Flying Into Telluride This Winter: Montrose, Telluride Regional, and How to Get to Town

By Jonathan Yaseen

Every winter the same question comes up before the first guest lands: should I fly into Montrose or straight into Telluride? Between us, the Yaseen Brothers have spent over 30 years in Telluride, including several very snowy winters, and the answer is more often Montrose than people expect. Here is what the 2026-27 schedule looks like, why the larger airport usually wins in a heavy-snow year, and how to get from the airport to your door without renting a car.

What does the winter 2026-27 flight schedule look like?

The Colorado Flights Alliance posted its winter schedule for Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) and Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) this summer. It lists 14 nonstop flights from 12 major hubs on five airlines. United will fly daily from Chicago, add more mainline jets on the Denver to Montrose route, and keep five weekly flights from Los Angeles. Southwest will fly from Austin four times a week starting in March and bring back its Nashville route. Breeze will pause its Orange County service for the winter, and Denver Air Connection's Phoenix to Telluride flights drop from daily to Thursdays and Sundays. Schedules keep shifting month to month, so check the live winter schedule before you book.

Should you fly into Montrose or Telluride Regional?

Most of the nonstop service lands in Montrose. Telluride Regional (TEX) gets fewer flights, mostly Denver Air Connection service from Denver and Phoenix, and it is a more demanding place to land in winter.

Telluride Regional is a small airport. It sits on a mesa at roughly 9,000 feet, with a single runway, limited space on the ground, and steep terrain around its approaches. Denver Air Connection has operated 30-seat Dornier jets into Telluride, so the aircraft are small and there are fewer seats to move people onto when a flight is canceled. Montrose is a larger, more forgiving field. It handles bigger jets, and in winter those jets are larger and more frequent. More airlines and more departures mean a canceled flight is far more likely to get you on another flight the same day.

Our experience matches the numbers. In the snowiest winters we have lived through, delays and cancellations happened at both airports, but they were less frequent at Montrose. When the storms roll in, the larger field keeps flying more often.

Telluride Regional still makes sense in clear weather, especially on a direct Denver Air Connection flight when you want to be about ten minutes from town. Just build a buffer into your plans and have a backup for the next day.

How do you get from Montrose to Telluride?

Montrose is about 65 miles from Telluride, roughly an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half by car, and longer when the weather is bad. There are no Ubers or Lyfts in Telluride, and Visit Telluride advises against counting on any airport car service without a reservation. Book your ride before you land.

Several companies run shared and private transfers. These are the Montrose operators Visit Telluride lists:

• Telluride Express (letsride.co, 970-728-6000) serves Montrose, Telluride, Grand Junction, Durango, Cortez and Gunnison with shared and private rides. It started scheduled Montrose service in 2024 at $50 per person, so confirm current fares when you book. Shared or private rides canceled at least 48 hours ahead are refunded, and later cancellations carry a $25 fee.
• Mountain Limo (970.728.9606) is based at the Telluride airport and offers private rides, limo service, and airport shuttles from both Montrose and Telluride.
• Alpine Luxury Limo (970.728.8750) has been family owned since 1998 and serves the Telluride and Montrose airports as well as Grand Junction.
• Telluride Car Service (970.775.8555) runs luxury SUV transfers from Montrose in a Ford Expedition EL that seats seven with luggage and ski gear. Call or text to reserve.

Visit Telluride also lists Black Bear Luxury Transportation, Palmyra Limo, Silver Mountain Express, Bustang Outrider, TelluRides and Wild West Excursions. Shared rides cost less but may stop for other passengers along the way. Private rides are faster and make more sense for groups with skis and luggage.

Do you need a rental car in Telluride?

