Airports Near Yellowstone: Which Is The Closest To Fly To?

Not sure which airport near Yellowstone you should fly into? Worry not.

Spanning three states and an area of nearly 3,500 square miles, it is not uncommon to ask how to get to Yellowstone National Park (YNP). In this massive park is a total of 5 Yellowstone entrances that lead to some of the best things to do in Yellowstone.

That is why we have written this guide to help you figure out what is the best way to get to Yellowstone and which of the nearest airports to Yellowstone you should fly into.

Enjoy!

---

Key Takeaways

• Because Yellowstone is so massive, there are multiple entrances to the park, which means that you have plenty of choices when it comes to which airport to fly into.
• Generally speaking, Bozeman International Airport (BZN) is the best Yellowstone airport to fly into, but it’s also one of the most expensive ones.
• Salt Lake City’s airport and Denver’s airport are great budget airports to fly into, but they are far away and you’ll have to drive a long way to get to one of the entrances of Yellowstone National Park.
• Which airport you decide to fly into will ultimately come down to what is your budget, how many days you have for your trip, what time of the year you are visiting, how long you are willing to drive, and if you are planning on visiting any other places near Yellowstone.

---

How To Get To Yellowstone National Park?

If you aren’t doing an epic road trip in the US, the best way to get to Yellowstone National Park is by flying into one of the airports near it. From there, visitors usually decide to rent a car and drive to Yellowstone, or they decide to take one of the Yellowstone tours.

Because Yellowstone National Park is so massive, renting a car is a must if you wish to explore the park independently. However, not all roads (and entrances) in Yellowstone are open at all times.

Depending on the season, some roads and entrances might be blocked off. There is also regular construction inside the park. Make sure you check the official status of all the roads in the park here before buying your flight tickets.

Tours for Yellowstone are seasonal, meaning that you might not find any if you are not visiting in the proper season (usually the peak summer season). If you take a tour, then you can save the hassle of renting a car and driving, especially if you are an international visitor.

Check out some of our favorite tours in Yellowstone here!

---

Map Of The Airports Closest To Yellowstone National Park

Above is a map of the 7 most popular airports to fly into for visiting Yellowstone. Because Yellowstone is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, some of the airports are actually quite far away (such as the Denver one and Salt Lake City one).

There are a few airports closer to Yellowstone than the one in Denver or Salt Lake City, but there are a few scenarios where they might not be ideal for you. Some of the airports are seasonal, so if you are visiting outside of peak season, you might find any flights there.

Some airports, though closer to Yellowstone National Park, cost a fortune more to fly into than the ones farther away. If you want to travel Yellowstone on a budget or just want the best value for money, flying to the nearest Yellowstone airport might not be a good idea.

---

Want A Quick Tip On The Best Airport Near Yellowstone?

Generally, the best airport near Yellowstone to fly into is the Bozeman International Airport (BZN) in Bozeman, Montana. Though with the term “international”, there doesn’t seem to be any incoming or outcoming flights internationally.

Often referred to as the “official airport of Yellowstone”, the Bozeman International Airport is located a 1.5-hour drive or about 88 miles (142 km) from Gardiner, where the North Entrance of Yellowstone is located. It is also located almost 2 hours away from West Yellowstone, where visitors will find the West Entrance of Yellowstone.

Flying into Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport gives you plenty of flexibility for your Yellowstone trip. There are plenty of accommodations, shops, and restaurants in Bozeman, and some travelers actually base themselves there when visiting Yellowstone (which we don’t recommend).

Besides visiting YNP, travelers fly to Bozeman Airport and drive to Glacier National Park as well.

The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is easily the best airport for Yellowstone. Not only is it close to two Yellowstone entrances, but flights to Bozeman are often affordable. The airport services all year round, with added flights depending on the season.

If you are visiting Yellowstone in the winter, flying into Bozeman is going to be crucial as the North Entrance of Yellowstone is the only one that is open in the winter. Bozeman International Airport is the closest airport to Gardiner and the North Entrance of Yellowstone.

The North Entrance of Yellowstone is close to many of Yellowstone’s best attractions, such as the Mammoth Hot Springs, Boiling River Hot Springs, Tower Fall and Lamar Valley. Starting your Yellowstone itinerary in Gardiner is a great way to go about your trip as you can work your way down to cover the entire park.

---

5 Other Airports Close To Yellowstone National Park

Though generally, you won’t go wrong flying into Bozeman International Airport (BZN), there is a lot of various factors why it might not be the best for you (ex. location/availability). Below we will talk about the 5 other airports near YNP that could be excellent alternatives.

The Nearest Airport to Yellowstone National Park – Yellowstone Airport (WYS)

If you are looking for the closest airport to Yellowstone, then the Yellowstone Airport (WYS) is the one. The airport is located in the town of West Yellowstone, a popular place to stay outside of Yellowstone. From WYS, it is only a 3-mile drive to the West Entrance of Yellowstone.

If the location of the Yellowstone Airport is so ideal, then why isn’t every traveler flying into that airport? Price and availability.

Because the Yellowstone Airport is so small, inbound and outbound flights are fairly irregular, driving up the prices of the flights. Though the Yellowstone Airport (WYS) is the closest airport to Yellowstone National Park, it is often the most expensive option for flying into Yellowstone.

Flights to WYS are also seasonal and are only available from late Spring to late Fall. Travelers visiting Yellowstone outside of those times will have to use another airport close to Yellowstone. The West Entrance of Yellowstone is also open seasonally.

