Getting To Sun Valley
Discover current flights and transportation into and around the area to help you plan your travel to Sun Valley, Idaho. We may seem like a remote vacation destination but getting here is easier than you might think. Yes, we do have an airport (SUN) only 12 miles from Ketchum & Sun Valley which is served by four major airlines and offers nonstop flights from eight major cities (see map above).
Boise, the capital of Idaho, has the biggest airport (BOI) in the state, is 150 miles southwest of Sun Valley, and offers even more nonstop flight destination options. Twin Falls (TWF) & Idaho Falls (IDA) are other nearby airports in the region.
Explore Flights
Airlines That Fly Non-Stop to Sun Valley, Idaho
Summer & Fall Nonstop Flights
The Sun Valley Friedman Memorial Airport has nonstop flights from 6 major cities for the 2024 summer season.
What to Expect At Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN)
- Check with your air carrier for details on in-flight protocols.
- Weather diversions can happen here in Sun Valley. Pay close attention to messaging from your air carrier. In most instances, every effort to get you out the same day will be made. Most commonly, you will be bussed to Twin Falls or Boise to continue with your service.
- Passengers are advised to arrive at the Airport at least 2 hours is in advance to departure, especially during bad weather.
- Using the Airlines name and Flight numbers from the flight schedule you can check the flight status at www.flightview.com. This site is not affiliated with Friedman Memorial Airport and we cannot be responsible for any inaccuracy in the information provided on this site.
San Francisco, CA | SFO
- United Airlines flies nonstop from SFO to SUN through most of the summer season.
- 2x weekly | Thursday & Sunday | May 23 - June 22, September 5 - October 26
- Daily | June 27 - September 2
- Nearby airports to consider: SFO (nonstop to SUN*)
- Oakland - 30min drive
- San Jose - 1hr drive
Los Angeles, CA | LAX
- United Airlines flies nonstop from LAX to SUN for most of the summer season.
- 2x weekly | Wednesday & Sunday | May 26 - June 23, Sept 4 - October 27
- Daily | June 26 – September 2
- Nearby airports: LAX (nonstop to SUN*)
- Hollywood Burbank - 30min drive
- Long Beach - 30min drive
- John Wayne - 1hr drive
Seattle, WA | SEA
- Alaska Airlines flies nonstop daily from SEA to SUN for most of the season.
- 2x weekly | Thursday & Sunday | May 16 - June 9, October 3 - 31
- Daily June 13 - Sept 30
Salt Lake City, UT | SLC
- Delta flies nonstop 2 to 3 times daily year-round
Chicago, IL | ORD
- United Airlines flies nonstop from ORD to SUN for most of the summer season.
- 2x weekly | Saturday & Sunday | May 25 - September 1
Denver, CO | DEN
- United Airlines flies nonstop daily from DEN to SUN year-round.
- New additional daily flight May 23 - October 25
Winter Nonstop Flights
The Sun Valley Friedman Memorial Airport has nonstop flights from 8 major cities for the 2025-2026 winter season.
Snow is what winter in Sun Valley is all about, and we love getting lots of it. And the great news is that with recent technology improvements the reliability of winter flights at SUN is now 95%!
Since winter flight reliability has been drastically improved there is no longer a winter diversion busing program. However, occasionally, extreme winter weather may affect flights into and out of SUN.
If you are traveling by air to/from SUN this winter, please take these steps to keep informed and updated on your flight status, and plan accordingly.
To-Do List for Sun Valley (SUN) Passenger
- Make sure you have your personal contact information (email, cell phone number) on your airline reservation and use your airline’s App to monitor details on flight status and protocols.There are numerous other apps also available to track flights.
- Pay close attention to messages from your airline in the event of an extreme weather event that may affect your flight. The airlines will make every effort to assist passengers in the best way possible should an unexpected flight disruption occur.
