The geothermal soaking pools at Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa
The heritage Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
Starting Dec. 19, flights will run two days per week, linking Durango with its fourth-most-important air travel hub
Carrying this route into the 2026-27 winter months gives United customers a broader array of direct and connecting travel choices during the peak holiday season.”— Tony Vicari, aviation director at Durango-La Plata County Airport
DURANGO, CO, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — United Airlines is prolonging its seasonal Houston-to-Durango nonstop route into the winter months, launching two flights per week on Dec. 19 and keeping them active through March 27, 2027.
Service will run every Wednesday and Saturday on a 70-passenger Embraer E-175. This winter addition complements United’s existing year-round Denver-Durango route, offering Houston-based travelers another pathway to Southwest Colorado while giving Durango passengers a direct link to United’s Houston hub.
Airport statistics show Houston is the fourth-largest origin-and-destination market for Durango-La Plata County Airport, with 24,908 passengers moving between the two cities in the 12 months ending in the first quarter of 2026. United has run seasonal summer flights on this corridor for multiple years, growing from weekend-only service to daily departures and upgrading to a bigger plane this past summer.
Financial backing for the new winter service comes from a minimum revenue guarantee funded by City of Durango lodgers tax collections along with contributions from Purgatory Resort, Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. Such guarantees are a standard tool in air service development, reducing the financial exposure airlines face when opening a new route or extending service into an untested season.
“We are thrilled that United Airlines keeps strengthening its footprint at DRO by adding nonstop seasonal flights to Houston for the upcoming winter. Extending this route into the 2026-27 winter season gives United passengers a wider range of direct and connecting choices during the holiday and winter travel season. And if traveler demand for these flights proves strong, the argument for adding even more Houston winter service gets considerably more compelling,” said Tony Vicari, aviation director at Durango-La Plata County Airport.
“Putting our resources into the Houston market was a priority not just because it opens more doors to one of our top domestic destinations, but also because United’s Houston hub connects onward to Mexico, which is our leading international market,” said Rachel Welsh, interim head of tourism at Visit Durango. “We’re curious to see the impact this new route has on winter tourism numbers and bookings at local attractions.”
Flight Schedule
United flight UA 6252 leaves Houston (IAH) at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, touching down in Durango (DRO) at 11:26 a.m. The return leg, flight UA 6114, departs Durango at 12:07 p.m., arriving in Houston at 3:48 p.m. on the same two weekdays.
The service window runs from Dec. 19, 2026, through March 27, 2027. Timetables may shift. Reservations are available via United.com or the United mobile app.
Winter in Durango
This nonstop route gives Houston residents direct access to ski slopes, thermal springs and scenic rail journeys in Southwest Colorado.
Ski at Purgatory Resort
Located roughly 25 miles north of Durango, Purgatory Resort spans 1,635 acres of skiable terrain. Debuting this winter is the new Colorado Couloir chairlift, which opens about 40 acres of fresh terrain featuring five new advanced and expert runs plus two connector trails. Advance lift tickets start at $9 on selected dates, and kids 12 and under ski at no cost all season.
Soak at Durango Hot Springs Resort & Spa
Situated eight miles north of downtown Durango, this resort offers 32 natural mineral soaking pools, private ofuro tubs, cold plunge pools and a full-service spa. USA TODAY’s 2026 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards ranked Durango Hot Springs No. 3 in the Best Hot Springs category.
Ride the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad runs winter excursions pulled by historic steam engines, tracing the Animas River through the San Juan National Forest from downtown Durango to Cascade Canyon.
About Visit Durango
Visit Durango operates as a destination management and marketing organization housed within the City of Durango’s Prosperity Office. The group promotes Durango and its surrounding region as a travel destination while encouraging responsible tourism and supporting the local visitor economy. Stop by the Durango Welcome Center at Main Avenue and 8th Street in downtown Durango or find more information at durango.org.
James Graven
Treehouse Communications
