These Nonstop Flights Connect Denver to Canada's Best Ski Resorts

Featured Image: Reuben Krabbe, Lake Louise Ski Resort

This week, we’re focusing on the Canadian Rockies and eastern Canada to find direct flights from Denver so you can ski some of Canada’s most famous resorts this winter the most efficient way possible. 

While Western Canada has bigger names, steeper mountains and champagne powder at resorts like Whistler Blackcomb and SkiBig3, the Quebec side of Canada has something special to offer, too. While the skiing might feel more like American East Coast skiing, the French-Canadian villages transport you to a scene that truly feels as if you're in a quaint European ski town. But it also has that unique Canadian charm as well as castles (châteaux) that make you feel like you're in a fairytale. 

We tried our best to find you public transportation or convenient shuttle services to these resorts, but sometimes when it comes down to logistics, renting a car is the best option for flexibility and freedom. Plus, who doesn’t love an excuse to combine a Canadian ski trip with a road trip? 

Note* All airlines listed count one boot bag and one ski bag as one checked bag. If you decide to rent a car at any of these destinations, make sure you get a 4-wheel drive vehicle or, at least, an all-wheel drive rental with chains to handle snowy conditions. 

Calgary International Airport (YCC)

Photo: RCR_Winter, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Mountains

• Banff Sunshine (Ikon Pass or SkiBig3 Pass) - about 90 miles from YCC

• Mt. Norquay (Ikon Pass or SkiBig3 Pass) - about 92 miles from YCC

• Lake Louise Ski Resort (Ikon Pass or SkiBig3 Pass) - about 125 miles from YCC

• Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (Epic Pass) - about 180 miles from YCC

• Revelstoke (Ikon Pass) - about 260 miles from YCC

Airlines with Direct Flights 

• United Airlines - Checked bag is $45 if you prepay or $50 at airport, each way

• WestJet - Checked bag is $45 with an Economy pass if you prepay or $60 at the airport, each way

• Air Canada - Checked bag is $45 each way

Transportation

Flying into Calgary International Airport (YCC) gives you access to multiple airlines with direct flights and some of the best access to Canada’s world-renowned ski resorts. Most famously known as SkiBig3 (Banff Sunshine, Mt. Norquay and Lake Louise Ski Area), YCC puts you just 90 miles from Banff, where you can easily access all three resorts on one pass. Shuttle options like Banff Airporter and Brewster Express offer round-trip deals between $80 and $90, taking you from the airport into Banff. The Banff Airporter has multiple stops at different hotels in Banff, while the Brewster Express can take you all the way into the Lake Louise Ski Resort area (around 36 miles from Banff). If you stay in Banff or Lake Louise, the SkiBig3 Shuttle (free with an Ikon or SkiBig3 Pass) can take you from resort to resort and around town, so you don’t have to rent a car. 

Getting from YCC to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, located just 15 to 20 minutes outside of Golden, BC, is also easy, as the Champagne Powder Shuttle provides round-trip service between Calgary Airport and Golden (it can also drop you off directly at the Kicking Horse base). But it is quite pricey, costing around $800 CAD ($560 USD) for two adult tickets. A more budget-friendly option is Poparide , a ride-share app where you can find rides between YCC and Golden. Once you get to Golden or Kicking Horse, the Kicking Horse-Golden Shuttle can take you between town and the resort. The easiest way to ride this shuttle is to download the app, where you can buy single-use tickets or ride packs. 

To get to Revelstoke from YCC, you can either hop on the Rider Express , an intercity coach with routes from Calgary to Vancouver, which stops in Revelstoke along the way. A one-way ticket is around $105. Many rent a car to get to Revelstoke, but the option with the least driving is getting a connecting flight to Kelowna International Airport (YLW). Driving from Kelowna cuts the drive time in half, taking about two and a half hours instead of four and a half. Shuttle options are also available through Revelstoke Transfers or Kelowna Transfers , which can take you to and from Kelowna Airport. Shuttle prices are available on their website.

