a reliable high watermark every year, and Sprenger said it’s a combination of factors including Yellowstone National Park and the outdoor activities available that make Bozeman a strong summer destination for families.

So far in 2026, the airport has hosted a record 1.78 million passengers through the end of July, up 10% from 1.62 million through July 2025 and approximately 15% from 1.55 million through July 2024.

The airport estimates August will see growth up to 5% compared to August 2025, but Sprenger cautioned that Bozeman air travel in the second half of 2026 may “flatten substantially” due to high fuel prices stemming from unrest in the Middle East.

As for why those factors did not dampen travel through June and July, Sprenger said demand for summer travel keeps airfares high, preventing airlines from cutting back operations in the area.

“Demand is strong, so the fares tend to be higher and that offsets a lot of the fuel cost,” Sprenger said. “But as we get into the off-peak season, fares tend to drop... and as the fares drop, that means there’s less cushion between the additional costs for fuel and profitability."

In the coming months, the Bozeman airport is seeing a reduction in the number of available flights compared to fall of 2025, which predicts a slow season for fall tourism, Sprenger said.

Airlines are simply being cautious, he added, and it’s a trend happening at airports nationwide, he added.

United Airlines handled the most volume in 2026, with more than 535,000 passengers either boarding or deplaning in Bozeman. Behind United, Delta Airlines moved roughly 432,000 passengers through Bozeman, followed by roughly 290,000 on Southwest Airlines and 230,600 on American Airlines.

Private jet travel is more popular than ever

Private jets weighing more than 12,500 pounds are categorized as “business jet” operations, which skyrocketed 24% in July 2026 compared to July 2025.

In the past 12 months, 10,727 business jets landed at the Bozeman airport, an all-time 12-month record and an increase of 11% over the preceding 12 months ending in July 2025.

“We had a very busy month for those private aircraft, as well,” Sprenger said.

Less than 1% of total passengers passing through the airport fly via private jet, according to Sprenger.

Renovations will enable further growth

Sprenger said the airport’s ongoing East Terminal Expansion Project is making “great progress.”

Two new baggage carousels will open soon, the first opening by Thanksgiving and the second later in the winter.

“Over the next two years after that, we’ll add additional baggage carousels, additional gates and concessions,” Sprenger said. “As they become available, we’ll start opening up those areas of the building.”

Additional gates will give the airport an increased capacity for flights per day, but Sprenger said the bigger priority is to allow more flights at desirable—and likewise popular—times in the day.

“It allows us to basically accommodate flights at periods of time when the airlines want to be here,” he said. “... By having more gates, we certainly could have more flights, but it could also mean that during the peak periods that people want to fly on, that there’s more gates available and more destinations during those times.”