---

Best Yellowstone Airport For Budget Travelers – Denver International Airport (DIA)

If you want to visit Yellowstone on a budget (and don’t mind driving long distances), then we highly recommend you to fly into Denver International Airport (DIA). As one of the biggest airports in the United States, there are plenty of affordable international and domestic flights to Denver.

If you look at our nearest airports to Yellowstone map above, you will notice that Denver isn’t very “close”. In fact, it takes 8 hours and 20 minutes to drive to the closest Yellowstone Entrance, which is the South Entrance.

However, we still recommend it if you don’t mind driving for long and have many days for your Yellowstone trip. You can also take a small detour to visit the Grand Teton National Park, which is located 7 miles away from Yellowstone. Rentals cars are also much cheaper from Denver International Airport.

In fact, that is what we did when we visited Yellowstone as a family. We saved over 400 dollars in total as a family of four by flying to Denver and renting a car there instead of flying into Bozeman. The 8 hours of driving wasn’t much if you can take turns with someone else. A bonus of doing this long drive is the epic scenery along the way.

If you have more time, you can also combine some attractions along the way and make it a proper Yellowstone road trip!

Just keep in mind that the South Entrance of Yellowstone is closed from early winter to mid-Spring. Make sure you check the official park roads before planning any Yellowstone trip.

---

Best Airport For Yellowstone Tours – Jackson Hole Airport (JAC)

Because Yellowstone is so massive, it is best to explore it by car. However, if for some reason that option is not available, there are plenty of Yellowstone tours that showcase the best of the park. If that is something you would like to do, then flying to Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) in Wyoming is perfect for you.

As a popular winter destination, there are quite a few affordable flights to Jackson Hole. Once you have arrived in JAC, visitors usually stay in the town Jackson, the biggest town in the Jackson Hole valley. Here they will be able to find a variety of accommodations to stay in, as well as tours for Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park.

If you don’t want to take an organized tour, then flying into JAC still might not be a bad idea. JAC is 49.3 miles (79 km) or a 1-hour drive from the South Entrance of Yellowstone and visitors must pass through Grand Teton National Park.

If your Yellowstone itinerary includes a visit to Grand Teton (which it should), then flying into Jackson Hole Airport is great. If you don’t plan on visiting Grand Teton NP, then the drive to the South Entrance of Yellowstone is quite far. There also aren’t a lot of attractions near the South Entrance.

Here are some of the Yellowstone tours you can get from Jackson, WY:

---

Salt Lake City International Airport – SLC

Besides Denver International Airport, the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is another major airport near Yellowstone National Park. Flights are generally around the same price or a tad pricier than the ones to Denver, but it depends on where you are flying from.

In some situations, flying in SLC might even be cheaper than flying in DIA.

Though a bit pricier than Denver in most cases, SLC is only 4-and-a-half hours away from the closest Yellowstone entrance, which is the West Entrance in West Yellowstone. Compared to Denver’s 8 hours and 20 minutes, it is nearly half the commute time.

As Utah’s capital city, the Salt Lake City airport is bustling and has flights from all over the world. There is no need to worry about not finding a flight even if you are visiting Yellowstone in fall, spring or even winter.

Rentals cars are also readily available from SLC for an affordable price. If you want to visit Yellowstone on a budget, check both the flights to DIA and SLC.

---

Yellowstone Regional Airport (Cody Airport) – COD

Another airport near Yellowstone park is the Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD), otherwise known as Cody Airport. The Yellowstone Regional Airport is the closest airport to the East Entrance of Yellowstone, which is located 54.5 miles (87.7 km) or an hour’s drive away.

Though the entrance to Yellowstone isn’t too far from Cody, visitors must drive another hour inside to park to arrive at some of the more notable attractions. Combined with the occasional flights and above-average prices, there is usually no reason to fly into Cody Wyoming if you plan on visiting Yellowstone.

Flights run all year round to COD, but the East Entrance of Yellowstone is the entrance that is closed frequently throughout the entire year due to heavy snow. If you are visiting outside of mid-Spring to late autumn, you might not be able to enter to park via the East Entrance.

There is one pro to flying into COD. That is plenty of campgrounds near Cody that visitors can base themselves in if they aren’t able to secure a space in a campground inside Yellowstone.

---

Idaho Falls Regional Airport (Idaho Falls Airport) – IDA

The last airport near Yellowstone park is Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA). The airport is situated about halfway between Yellowstone National Park and Salt Lake City. Its closest entrance is the West Entrance, and visitors typically will base themselves in West Yellowstone when flying through IDA. The entrance is about 109 miles (175 km) or 2 hours of driving away.

As a regional airport, flights to Idaho Falls Regional Airport are very limited. At the moment, there are only a handful of airports in the United States that fly to Idaho Falls, and most of them are concentrated on the West Coast.

There are only 5 airlines that fly to IDA, and they are:

• Alaska Airlines
• Allegiant Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines
• United Airlines

Because visitors typically have to take an extra connecting flight to get to Idaho Falls Regional Airport, this method is usually not the most affordable. It is quite close to the West Entrance and South Entrance of Yellowstone, as well as Grand Teton National Park, so visitors might find that appealing.

---

Yellowstone Airports FAQs

---

Like this post? Don’t forget to save it on Pinterest!

---

This concludes our guide on the 7 nearest airports to Yellowstone. We hope our guide has helped you determine where to fly to and how to get to Yellowstone National Park.

Questions? Leave a comment!

Disclaimer: Some of the links above are affiliate links. That means if you book or make a purchase through the links, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you! The money will help run this site! Thank you!