Cody Airport Delays Significantly Reduced This Summer

On a hot July afternoon at Yellowstone Regional Airport, a gate agent may ask a full plane of passengers whether anyone is willing to give up their seat — not because the flight is oversold, but because the aircraft is too heavy to climb out of Cody safely. The reasons involve geography, air density, and the specific jet model parked on the ramp.

While this was an issue often seen last year, this year the work done by the airport, airlines, and the FAA has mostly solved it.

YRA Took Steps to Mitigate the Problem

The FAA determines the approach and departure routes that planes are required to use for safe takeoffs and landings. Their requirements err on the side of caution, as they have not had the capacity to come to this area to examine whether or not the requirements are excessive. YRA knew this could be improved. Last year, YRA hired a consultant to study the routes and submit the results to the FAA.

The results showed improvements that would significantly reduce the need to delay asking for volunteers to lighten the plane and would allow SkyWest/United to open seats currently held due to weight restrictions. The FAA approved the new routes in May.

SkyWest is using the new approaches but has put off the study needed to implement the new departure because their fleet of CRJ550s is increasing. It’s easier for them to bring in these aircraft to mitigate the issue.

The Results

Yellowstone Regional Airport (COD) is reporting its strongest stretch of flight reliability in recent memory, with three consecutive months of 100 percent flight completion this spring and on-time performance now running well ahead of last year’s numbers.

Data reviewed at the airport’s August board meeting showed flights completed at a 100 percent rate in April, May, and June 2026, with only a single cancellation across the entire month of July, caused by a weather diversion. On-time performance has climbed to between 74 and 82 percent, up from 61 to 64 percent during the same months in 2025

The completion and on-time figures were presented to the Airport Board by Global Air Service, Yellowstone Regional’s air service development consultants, who track monthly data alongside broader industry trends in load factors and route performance.

“This is exactly the kind of improvement our passengers and our community have been asking for,” said Aaron Buck, Airport Director. “Reliable, on-time service is what makes people confident flying out of Cody instead of driving to a bigger airport, and these numbers show real progress.”

Security Changes Coming Also Will Improve Air Service

Beyond reliability, the airport continues to make changes for the future. The airport is transitioning to new access picture ID badges that comply with more stringent TSA requirements. Everyone who currently has access to the airport will need a new badge to continue using the facility. Changes start September 1, 2026. For more information on how this affects you, call the airport office at 307-587-5096.

The security change will allow airlines to schedule daily arrivals with aircraft that seat more than 70 passengers, such as the E175, rather than relying on case-by-case upgauging.

Why Delays Happen

Location of the Cody Airport

Essentially, Yellowstone Regional Airport (YRA) is geographically in a bowl. There are hills on multiple sides that the planes need to avoid. And everyone agrees that it’s a good thing to have the plane land in and take off from that bowl without incident.

To do that, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that the plane be able to reach altitude on one engine for commercial flights. The reason for this is the Impossible Turn. One of the most dangerous situations while flying is a mechanical problem on takeoff. When that happens, the plane would need to land again quickly, which is very difficult to do, giving this situation its name.

If one engine fails at takeoff, the plane needs enough power to reach altitude and turn around to land safely. Hence, the FAA requirement for commercial planes.

The Types of Commercial Planes Landing at YRA

Four main types of planes land at Yellowstone Regional Airport: CRJ200s, CRJ550s, CRJ700s, and E175s. The planes used are a huge factor in the local delays at YRA.

CRJ 200s | The most commonly seen aircraft at YRA are the CRJ 200s. This plane model is aging out of SkyWest’s and United’s fleets. This model has older instruments in the cockpit that impose limitations and result in a weaker thrust-to-weight ratio. SkyWest and United often assign these planes to their smaller destinations, Cody included. They seat 50 passengers. All will eventually be reconfigured to CRJ 450s. This new model will lower the seating to 41 seats with 7 First Class seats, 16 Economy Plus seats, and 18 standard Economy seats. The change in the center of gravity of the new configuration will greatly improve the thrust-to-weight ratio.

CRJ 550s | We are starting to see these aircraft land at YRA as SkyWest has been adding more to its fleet. Also seating 50 passengers, this aircraft provides first- and business-class seating, more room for carry-on luggage, and greater power to avoid delays.

Bombardier CRJ-550

CRJ 700s | SkyWest also has CRJ 700s in its fleet, and we see these aircraft at YRA, though not as often as the CRJ 200s. These planes are more powerful and hold up to 74 passengers. YRA will request this plane or an E175 when delays necessitate more passengers flying out. All of these planes will eventually be reconfigured to CRJ550s.

E175’s | The most powerful plane seen at Cody Airport is the E175. SkyWest is adding this model to its fleet and currently has the highest number of orders for it. These will eventually replace the older models. Not only does it have First- or Business-Class seating, but, more importantly, it has better cockpit technology and a stronger thrust-to-weight ratio.

Volunteers Asked to Leave the Plane on Hot or Windy Days

The plane’s model matters when taking off from a geographical bowl. The thrust-to-weight ratio determines the pitch and speed at which the plane gets up and into the air. Heat significantly affects a plane’s performance. The engine’s thrust depends on the air density, which decreases with rising temperatures. The altitude in Cody and Billings also affects the air density.

So, there’s a safety issue on a hot afternoon at a higher-altitude airport. The plane must be lighter to meet the FAA requirement to take off safely on one engine. This is when people are asked to volunteer to leave the plane. How long it takes to get enough volunteers determines the length of the delay.

Winds from the west exceeding 10 knots also create a similar situation. Because the mountains are close to the airport, the climb to 80,000 feet is significantly steeper.

Currently, SkyWest addresses this issue by holding back four seats until a few days before departure. During this time, they monitor the weather forecasts. This allows them to either not ask four more passengers to leave the plane so it can take off, or open those seats for sale if the weather looks good.

Improving Passenger Experience

As we start to see upgraded aircraft landing at YRA, this is less of an issue simply because they are stronger planes. However, the easiest way to avoid this issue is to schedule flights during cooler parts of the day and hope for the best with the wind.

“This airport continues to focus on projects that improve the passenger experience for those who use Yellowstone Regional Airport for their travels. These changes show real progress for our passengers today, and the security updates we’re putting in place now build toward the kind of daily service Cody deserves,” Buck said.

Yellowstone Regional Airport serves Cody, Wyoming, and the greater Yellowstone region with commercial air service and general aviation facilities. For more information, visit
FlyYRA.com or contact the Airport Director’s office.

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