Small Montana Airport Named ‘Most Reliable’ In The US

With Holiday travel kicking off next week, let's talk flights.

Are you flying home for Christmas this year? Airports in Bozeman, Billings, and Missoula will see most of the air traffic for Montanans flying somewhere for the holidays, but if you want a better chance of having your flight not canceled or delayed, perhaps you should consider flying out of Butte.

Butte, Montana's Bert Mooney Airport received the best score in the US.

Private jet charter service Jettly, examined the total number of delays, cancelations, and diversions for more than 390 American airports, using data provided by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. They excluded airports with fewer than 500 departures/arrivals per year. Bert Mooney Airport in Butte had only 8.8% of flights being delayed, canceled, or diverted, the best in the United States. Helena Regional Airport was named 3rd best, with just 9.7% of its flights being screwed up.

Butte's airport isn't huge, by any means.

The only major carrier in and out of Butte appears to be Delta, and we imagine it's much easier to keep flights on time in a smaller airport like Butte, vs. the thousands of flights per year in Bozeman. Regardless, it's an honor for the Mining City to have the airport with the least hassles in the US.

On a related note... Montanans are nice flyers.

USA Today recently surveyed Americans in every state and the results of their study found that Montanans are generally polite, considerate, and efficient travelers at the airport. Key findings:

• Residents of Montana were ranked as the 6th most efficient air travelers in America.

• Montana travelers rank #5 as the most efficient packers.

• #11 for most efficient at security checkpoints.

• 48% of Montana travelers report exiting the plane with minimal delay with their luggage prepared to go.

• 29% had to be reminded to take their belt or shoes off by a TSA agent.

• Only 14% report having been stopped by TSA for having unauthorized liquids in their bags.

See their full report HERE if you're wondering what states have the most inefficient air travelers. If you're headed out this holiday season, here's to a great flight.