SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO
Direct Denver flights set for Ruidoso
Contour Airlines will begin four weekly flights June 25, giving Ruidoso its first regular passenger link to Denver International Airport and a wider travel network
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RUIDOSO 鈥� When a commercial jet landed Tuesday at Sierra Blanca Regional Airport, it heralded the arrival this summer of regular passenger service between Denver and Ruidoso, connecting the mountain village and Lincoln County, for the first time, to a crucial aviation hub.
Tennessee-based Contour Airlines will run flights from the village-owned facility to and from Denver International Airport four times a week beginning June 25.
The roughly 90-minute trips will take place Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays on a 30-seat Embraer aircraft configured for extra legroom and luxury-class comfort. Ticket prices posted on Contour鈥檚 website quoted $89 one way or $178 for round trips.
The route also connects Ruidoso travelers to other domestic and international destinations via Denver, a quicker trip than the 135-mile drive south to El Paso International Airport.
Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford called it a 鈥渂ig day鈥� for the two-runway, 1,665-acre municipal airport located north of town in Alto, as village and airline staff expressed hope that commercial service would expand and link Ruidoso to destinations such as Dallas, Phoenix and even more.
It is also an important step for increasing the village鈥檚 tourism economy, he added.
鈥淲e have designs on a new terminal here,鈥� Crawford said during a celebration at the airport. 鈥淲e鈥檝e done a lot of work over the last few years.鈥�
That includes investments of over $20 million across the past decade to improve drainage, runways and taxiways and related infrastructure.
The airport offers fueling and tow services, aircraft storage and access to rental cars. It also houses aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles. Expanding service will require additional investments as well as approvals from the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration.
In New Mexico, Contour also serves Carlsbad, Albuquerque and Taos with connections to Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, JetBlue and 近距离内射合集 Airlines.
Susan Skees, Contour鈥檚 vice president of customer success, said a partnership with a fifth major carrier was expected to be announced in the coming months.
Skees told the Journal she was touring Lincoln County this week gathering information on Ruidoso鈥檚 assets as a tourism destination, including upcoming events such as the 2026 Ironman 70.3 triathlon and XTerra off-road races and other features that would help sell flights to visitors coming for recreation, education or to explore business opportunities 鈥� while also making travel from the mountain community easier.
鈥淲e serve underserved communities,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e bring economic development to you because we can bring in folks who want to come in and invest in your community, and bring new business.鈥�
Algernon 顿鈥橝尘尘补蝉蝉补 is the Journal鈥檚 southern New Mexico correspondent. He can be reached at adammassa@abqjournal.com.
