SkyWest Airlines returned to Canyonlands Regional Airport on Oct. 1, restoring commercial flights between Moab and Salt Lake City. Year-round Denver service is scheduled to begin Oct. 7.

The Salt Lake route operates as Delta Connection and will continue through Thanksgiving before pausing for winter and resuming in March. Exact dates for the pause and return have not been determined, according to Grand County spokesperson Melisa Jeffers.

Jeffers described the Salt Lake flights as “seasonal and demand-driven” and said the schedule will be revisited as demand increases.

SkyWest replaces Contour Airlines, whose final Denver and Phoenix flights were Sept. 30. No Denver flights are available Oct. 1-6 during the transition, though Salt Lake service is operating, Jeffers said. SkyWest’s Denver flights will operate as United Express.

The airline’s return follows the U.S. Department of Transportation’s June selection of SkyWest for a four-year Essential Air Service contract through Sept. 30, 2030. The federal program subsidizes flights to smaller communities that might not otherwise receive scheduled commercial service.

Dozens gathered Oct. 1 for the inaugural Salt Lake flight. Fire trucks welcomed the aircraft with a water salute, and officials marked its arrival with a ribbon-cutting. County and airline representatives greeted arriving passengers, who received refreshments and welcome gifts.

Layne Watson, SkyWest’s senior manager of corporate communications, emphasized the connections passengers can make through Delta in Salt Lake City and United in Denver. Those partnerships allow travelers to book a single itinerary and check baggage through to their final destination.

“Your baggage will switch over wherever you’re going with one stop in either Salt Lake or Denver. You’ll be connected to the rest of the world,” Watson said.

The county provided the following flight schedules. All times are local:

Salt Lake City: One daily round trip departs Salt Lake City at 3:40 p.m. and arrives at Canyonlands at 4:50 p.m. The return departs Canyonlands at 5:30 p.m. and arrives in Salt Lake City at 6:40 p.m.

Denver, beginning Oct. 7: One daily round trip will depart Denver at 12:15 p.m. and arrive at Canyonlands at 1:35 p.m. The return will depart Canyonlands at 2:25 p.m. and arrive in Denver at 3:45 p.m.

Additional Denver flight: The Denver schedule includes a morning round trip during March, April, May, September, October, November and December, according to airport director Steve Gleason. It departs Denver at 8 a.m. and arrives at Canyonlands at 9:20 a.m. The return departs Canyonlands at 10:15 a.m. and arrives in Denver at 11:35 a.m.

Service days vary by season, Jeffers said. Travelers can check schedules for their travel dates and book through Delta at delta.com or United at united.com.

The Grand County Commission unanimously recommended SkyWest in March after a review of proposals from four carriers that included consultant analysis, community surveys and public outreach. The airport board and a commission airport subcommittee also unanimously backed SkyWest.

Officials favored restoring Salt Lake service, offering more seats per flight and connecting travelers to Delta’s and United’s broader networks. SkyWest’s federal award called for 50-seat regional jets, compared with Contour’s 30-seat aircraft.

“When residents, the airport board and the county commission weighed their options, reliability, professional service and ease of travel stood out. That’s what we expect SkyWest’s service will deliver,” Gleason said in a statement.

SkyWest previously served Moab until 2023, and Contour began serving the community in 2024. Several commissioners raised concerns about the disruption surrounding SkyWest’s earlier departure but ultimately concluded its new proposal offered the strongest fit for the community.

Cody Thomas, SkyWest’s managing director of market development, told The Times-Independent in March that the airline was in a stronger operational position than during pandemic-era disruptions and was confident it could provide reliable long-term service to Moab.

As of Oct. 1, Grand County and SkyWest had not signed their separate local written agreement, though the federal contract was in effect, Jeffers said. Both sides were comfortable starting service while negotiations continued, she said.

“We don’t have a firm completion date, but there have been no delays, and the negotiations have been productive with consistent progress,” Jeffers wrote in an email.

She said the agreement will go before the county commission once it is ready.

This story was first published by The Times-Independent.