Cheap Flights To Missoula (MSO)

Missoula is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs. Known as the Garden City because of its lush landscape, this Montana city offers a glimpse into the history of the West. When you are ready to book cheap flights to Missoula, be sure to start with Orbitz.com, where you can access some of lowest rates available on flights, hotel rooms and rental cars.

Arriving in Missoula

Officially opened in 1941, the Missoula International Airport (5225 Highway 10 West, Missoula) is the primary airport serving the greater Missoula area. It offers daily flights to and from several major cities on Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Delta and United. The airport is located less than 6 miles northwest of the downtown area, with easy access to the city via West Broadway Street. Once you land, you'll find plenty of ground transportation options to get you to your final destination. Yellow Cab (406-543-6644) and the environmentally friendly Green Taxi (406-728-8294) will take you downtown for roughly $15. The Mountain Line (406-721-3333) offers 11 trips to and from the airport each weekday, for only $1 each. Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and National have rental counters right across from the airport's baggage claim area, and their car lots are located just outside the east terminal exit.

Things to Do in the Area

Missoula's weather is a study in extremes, with winter temperatures that can dip as low as 17 degrees Fahrenheit and summer temperatures that can soar as high as the mid-80s. The city averages almost 4 feet of snow each winter, so be sure to pack appropriate snow gear if you plan to travel during the colder winter months. No matter what season you choose to visit Missoula, you'll never have a shortage of things to do. The 18,000-acre National Bison Range, one of the country's oldest refuges, is home to 400 American bison, as well as pronghorn antelope, black bears and bighorn sheep. The Lewis and Clark Trail offers visitors the chance to walk in the shoes of some of the country's most famous explorers. If you'd rather spend time exploring the city, you'll find plenty of eclectic shops and boutiques, theaters and museums, as well as a variety of culinary delights.

Urban Fun and Outdoor Adventure

Whether you prefer city life or the great outdoors, you are sure to fall in love with Missoula and all that the area has to offer. To get started on your journey, all you need to do is visit Orbitz.com, where you can book cheap flights to Missoula and find some of the best deals on hotel rooms and rental cars.

Missoula’s high season is summer, with scores of tourists filling the town to capacity, especially on weekends. The weather is pleasantly warm, with ample opportunities to cool off by sitting in the shade, tubing down a river, or grabbing ice cream at the Big Dipper. And the calendar is nonstop: Garden City River Rod Run, River City Roots Festival, and Missoula Symphony in the Park. Daily and weekly events include farmers’ markets, concerts in Caras Park, Movies in the Park, Shakespeare in the Park, and Osprey baseball games.

In early fall, the days are crisp, the leaves are turn gold, and the students return ready for events like German Fest, Hempfest, and Maverick Brewfest.

Of course, there’s nothing like winter in Montana, especially if you love the snow. With Snowbowl Ski Area only miles away—not to mention sledding, cross-country skiing, and hot springs right in town—this may be Missoula’s signature season. The New Year’s Eve Fist Night celebration kicks off the year with more than a hundred cultural events, and February sees the arrival of the 10-day Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, which screens more than 100 films at the Wilma Theatre.

Spring is perhaps the most underrated season in Missoula: The surrounding mountains and open spaces become lush and green, flowers and trees bloom, and the valley gets bathed in sun again, often warming into the 60s. It makes for a perfect setting for events like the Buddy DeFranco Jazz Festival, Garden City Brewfest (yes, Missoulians like their beer), and the International Wildlife Film Festival.