If you are staying in the Town of Telluride or in Mountain Village, you do not need a car for daily use. Town is walkable, the free Galloping Goose bus (with ski racks) loops through town every 15 to 20 minutes during the regular season, and the gondola between Telluride and Mountain Village costs nothing to ride. Most visitors prefer not to worry about a car at all, and a shuttle from Montrose gets you to your lodging without a rental counter, a winter drive over mountain highway, or a parking fee. Parking downtown is limited, and winter snow removal changes where you can leave a car.

Rent a car only if you plan to hike trailheads or explore the wider region on your own schedule. Both airports have rental counters, and Telluride Regional has Hertz on site.

Do Telluride hotels and property managers offer airport shuttles?

Some do, and the answers vary. We looked at the websites of several Telluride lodging companies for airport shuttle service:

• Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz Klammer Lodge in Mountain Village offers complimentary round-trip shared shuttles from both Montrose and Telluride Regional. Send your flight information seven days ahead to guarantee a seat. For a private transfer, the hotel recommends Telluride Express or Mountain Limo, and its concierge can arrange it at 888-728-3318.
• Telluride Resort Reservations can set up shuttle transportation between Telluride and any of the regional airports.
• Alpine Lodging's Getting Here page does not describe a shuttle of its own. It points guests to Telluride Express for the Montrose transfer, and shuttle availability varies by property, so confirm when you book.
• AvantStay does not run an airport shuttle of its own. Its Telluride page directs travelers to the companies that serve the Montrose route.

What should private and charter travelers know about Telluride Regional?

Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) is open to general aviation, charter and private aircraft, and the major charter companies serve the field. The runway is 7,111 feet long, and the airport sits at about 9,070 feet, where density altitude can exceed 11,000 feet. Aircraft performance matters more here than at most airports. The airport does not publish a maximum aircraft size, so the answer for your aircraft comes from your operator and the airport, not from a type list. In our experience, heavy jets such as a BBJ are not appropriate for Telluride Regional, while large business jets such as the Citation X, 8X, Challenger 350 and Gulfstream G-series regularly.

Before you book, ask your charter operator to confirm landing performance, crew qualification for Telluride, and current airport approval. Before you book any aircraft, call Telluride Regional Airport directly at 970-728-8600. Operations outside staffed hours need advance notice to customer service, and the published notice is 24 hours ahead. Winter storms can close the field for hours at a time, so plan a backup. Ask your operator what happens if Telluride is closed, including diverting to Montrose and continuing by shuttle.

Read the official airport site for runway and hours details before you finalize your plans.

Frequently asked questions

Is Montrose or Telluride Regional the better airport in winter? For most visitors, Montrose is the more reliable choice during snowy winters. It is larger, handles bigger jets, and offers more daily departures. Telluride Regional is closer to town, but it is smaller, sits high on a mesa, and is more likely to see flights canceled or diverted in bad weather.

How far is Montrose from Telluride? About 65 miles. The drive usually takes an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half by car or shuttle, depending on weather.

Do I need a rental car in Telluride? Not if you are staying in the Town of Telluride or Mountain Village. Town is walkable, the Galloping Goose bus and the free gondola connect town and Mountain Village, and shuttles handle airport transfers. Most visitors prefer not worrying about a car at all. Rent one only if you plan to explore trailheads or the wider region.

Which shuttle companies run from Montrose to Telluride? Visit Telluride lists Telluride Express, Mountain Limo, Alpine Luxury Limo and Telluride Car Service, among others. Book in advance, because ride-hailing apps do not operate in Telluride.

Do Telluride hotels offer airport shuttles? Some do. The Fairmont Heritage Place, Franz Klammer Lodge offers complimentary shared shuttles from Montrose and Telluride Regional when you send flight information seven days ahead. Alpine Lodging and AvantStay do not list an airport shuttle of their own on their websites, so confirm with the property before you book.

About the Yaseen Brothers

The Yaseen Brothers (Jonathan Yaseen and Ryan Yaseen) are a luxury real estate team at Telluride Properties, part of Forbes Global Properties. Telluride Estates (tellurideestates.co, @tellurideestates on YouTube) is their media arm.