Vancouver International Airport 

Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash.com

Mountains

Whistler Blackcomb (Epic Pass) - about 85 miles from YVR

Sun Peaks (Ikon Pass) - about 261 miles from YVR

Big White Ski Resort (Indy Pass) - about 285 miles from YVR

Silver Star Mountain Resort (Ikon Pass) - about 309 miles from YVR

Airlines with Direct Flights

• United Airlines - Checked bag is $45 if you prepay or $50 at airport, each way

• Air Canada - Checked bag is $45 each way 

Transportation

Widely considered Canada's most famous ski resort and one of its most luxurious options, Whistler Blackcomb is located just two and a half hours from Vancouver International Airport. YVR Skylynx offers multiple pick-up and drop-off times between Vancouver International Airport and Whistler Village. Tickets range between $30 and $60. Whistler Shuttles also offers a private shuttle service with door-to-door transportation. Once you are in Whistler Village, multiple public transportation options can take you around the village and to the base. 

Sun Peaks is a little less than five hours from Vancouver, but only 45 minutes from Kamloops, so you have multiple transportation options, including shuttle, bus and air. There are direct shuttle options through companies like Ridebooker from YVR to Sun Peaks, or you can take an intercity bus like Ebus or Rider Express from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station to Kamloops, from which you will transfer to a local or regional airport/resort shuttle provider like Sun Star Shuttle or Tasteful Experience to Sun Peaks. The third option is to take a connecting flight from Vancouver to Kamloops and then take one of those shuttles. 

Southeast of Kelowna is Big White Ski Resort, about five and a half hours from Vancouver Airport but only about 50 minutes from Kelowna. So again, you could take a coach bus from Vancouver’s Pacific Central Station to Kelowna, then transfer to a local shuttle to Big White Ski Resort. Or you can take a connecting flight from Vancouver to Kelowna and hop directly onto the Big White Airport Shuttle , which takes about 55 minutes to reach the resort. Once you are in the Big White area, the resort offers free on-mountain shuttles with multiple stops across the village and mountain area. 

The same applies to getting to Silver Star Resort, as it is located 55 minutes north of Kelowna. Once you get to Kelowna, whether by bus or air, transportation to Silver Star is mainly by shuttle, which you can book through Signature Connection Ski Shuttle . Public transportation is also available: Take the BC Transit Route 90 bus to Vernon, a town just outside Silver Star Resort, then transfer to the seasonal in-resort shuttle or take a local taxi for the final leg to the resort. 

Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL)

Photo: Courtesy of Unsplash.com, Timothée Geenens

Mountains

Mont Tremblant (Ikon Pass) - about 80 miles from YUL

Mont Sutton (Indy Pass) - about 75 miles from YUL

Mont-Sainte-Anne (Epic Pass) - about 198 miles from YUL

Le Massif De Charlevoix (Ikon Pass) - about 221 miles from YUL

Airlines with Direct Flights 

• Air Canada - Checked bag is $45 each way 

Transportation

Besides renting a car, the most convenient way to get to Tremblant from YUL is to take the Orléans Express Shuttle , which provides non-stop coach service. Tickets generally start between $90 and $100 CAD for a one-way adult ticket. Public transportation is an option, but it involves multiple transfers. First, take the STM 747 Express Bus from the airport to downtown Montreal. Then, transfer at downtown Berri-UQAM station to an intercity coach, like Autobus Galland headed toward Tremblant/St-Jovite. You’ll be dropped off at the Shell Station, where you'll need to take a Mont-Tremblant local town bus to the resort village. 

The best way to get to Mont Sutton from YUL is to rent a car, book a private shuttle or use Transport à la Demande (TAD) offered by Limocar . To use the bus option, take the STM 747 Express Bus into downtown Montreal to Berri-UQAM station. Mont Sutton's website has detailed directions for using the TAD and Limocar. 

Mont Sainte Anne is located just north of Quebec City. Unfortunately, Denver does not have direct flights to Quebec, so renting a car or using a mix of transportation is the best option for getting to Mont-Sainte-Anne from Montreal’s airport. Or, you could take a connecting flight from Montreal to Quebec City. Like the others, if you take public transit, you will need to get into downtown Montréal using the 747 Express Bus or the free airport shuttle from Door 8 to the Dorval VIA Station, then take the train into Montréal’s central train station (Gare Centrale). From there, board the VIA Rail train to Quebec City (Gare du Palais). The train takes a little over four hours. Once you get to Quebec, your options are limited to rideshares or taxis to get to the resort.

Getting to Le Massif De Charlevoix also requires taking the train into Quebec City, except once you get there, you can take a regional bus like Intercar headed toward Charlevoix. There is no direct public transport from Charlevoix to the base of the resort, so a short local taxi or shuttle for the final stretch is best. You can also book private chauffeur services if you don't want to take public transportation or drive yourself to Mont Sutton or Le Massif de Charlevoix.