Why Flights to Aspen in March Are More Prone to Cancellations

Why Aspen Is Different

Aspen (ASE) is one of the most beautiful and operationally challenging airports in the United States. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains at nearly 8,000 feet elevation, it is surrounded by steep terrain, unpredictable weather patterns, and strict approach requirements. These factors make it uniquely sensitive to winter and late-season storm systems.

March is peak ski season in Aspen. It is also a transitional weather month in Colorado. Snowstorms remain common, winds can shift quickly, and low-visibility events can disrupt flight schedules more easily than at large hub airports.

When demand is high and weather is volatile, even small operational disruptions can cascade into cancellations.

What the Data Shows

Looking at March 2025 flight data for routes serving Aspen, several major origin cities saw elevated cancellation rates compared to typical large-airport routes.

Routes such as:

• Denver (DEN) to Aspen (ASE)
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Aspen (ASE)
• Los Angeles (LAX) to Aspen (ASE)
• Chicago (ORD) to Aspen (ASE)
• Houston (IAH) to Aspen (ASE)

All exceeded the typical cancellation thresholds seen at major hub airports during that month. This does not mean Aspen flights are unreliable overall, but it does mean they are more sensitive to late-winter weather and aircraft positioning constraints than many other destinations.

Why Mountain Airports See More Disruptions

Several structural factors make Aspen different:

1. Terrain constraints

Pilots must navigate complex approach paths with limited margin for weather variability.

2. Short runways

Aircraft performance is more sensitive to temperature, wind, and visibility.

3. Regional jet reliance

Many Aspen routes are operated by smaller aircraft that are more weather-sensitive and less flexible in recovery.

4. Limited redundancy

Large hubs can re-route passengers through alternate flights. Smaller airports often cannot.

What This Means for Travelers

If you are flying to Aspen in March:

• Build buffer time into tight weekend itineraries.
• Avoid last-flight-of-the-day arrivals if possible.
• Consider morning departures, which statistically face fewer downstream delays.
• Monitor weather systems 3 to 5 days before travel.

If your trip involves expensive lodging or non-refundable ski passes, reviewing trip protection options may be prudent.

Check Your Specific Route

Cancellation risk is not uniform across airlines or departure cities. You can check your specific route's historical disruption patterns using our route-based risk tool below.