IF Regional Airport re-establishes Boise connection

Idaho Falls Regional Airport announced Tuesday it will provide flights to Boise through Gem Air. The air service in based in Salmon, Idaho and will transport passengers on a nine-passenger aircraft.

IFRA director Craig Davis said the airport and City of Idaho Falls have been working to make this a possibility for the past two years. In 2012 Seaport airlines stopped their flights to Boise, leaving the two cities disconnected.

“It’s been a priority for the airport and the communities, more specifically the business community, to get to Boise at a reasonable fare in lieu of driving,” said Davis.

The new service route is geared toward the greater Idaho Falls business community. Since passengers will board out of the private operator, AreoMark, instead of the IFRA main terminal, there is no need to check baggage or go through security regulated by the Transportation Security Administration. Passengers also have the leisure of arriving 30 minutes prior to their flight, instead of the two-hour minimum for other airport flights.

“We received a lot of request from professionals to re-establish that Boise connection,” said Davis. “So we think, not only for the legislative season, but on a normal day, folks doing business will be able to hop on a plane and get there in an hour and 15 minutes for a reasonable price.”

Airfare starts at $149 for a one-way flight. Flights will run twice a day on Wednesdays and Thursdays.