The Voices of Cody

Episode: Yellowstone Regional Airport Update - February 2026 Host: Janet Jones, Owner & CEO, Cody Journal Guests: Aaron Buck - Director, Yellowstone Regional Airport Heather Mortensen - Chair, Yellowstone Regional Airport Joint Powers Board Episode Overview In one of Cody Journal's most commented-on topics, Janet sits down with Yellowstone Regional Airport (YRA) Director Aaron Buck and new Joint Powers Board Chair Heather Mortensen to answer community questions about the airport, from early morning flights and Denver delays to the big question on everyone's mind: when is Delta coming back? What's Covered Early Morning Flights The community has long asked for an early departure that allows travelers to make connections in Denver. Good news: a 6:30 a.m. flight launched January 4th, giving passengers time to catch coast-to-coast connections out of Denver. The early flight will pause in late March and return in late May as a 5:15 a.m. departure - early enough to catch every morning connection out of Denver - running through the summer season. Denver Delays & On-Time Performance Delays last summer were driven by a combination of overlapping United and Southwest flight banks plus two runways under construction at DIA. United has since restructured its schedule by shifting banks to space flights out, and construction impacts are not expected to repeat. On-time performance has improved steadily since summer 2024. The Departure Study: Big News for Cody Cody's airport sits in a bowl surrounded by mountains, which has historically restricted how much weight an aircraft can carry out - meaning airlines hold back 4–6 unsold seats per flight as a safety buffer. The YRA Joint Powers Board hired outside consultants to develop improved arrival and departure procedures for both runways. The new procedures have been approved by the FAA and are scheduled for publication on March 19th (or April 16th at the latest). Once SkyWest completes their own analysis using the new numbers, Cody should see meaningful improvements by summer, including: Fewer weight restriction delays Release of the 4-6 seats previously held back How SkyWest & United Work Together Cody is served under the Essential Air Service (EAS) program from October through May - a federal program that subsidizes air service to smaller communities. SkyWest won the most recent EAS contract to operate flights here under the United banner. (Fun fact: SkyWest also operates flights for Delta, American, and Alaska Airlines under their respective flags.)  Parking Fees: Not Anytime Soon Charging for parking has come up as a potential revenue stream as the airport works toward financial self-sustainment (the annual ask from the city and county has been cut from ~$500K pre-COVID to ~$200K today). However, because the FAA helped fund the parking lot, the airport cannot charge for parking until that agreement period expires. The earliest possible window would be 2027, and even then, a cost-benefit analysis and potential repayment to the FAA would be required. How the Joint Powers Board Works The Yellowstone Regional Airport is jointly owned by the City of Cody and Park County, hence the "Joint Powers" Board. Board members are appointed by either the city or the county, serve rotating terms, and must interview for reappointment. Heather notes the board actively seeks members with diverse backgrounds in business, customer service, and operations, and isn't shy about calling in subject matter experts when needed. Chicago Flight Returns This Summer After three years of working with United to restore the route, direct service from Chicago O'Hare to Cody is back for summer 2026 -18 flights in total. The schedule runs May 22nd through September 19th: Inbound: Departs Chicago ~4:25 p.m., arrives Cody ~6:45 p.m. (Fridays) - actual times to be determined. Outbound: Departs Cody ~8:45 a.m., arrives Chicago ~12:55 p.m. (Saturdays) - actual times to be determined. The flight will operate on the Embraer E175, a 70-seat aircraft with first class and economy plus seating. This is also a strategic opportunity: Delta has said they want to see premium market demand before returning to Cody. Booking those premium seats on the Chicago flight this summer helps build that case for 2027. Bringing Delta Back Delta's return to Cody is the community's most-requested ask, and there's genuine momentum - Delta's CEO has publicly committed to returning to all pre-COVID regional markets within two years. Here's where things stand: The aircraft piece: SkyWest is converting aging CRJ-700/900s into the new CRJ-550 - a dual-cabin 50-seat aircraft designed to meet Delta's premium service model. As SkyWest's CRJ-550 fleet grows, the opportunity to bring Delta service to Cody grows with it. The money piece: Airlines require a Minimum Revenue Guarantee (MRG) before entering a new market. Essentially, a community-funded promise that the airline will make a baseline amount of revenue. The Chicago flight carries a modest MRG (capped just under $200K for 18 flights worst-case). Daily Delta service would require something in the range of $700K–$1M per quarter. The airport itself cannot enter into these contracts due to FAA regulations, which is where CY Air comes in. CY Air is a local nonprofit organization founded specifically to accept community donations and sign MRG contracts with airlines. In the past, a handful of major community donors (led by figures like Hank Coe) funded these agreements. Currently our community needs new, creative fundraising strategies to reach the $1M+ range needed for Delta. A future podcast episode focused on CY Air and their fundraising plans is in the works. Other Airlines on the Radar Delta via Salt Lake City - Top community request; ~21% of travelers driving to Billings are doing so for SLC connections or destinations. Building the case with SkyWest is the current strategy. Alaska Airlines - Interested in Cody; Seattle is the #1 travel linkage from Cody (meaning more Cody travelers drive to Billings to reach Seattle than anywhere else). Alaska is capacity-constrained in Seattle right now but is growing Portland and Boise as alternatives to watch. Allegiant Air - The challenge: Allegiant typically launches service from large cities to leisure destinations, not the reverse. Cody needs to convince Allegiant that a national park gateway is worth adding to their portfolio