The Crested Butte News Serving the Gunnison Valley since 1999
New direct, non-stops on 10 winter Saturdays
Rounding out an already robust United Airlines schedule, Crested Butte Mountain Resort (CBMR) and Gunnison Valley Rural Transportation Authority (RTA) are announcing a new nonstop, direct flight to the Gunnison-Crested Butte Regional Airport (GUC) from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).
The new United Express regional jet service into GUC for the 2013-2014 winter season will offer direct, non-stop flights from ORD on 10 Saturdays throughout the winter months. This new service opens up a new direct market for the region and creates more opportunities for guests to reach the Gunnison Valley.
SkyWest Airlines will operate the United Express service using CRJ-700 regional jet aircraft, with 66 seats.
In addition to the new ORD flight, United Airlines is also scheduled to fly direct nonstop flights between Denver International Airport (DEN) and GUC, as well as the George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston, Texas, throughout the winter season.
The RTA and CBMR have worked extensively to build an overall air program that will best suit the needs of destination guests and local outbound travelers alike.
“We are pleased to be growing air service into Gunnison-Crested Butte and we feel that adding this direct, non-stop service from Chicago brings a direct destination and a major United Airlines hub back to the community’s air program,” explains Scott Clarkson, the vice president of sales and marketing for CBMR. “This will allow guests to visit Gunnison-Crested Butte easily from several national markets beyond Chicago, as well as the Chicago market itself.”
The flights are now available for sale at united.com for the following dates: December 21 and 28, January 4, February 15 and 22, and March 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29.
The flight will depart Chicago at 9:45 a.m. and arrive into Gunnison-Crested Butte at 11:40 a.m. The aircraft will then return to Chicago, leaving Gunnison-Crested Butte at 12:15 p.m., arriving back into Chicago at 3:58 p.m.
The flight schedule has the aircraft landing into Gunnison-Crested Butte at 11:40 a.m. allowing passengers to get to the slopes in time for a few afternoon ski runs. Given this opportunity, CBMR is offering a free half-day ticket for all Chicago flight passengers on the day of their flight, if they bring their ID and boarding pass stub to the Adventure Center at the resort, on their date of arrival.
For more information about the flights, visit www.united.com or call Crested Butte Vacations at (800) 600-2803. A full flight schedule can also be found online by visiting www.skicb.com/airservice.
