Glacier Park International Airport unveils expanded terminal

Airplanes aren’t the only things going up and down at Glacier Park International Airport — it’s now home to Flathead County’s sole set of escalators.

The moving staircases were just one of a set of improvements to the transit hub that airport officials and local dignitaries celebrated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Tuesday for what is known as Phase 1A of an overall $163 million terminal expansion project. Passengers on Wednesday were expected to begin using the newly-finished gates, three with jet bridges connecting travelers to awaiting aircraft. 

“We swung for the fence. We went big. We accepted no compromise,” said Director Rob Ratkowski in his remarks prior to the appearance of the oversized scissors. “And you know what? We nailed it.”

Seven years and hundreds of hours of work have gone into the effort, Ratkowski said. The undertaking, propelled by ever-growing numbers of travelers passing through the Flathead Valley and begun in earnest in 2021, will see the number of gates grow to seven. The expanded terminal building also boasts a restaurant, the Goat Haunt Saloon, which is operated by Metropolitan Culinary Services, the Flathead Mercantile shop and a concession stand.

“This is a destination, a starting point,” said Giuseppe Caltabiano, chair* of the Flathead County Airport Authority Board and Whitefish city councilor. “It is not a connecting hub.”

While members of Montana’s congressional delegation were not in attendance, each sent a statement congratulating the team behind the project. 

“This expansion is a big step forward for the valley,” said U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a Democrat, who touted his efforts to route funding for the effort from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden in 2021. 

With the area becoming an increasingly popular destination, Tester said he hoped the expansion would alleviate pressure on local infrastructure.

The airport saw nearly 400,000 departing travelers in 2021, according to statistics compiled by the transit hub.

Republican U.S. Sen. Steve Daines highlighted the economic advantages of the project, saying it would boost jobs and bring money into the region.

“The advocacy and legwork that it took to get this project off the ground was truly a community effort,” he said. 

U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, a Republican, echoed Daines’ remarks. 

“Given the complexities of the project … this celebration is well deserved,” he said. 

State Rep. Tony Brockman, R-Evergreen, was on hand to tour the new terminal, meandering past the digital displays listing flight information to scope out the seating area with a view of the Swan Range. 

“I’m excited to see it open,” he said. “The airport is a huge economic driver for our community and I’m looking forward to seeing it full of passengers.”

State Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, said that the expanded terminal will provide more opportunities and more choices for valley residents, adding that infrastructure plays a pivotal role in the community. She also was impressed by the design of the terminal.

“I think the character of the airport is something we can all be proud of,” she said. “I think this is a unique building in the Northwest.”

Ratkowski called the project the highlight of his career, crediting the airport employees, contractors and everyone else involved in the undertaking with performing the lion’s share of the work. 

With the core of the terminal project complete, Ratkowski said workers would begin tearing into the older, adjacent terminal in mid-March. The airport is still lining up funding for the second phase of the project, but Ratkowski said there remains federal money available for the home stretch.  

“I just really am genuinely excited to turn this over to the community and make this their airport,” he said after the ribbon floated to the ground. 

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com. 

*Caltabiano's title has been corrected.

    Attendees ride the escalator during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, March 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Attendees eat snacks inside the new Goat Haunt Saloon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, March 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Attendees ride the escalator during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, March 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Airport director Rob Ratkowski cuts the ribbon during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Glacier Park International Airport on Tuesday, March 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider