Cody leaders gathered at Yellowstone Regional Airport on Saturday to celebrate the kickoff of a summer flight to Chicago. However, local officials are also hoping the weekly service to the Windy City is just a sign of bigger things to come.

Dusty Spomer, who chairs the nonprofit Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Resources (CYAIR), called the seasonal Chicago connection “a toe back in the water of where we were years ago.”

The addition marks the first time since 2021 that Yellowstone Regional Airport has offered commercial service to a hub outside of Denver International Airport.

“There are travelers that would love to see us in Seattle, Salt Lake City, Houston, [but] we can’t do all the things at once,” Spomer said. “This is a step in the right direction, and I hope the community recognizes that.”

Cody Mayor Lee Ann Reiter said it took a lot of time and work to bring back the seasonal service to Chicago O’Hare. She called it a “major milestone” and praised those who helped make it a reality.

An investment in the future

Alongside Forward Cody and airport staff, the all-volunteer CYAIR board had to hammer out a deal with United Airlines to secure the Chicago service. That included guaranteeing United will make at least $191,798 from the 18 flights it will make to and from Cody between now and late September. If ticket sales don’t generate that much money, CYAIR is on the hook for paying the airline the difference, with most of that “minimum revenue guarantee” coming from state and local tax dollars.

Not only will the Chicago flight’s popularity determine how much CYAIR owes United at the end of the summer season, airport boosters say strong local support can demonstrate demand and open the door for connections to other destinations in the future.

“These flights represent an investment in Cody’s future,” CYAIR representative and Forward Cody CEO Jake Hogan said in a statement. “By showing up, celebrating, and ultimately supporting these flights, our community plays a direct role in expanding air service opportunities in the years ahead.”

Yellowstone Regional Airport Director Aaron Buck said the 70-passenger E175 jet that lifted off Saturday morning was a little over half-full. That was a big improvement from a few weeks ago, when only about a half-dozen tickets had been booked, Buck said.

Sales picked up in the final couple of weeks, he said, and the data for June is looking “really good” so far.

“… as you look at it, it just keeps getting stronger and stronger into the summer,” Buck said.

An alternative to Denver

Spomer called the Chicago service “just a fantastic enhancement” for those traveling through Cody.

“We know that Denver can be difficult at times,” he said. “We love what they have to offer — both DIA [Denver International Airport] and United Airlines — but this gives us another opportunity to get around storms, get around some of the congestion.”

The larger E175 also features three classes of seating, including premium first-class seats. In a statement, Spomer said the service enhances convenience for residents, strengthens the area’s ability to attract visitors, and supports local businesses.

“It’s just going to really enhance what we have here to offer in Cody, for travelers coming in both directions,” Spomer said.

He said those who touched down in Cody on Friday evening included local business people returning from places around the country and regular travelers who appreciated the nonstop flight from Chicago; Cody Country Chamber of Commerce Executive Director and CYAIR board member Jennifer Thoma said one of her children will soon board a Chicago flight for a weeklong trip to see family.

Aiming for the sky

YRA continues to offer daily flights to Denver all year long, and Buck said those planes have been filling up in recent days: Friday’s emptiest flight had passengers in 46 of 50 seats, he said.

Enplanements, or boardings, at YRA between January and April were up about 2% from the same period last year, according to airport data.

YRA officials have projected the Chicago service will bring about 1,000 additional passengers to Cody between Friday’s first arrival and the final departure on Sept. 19.

Airport leaders are also hoping to get a boost from an approach and departure study they commissioned last year. The findings recently persuaded the Federal Aviation Administration to lower the minimum cloud height at which aircraft can land and increase the amount of weight they can carry when they take off. That should allow more flights to touch down in overcast conditions and reduce the number of passengers that are bumped from flights during hot conditions. At the airport board’s May 13 meeting, Buck said his understanding is that SkyWest Airlines (which flies the Denver-Cody route on United’s behalf), will implement the changes in the coming months.

In her remarks on Saturday, Mayor Reiter told airport boosters to keep up the good work and to “aim high.”

“The sky is the limit,” she said.