despite the small local population base. Southwest Airlines - Better suited to high-volume vacation markets (think Las Vegas-scale hotel inventory). Conversations continue, but it's a long shot in the near term. American Airlines - Aaron's personal wish (his parents live in Dallas). American is currently focused on growing Chicago. When they shift focus to DFW expansion, Cody plans to be in line for a SkyWest-operated American route. From the Community Three comments from Cody Journal readers summed up the airport's strengths well: "I've flown almost 60 flights in and out of Cody this year. I got stranded in Denver once or twice. United and SkyWest are doing a great job considering the challenges of a small airport near the mountains." "I have never missed a connection flying out of YRA. I also never book flights with under an hour turnaround in Denver. YRA is so much more stress-free." "Love the kind people. I've been to airports all over the world and there's no better hospitality than Cody." Key Takeaways Early morning flights are back and getting even earlier this summer (5:15 a.m. starting late May) Denver delay issues have improved significantly thanks to United's schedule changes New departure procedures are FAA-approved and should boost seat availability and reduce delays by summer Chicago direct service returns May 22nd. Book those premium seats to help make the Delta case Delta's return is a real possibility for 2027, but requires community-level fundraising through CY Air Free parking isn't going anywhere before 2027 at the earliest Resources & Links 📰 What Is an MRG? - Cody Journal explainer article about Minimum Revenue Guarantees 🌐 Yellowstone Regional Airport 💼 CYAIR - Cody Yellowstone Air Improvement Resources 💰 Omnivest Financial - Episode Sponsor Subscribe to the Cody Journal Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Have a question or topic you'd like us to cover? Reach out at info@codyjournal.com

This episode reviews three previous articles on Cody Journal to give the community a better understanding of the issues surrounding the airport's forward progress and what is being done to work toward bringing in a second airline. Watch for further articles and podcasts around this topic. The three articles are read by Ryan O'Donnell. Airport Takes Action as United Delays Plague Western Travelers, published on August 15, 2025 YRA and CYAIR attend Airline Rendezvous in Jackson, published on September 12, 2025 Airport Seeks Self-Sustainability with Proposed Fuel Station Revenue, published on November 14, 2025 Key Topics Covered Understanding the Delay Problem Cody's unique vulnerability with only one airline serving the community Completion rates vs. on-time performance: Cody flights show 97-98% completion but only 66-74% on-time arrival United's strategic focus on completing flights over punctuality to preserve passenger connections Denver's Perfect Storm Daily afternoon thunderstorms creating microbursts that force ramp evacuations Unprecedented construction across Denver International Airport's airfield Air traffic controller shortages compounding delays Denver experiences three ATC meter delays daily compared to Salt Lake's three per year Record capacity with both United and Southwest banking flights simultaneously United's Response Plan Denver now primary focus among United's seven hubs Schedule adjustments to avoid peak banking times Reducing susceptibility to ATC metering delays Addressing overnight delay cascades affecting morning operations Local Solutions in Action Yellowstone Regional Airport director Aaron Buck negotiating for larger aircraft (CRJ-701 and CRJ-705) Cody Shuttle maintaining dedicated van service for stranded passengers Ongoing negotiations with multiple airlines for additional service Jackson Hole Airline Rendezvous Highlights Aaron Buck and Jennifer Thoma represented Cody at annual industry gathering United considering Chicago route expansion for Cody SkyWest partnership opening doors to destinations beyond Denver through Delta, American, and Alaska Airlines hubs Delta expressing interest in returning to previously served markets Discussion of minimum revenue guarantees (MRG) needed to attract new airlines Airport Self-Sustainability Initiative - Fuel Station Essential Fuels proposal for fuel station on three-acre airport property Potential $20,000-30,000 annual rent revenue to reduce reliance on city and county funding Distinction between fuel station and truck stop clarified Security concerns addressed with law enforcement support Looking Ahead The path to improved air service for Cody includes multiple strategies: securing a second airline, adding destinations beyond Denver, deploying larger aircraft, and achieving airport financial independence. While these solutions require time to implement, local officials continue working with airline partners to strengthen service reliability and expand options for the community.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Janet Jones, founder and CEO of Cody Journal, as she shares the story of how she transformed a simple community calendar into the heartbeat of Cody, Wyoming.   Discover how Janet's deep family roots in Cody—dating back to the late 1930s when her grandfather started Wyoming Wells Service—shaped her understanding of what makes this Western town so special. From launching on April Fool's Day 2021 to serving nearly 6,000 monthly users today, Janet reveals how listening to community needs turned Cody Calendar into today's thriving online magazine.   In this episode, we explore: The unique social fabric of Cody and why this community loves to gather (100-150 events every week!) Janet's journey from teaching second grade in South Park, Colorado (yes, that South Park) to mastering digital skills through scrapbooking The philosophy of "positive gossip" and why every article gets fact-checked with sources before publication Her 21-year passion project documenting Yellowstone's thermal features, including 10 terabytes of geyser photography Whether you're a longtime Cody resident, a Yellowstone visitor, or simply curious about this authentic community magazine, this conversation offers a rare glimpse into building something that truly serves and connects people.   Sponsored by Cody Jewelers - Your downtown destination for unique holiday gifts, from the latest jewelry styles to classic Western looks.