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Yellowstone Regional Airport sees decrease in traveler numbers

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Via the Wyoming News Exchange

CODY (WNE) — Passenger numbers at Yellowstone Regional Airport are down about 15% compared to last year.

During YRA’s August board meeting, airport director Aaron Buck said that the airport has had a total of just under 18,000 enplanements, compared to approximately 21,000 enplanements at this time last year.

“I think a lot of that has to do with delays and people not being able to get where they’re wanting to go, so they’re not getting on the planes,” Buck said.

During May and June, flights at YRA had a completion percentage of 97% but an on-time percentage of just 66%.  

Delays at YRA this year are largely downstream of delays occurring at Denver International Airport.  

During the July YRA board meeting, airport consultant Bill Tomcich shared that other airports operating connecting flights out of Denver, including Aspen/Pitkin County Airport in Aspen, Colo. and Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport in Gunnison, NM have been experiencing similar if not worse delays.

Daily weather microbursts and an unprecedented amount of ground construction at DIA are part of the cause for delays to afternoon and evening flights out of YRA, Tomcich said.

“It’s not so much Cody.  We certainly have some local issues, but the bigger issue is what’s happening in Denver,” Tomcich said.

For comparison, Salt Lake City International Airport experiences approximately three air traffic control related delays per year, whereas DIA experiences about three air traffic control delays per day, Tomcich said.

“Be assured that that is a huge focus for United to try to improve,” Tomcich said.

 

This story was published on August 27, 2025. 

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