BOZEMAN — As summer arrives, Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) is experiencing an influx of travelers, but this busy season is compounded by ongoing multi-million-dollar construction projects.
Busy Travel Season
James and Jennifer Philson, seasoned travelers and proud Bobcat parents whose son is a senior at Montana State University, expressed their surprise at the unexpected crowds on a recent Monday morning.
WATCH: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport Faces Crowds Amid Major Expansion Projects
Reflecting on their past experiences, James Philson said. “Our first time we flew in here, it was a ghost town. We used to talk about how we could show up 15 minutes before the flight and get in and out.”
But Monday morning? The couple ran into some unexpected crowds at the airport.
“I asked one of the ladies at the counter, and she said, ‘It’s the beginning of summer.’ But I’ve been here in the beginning of summer; it hasn’t been this busy,” James said.
Major Construction Ahead
So, what’s driving the increased crowding at BZN? Brian Sprenger, the airport's chief executive officer, explained, “We have many projects going on right now, of course the terminal project is the biggest one. That’s about a $180 million project.”
This summer, several expansion initiatives are underway. The largest of these is the terminal expansion, which began last fall with the demolition of the previous terminal. Construction on the new terminal commenced about a month ago.
“When it's done, we will take our baggage claim and put in 3 full-sized carousels. So, we can really triple the number of bags we handle for inbound baggage.” Sprenger explains. “We’ll also add additional gates. That will take us to 15 gates total”.
Looking Ahead
Parts of the new terminal are expected to open in approximately a year and a half. Another significant undertaking is the extension of the main runway by 328 feet, which costs around $7 million. Sprenger mentioned that this project required shutting down the runway from 3 PM to 11 PM on weekdays over the past eight weeks, which led to flight delays. However, the final day of this project is set for Tuesday.
“We’re just glad to be about done with it. We just have to get through tomorrow, and then we’re back to normal," says Sprenger
Increased Capacity and Efficiency
Additional projects include a navigational aid initiative to enhance landing capabilities in harsher weather and a $7 million expansion to the operations center, which features a crash fire rescue area and quick response snow removal.
So, how will these projects impact an already record-busy travel season? Sprenger acknowledged the challenge ahead: “A lot of the reason we’re doing all this work is to prepare for the growth that we’re seeing. Unfortunately, some of that growth is happening this summer.”
Despite the challenges, the Philsons remain optimistic. “Where we’re initially from, they did an expansion on our airport too. I wasn’t necessarily in support of it originally, but it created a lot of efficiency,” Jennifer noted.