- Departing SUN passengers should arrive at the airport at least 2 hours in advance of the scheduled departure. Expect lines at check-in and at TSA security screening during busy travel periods and plan accordingly.
Bag check-in cut off times (if your bag is not checked in by this time you will miss your flight and need to get rebooked on a different flight).
- United Airlines: 45 minutes before scheduled flight departure
- Delta Airlines: 30 minutes before scheduled flight departure
- Alaska Airlines: 40 minutes before scheduled flight departure
San Francisco, CA | SFO
- United Airlines flies nonstop from SFO to SUN for the winter season.
- 1-2x Daily | December 11th - April 5th
- Nearby airports to consider: SFO (nonstop to SUN*)
- Oakland - 30min drive
- San Jose - 1hr drive
Los Angeles, CA | LAX
- United Airlines and Delta fly nonstop from LAX to SUN
- 1x Daily | December 3rd - 8th & 11th - 17th (United)
- 1-2x Daily | December 18th - April 5th (United)
- 1x weekly (Sat) December 20-March 28 (Delta)
- Nearby airports with service to nearby destinations
- Hollywood Burbank - 30min drive
- Long Beach - 30min drive
- John Wayne - 1hr drive
Seattle, WA | SEA
- Alaska Airlines and Delta fly nonstop from SEA to SUN
- 2x weekly November 2 – December 14 (Alaska)
- 1-2x Daily | December 18th - April 21 (Alaska)
- Daily December 20 – January 5 (Delta)
- 3x weekly February 13 -March 29 (Delta)
Salt Lake City, UT | SLC
- Delta flies nonstop 3 times daily from SLC to SUN year round.
- 3x Daily | Year-Round
- 4x Daily | December 20th - January 5th
Denver, CO | DEN
- United flies nonstop 1 time daily from DEN to SUN year round.
- 1x Daily | Year-Round
- 2x Daily | December 10th - April 5th
Chicago, IL | ORD
- United Airlines and American Airlines fly nonstop from ORD to SUN for most of the winter season.
- 1x Daily | December 18th - April 5th (United
- 1x Daily December 18th April 6th (American)
Phoenix, AZ | PHX
- American Airlines flies nonstop daily from PHX to SUN during most of the winter season.
- 1x Daily | December 18th - April 6th (except January 6th - February 11th)
- 5 Days-A-Week | January 6th - February 11th
San Diego, CA | SAN
- Alaska Airlines flies nonstop 3x per week from SAN to SUN most of the winter season.
- 3x Weekly | December 19th - March 31st
Driving to Sun Valley
Traveling to Sun Valley by car is popular amogst visitors and residents alike due to the typically friendly road conditions and relative ease of navigating. Flying in to Boise, Twin Falls, Idaho Falls and even Salt Lake City are great alternatives to flying directly in the Sun Valley.
Drive from Boise
- Fly directly into Boise (BOI), roughly 150 miles southwest of Sun Valley and make the scenic 2 hour & 45 min drive up to the area.
- Daily shuttles from Boise are available on the Sun Valley Express (twice daily)
Drive from Twin Falls
- Fly into Twin Falls Airport (TWF), 90 miles south of Sun Valley and cruise the hour and a half hr drive up.
- Take the Salt Lake Express non-stop from Twin Falls to Sun Valley & Ketchum
Drive from Idaho Falls
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Fly into Idaho Falls (IDA), 150 miles east of Sun Valley and coast 2 and a half hour drive with a portion of your trip through the lava fields of Crater's of the Moon National Park.
Road Tripping Stories
Sun Valley, Idaho makes for an incredible basecamp to venture outward from via car. Explore the surround waterways, mountain ranges and hidden treasures erupting from every direction you turn. Below are a couple of stories to inspire your next day or overnight road trip.
The open road is calling. Get a taste of the true beauty that Idaho has to offer with this incredibly scenic loop through the central part of the state.
Hit the road with these top summer day trips with our five favorite drive-to destinations from Sun Valley.
