Chicago flight back on for next winter

by Whitefish Pilot
| June 23, 2015 10:00 PM

United Airline’s direct flight from Glacier Park International Airport to Chicago will stay on for at least one more winter.

Glacier Airline Enhancement and Retention Outreach has secured a second season of the Saturday flight from Dec. 20 through April 4.

The group of local business and tourism leaders raised $240,000 for a revenue guarantee to secure the flight last year. Guarantees are sometimes used when an airline is reluctant to take on the risk of entering a new market. Private funds are raised and paid up front to supplement an airline’s investment if seats don’t sell as predicted.

The Flathead County Economic Development Authority provided a $100,000 matching grant, while Whitefish Mountain Resort contributed $25,000 to the effort.

The flight proved to be a big success in its first season with 67 percent of seats filled. Most travelers came in December, March and April.

Whitefish Mountain Resort chief executive Dan Graves said the resort doubled the number of Chicago visitors over the previous ski season.

The Montana Office of Tourism heavily invests its marketing dollars in Chicago with ad campaigns, billboards and bus wraps. About 4 percent of visitors to Whitefish are from Illinois. The WCVB 2015 marketing plan includes Chicago as a key market.