IDAHO FALLS (ID) -- The first flight in a decade linking Eastern Idaho and the State’s capital left the Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) Thursday, June 16.

The inaugural flight took off from IDA to the Boise Airport around 9:00 a.m. and will provide convenient, nonstop access between Idaho’s economic hubs. What used to take four hours in a vehicle will now only take an hour for both business and leisure travelers alike. 

“We are thrilled this moment has become a reality for our great community,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper. “Providing this direct flight to Boise opens up greater economic opportunities through the only intrastate commercial airline service.”

The flight times work out well for a day trip from Idaho Falls to Boise: a mid-morning departure with a return flight in the early evening. The added route will also link all key population centers across the state to Boise, joining Alaska Airlines’ existing flights from the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene and Pullman/Moscow areas.

“A flight like this comes from a lot of hard work between airport and Alaska Airlines staff,” said IDA Director Rick Cloutier. “We were thrilled when Alaska airlines launched its first route at the airport in 2021 and this new route is a testament to their success. We continue to work hard to provide additional flights and destinations to the people of Idaho Falls and throughout the region.”

The daily, year-round flight will be operated with a Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft offering passengers a comfortable and reliable flight experience. With 76 seats arranged in a two-by-two configuration, customers will enjoy the spacious interior cabin during the easy flight.

“We’re proud to reconnect Idaho Falls and Boise with nonstop air service that will help drive growth of the region’s economy, plus make commuting between the two cities much more convenient,” said Joe Sprague, president at Horizon Air. “With daily flights to both Seattle and Boise, our guests in Idaho Falls now have more options for connecting flights to a wide array of destinations.”  

Once in Boise, travelers can connect to one of the 15 cities serviced by Alaska Airlines. Destinations included Las Vegas, Portland, Chicago, San Francisco, Spokane and Austin. 

IDA is currently in the middle of another record-setting year as more travelers take to the skies from the premier airport destination in the region. The airport recently completed a $12 million 38,000-square-foot expansion project. The expansion project, funded entirely by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Aviation Improvement Program, has added two new terminal gates, an improved Transportation Security Administration screening area and expanded restaurant space.