Getting Around Sun Valley
When you visit Sun Valley, it's a breeze to get around. No need to rent a car; just hop on one of the FREE* and easy Mountain Rides buses that will get you where you need to go around Ketchum, Sun Valley and Hailey. With multiple "Around Town" routes in the Summer and the Winter, it's easy to get to your destination.
TRANSLOC APP
We highly recommend the Transloc App to get all your necessary bus ride information.
In addition to the bus services, there are several rental car options. Taxis, Uber, and Lyft rides are a little harder to come by, but still an option. For all of the details on navigating the Wood River Valley, click the link below.
Summer Road Construction - Yes, We're Still Open
SH-75 - Elkhorn to River Street Project
The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) is constructing improvements on State Highway 75 (SH-75) between Elkhorn Road and River Street in Ketchum. This project kicked off on April 29 and will go through late summer 2025.
The east side of the roadway is expected to be completed this year. The west side will be redone in 2027. Work on one lane of the Trail Creek Bridge will be done this fall. The second half of the bridge will be completed in the Spring of 2027.
ITD is constructing several improvements to SH-75 between Elkhorn Road and River Street. These improvements include:
- Widening SH-75 to five lanes between Elkhorn Road and Serenade Lane.
- Widening SH-75 to three lanes with bike lanes and sidewalks between Serenade Lane and River Street.
- Widening the Trail Creek Bridge to three lanes with bike lanes and sidewalks.
- Upgrading the traffic signal at the SH-75/Elkhorn Road intersection.
- Installing a traffic signal at the SH-75/Serenade Lane intersection.
- Improving some local roads, including Serenade Lane and Elkhorn Road.
What to Expect:
- Construction is beginning in April of 2025 and is expected to be completed in late 2026.
- Most work will occur Monday – Saturday between 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Some overnight work may occur.
- One lane will remain open in each direction on SH-75 between Elkhorn Road and River Street for the majority of construction.
- Traffic shifts and detours will occur.
- Local roads will be impacted intermittently through late 2026.
- Crews do not plan to work on Sundays or over the weekend (Friday-Sunday) during local events or major holidays.
View full details on this project, find out what to expect as the project progresses each week, and sign up to receive weekly updates at itdprojects.idaho.gov/pages/idaho75.
Private & Chartered Flights
Atlantic Aviation SUN provides a variety of services including refueling and all aircraft ground services along with crew and rental cars, lodging reservations, a public notary, 24-hour surveillance and security, and on-site aircraft maintenance.
Air Sun Valley
With home bases in San Francisco, California and Sun Valley, Idaho, their pilots are experts in the unique mission profiles for the Rockies and the Western United States. Air Sun Valley flies the Pilatus PC-12 exclusively, so each time you book, you know exactly what to expect. Whether you’re traveling for business or family adventure, we will get you to your destination quickly, safely and cost effectively in the comfort of the luxurious Pilatus PC-12.
Jackson Jet Center
Jackson Jet Center is a premiere fixed base operator (FBO) with a state-of-the-art facility located in Boise, Idaho that flies across the country. Their line up includes four twin engine aircraft including jet, light jet, turboprop and a single engine Pilatus.
Travel Tips: Weather Diversions
There's no denying that weather can be a factor when flying in to the Sun Valley airport in the winter. While we rejoice at these opportunities for snow on the ski hills, it can delay your Sun Valley travel plans.
Given the success of the recently implemented next generation instrument approach into Friedman Memorial Airport, inter diversion busing program will no longer be used for the Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines flights at SUN. The new approach has saved 180 flights since implementation.
If a carrier cannot complete a flight to SUN due to bad weather, the carrier will delay the departure of the flight or, if an aircraft is already in flight, divert to a nearby airport and wait until conditions improve, or the flight may be cancelled. In certain cases, carriers will add extra flights to re-accommodate passengers when conditions improve.
