Eagle County airport aims to make 1 change that could clear the way for international flights
Chris Dillmann/Vail Daily archive
While the Vail Valley Jet Center has long had a customs presence for its private aviation traffic, the Eagle County Regional Airport has never had a customs facility, which limits its ability to attract international flights.
As of right now, international flights coming into the commercial airport need to be pre-cleared through customs in the location from which they’re departing.
While the county airport doesn’t have any of those international flights currently, flights from Canada and Mexico have serviced the airport in years past.
About a year and a half ago, the Eagle County Regional Airport received approval from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to pursue an international facility at the airport.
The airport, through a partnership with customs and border patrol, has been working on designing such a facility and is currently about 75% complete in that design.
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“We’ve been searching for funding at this point,” said David Reid, the director of aviation at the Eagle County Regional Airport. “We put in a request for congressional-directed spending with the Hickenlooper, Bennett, and Neguse offices. At this time, we don’t believe it made it through the Senate’s Appropriations Committee, but has the potential to make it through the House’s Committee.”
Reid is hopeful that as much as $10 million could come from federal dollars, which would push the project over the finish line.
The customs desk would open up direct routes to Mexico City and other areas which would require an international facility, Reid said.
“It would serve private flights immediately, but we have had interest shown by our airline partners as well,” he said.
Vail Resorts, in years past, has helped the airport receive flights from Toronto, which the company, in 2013, called a growing destination in skier markets.
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“Canada is one of our most important international markets,” said Bob Stinchcomb, Vail Resorts’ former vice president for business development, in 2013.
The airport saw increased traffic in the 2022-23 winter season, which concluded in April. From Dec. 15 to April 6, the airport saw a 12% increase in airport traffic over winter 2021-22, Reid said.
“Last year was our best year since 2007,” Reid said. “And we anticipate that continuing through this year, as well.”
