STORY AND PHOTO BY KAREN BOSSICK

Travelers flying to and from Sun Valley will have better access to and from markets across the country and around the world this winter, thanks to improved schedules involving Los Angeles (LAX) and Salt Lake City (SLC).

Fly Sun Valley Alliance and Sun Valley Resort announced the Friedman Memorial Airport airline flight schedule for fall 2018 and the 2018-19 winter seasons on Monday.

The new flight schedule boosts the number of total scheduled SUN seats for November through April to 72,002—up 10 percent over last winter.

The new flight schedule will provide a big boost in convenience and easy access said Carol Waller, director of Fly Sun Valley Alliance: “This is one of the strongest flight schedules yet for our community.”

• United Airlines will provide nonstop service to Sun Valley with the launch of its daily #175 regional jet nonstop flights from Los Angeles this winter, providing increased connectivity from southern California cities and numerous international markets, said Waller.

  The new Los Angeles Service will run daily Dec. 19 through March 30, along with flights to and from Denver and San Francisco.

• United will also operate weekly Saturday nonstop flights from Chicago (ORD) from Dec. 22 to March 30, with a break in service from Jan. 5 to Feb. 9.
• Delta Airlines has significantly increased its daily flight frequency, providing three daily flights on E175 regional jets from Salt Lake City for 75 percent of the year. Delta will provide three daily flights between Oct. 1 through March 31. The exception will be Nov. 27 to Dec. 19 when it will run two daily flights.

  Delta will also continue to provide three daily flights during the summer season so that the only non-winter months that will operate with two daily flights are April and May.

• Delta will also operate a daily nonstop flight from Los Angeles from Dec. 20 through Jan. 2, as well as on Saturdays during the winter season from Jan. 5 through March 30.
• Alaska will continue to provide daily nonstop flights on Q400 aircraft from Seattle (SEA) three days a week on Thursday, Friday and Sunday from Sept.20 through Dec. 9. It will operate daily nonstop flights from Dec. 13 through March 31.

Fly Sun Valley Alliance will no longer contract with Alaska for nonstop Portland service, due to low demand, Waller said. But Portland travelers will still have easy connections via the Seattle flight, she said.

Fly Sun Valley Alliance boosted the community’s air seat capacity by 56 percent and its enplanements by 68 percent between 2013 and 2017

An estimated 52,000 new visitors came to Sun Valley, spending nearly $80 million in the community as a result. The estimated overall economic impact of all visitor and part-time resident air travelers during this period was $477 million in direct spending in the local economy, Waller said. And an estimated $200 million in economic impact from new tourism infrastructure over the past few years is attributable to the increase in air service.

Fly Sun Valley Alliance’s air service development program is funded through 1 percent for Air Local Option Sales Tax revenues and private economic investment provided by Sun Valley Resort, with additional support provided by other local businesses.

Sun Valley Resort and Fly Sun Valley Alliance are now selling 2018/19 Air Support Ski Passes to raise money to support air service.

The program allows local businesses and organizations the opportunity to purchase ski passes for their employees for Baldy, Dollar and the Sun Valley Nordic Center. Options include a Company Ski Day on Baldy with skiing for up to 50 employees, family, friend and clients.

To see the 2018/19 winter flight schedule, visit www.flysunvalleyalliance.com.

ARRIVE EARLY!!!!

Passengers have been missing flights this summer because they’re arriving at the airport too late. Passengers are reminded to allow two hours to get checked in and through TSA screening, especially in the morning when it’s especially busy.