Connect to your River Trip with a Middle Fork Flight
Going on a Middle Fork trip? Great! We offer various River Round Trips between Boise, Stanley, and Salmon that can connect you to your adventure. Take a look at the information below, and then call us to book (no online booking available).
Flights for Middle Fork Trips
Our flights from Boise to Stanley generally leave in the afternoon – times can vary
Call us to talk about your specific dates and times.
- This flight is about 45 minutes long.
- You need to be at the airport at least 30 minutes before your scheduled Gem Air departure.
Need a different flight time? Call us to talk about your needs.
Want to check out what’s going on in Stanley? Check out the Stanley Chamber of Commerce Website.https://stanleycc.org/
Our flights from Boise to Salmon generally leave in the afternoon – times can vary.
Call us to talk about your specific dates and times.
- Most of these flights are 1hr and 45 minutes long, because we make a stop in Stanley. Direct flights are about 1hr and 15 mins long.
- You need to be at the airport at least 30 minutes before your scheduled Gem Air departure.
Need a different flight time? Call us to talk about your needs.
Want to check out what’s going on in Salmon? Take a look at the Greater Salmon Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Visitor Page, which includes an event calendar.
We usually have an off-river option at 4pm to take you from Salmon back to Boise, or you can take a flight the next morning, usually departing between 9 and 11am.
- This flight takes about 2 hours if we make a stop in McCall. If we fly direct, it’s about 1:15 long.
- You need to be at the airport at least 30 minutes before your scheduled Gem Air departure.
If you are connecting out of Boise after an afternoon flight with us: we recommend flying out of Boise the following morning.
If you are connecting out of Boise after a morning flight with us: we recommend making your airline reservation for a flight after 1pm.
Why stay in Salmon? Check out this Visit Salmon Idaho page.
Give us a call. The flights above are the most common for Middle Fork flights, but we can accommodate a wide variety of other routes and even times.
Why is there no set schedule or online booking?
Our summer flights are on-demand, and have to stay flexible so that we can accommodate as many people as possible on each flight. That’s why you’ll need to call us to book.
Even after booking, your flight time may change to help accommodate another traveler. For example, when you book, your flight time may be set at 2:00pm. But if another traveler is getting in at 2:30pm, we’ll change the time to make sure they can make the flight too.
Or, if someone’s flight gets delayed (including yours!) we may try to hold the plane until they can join us.
The changes usually happen within a week of your flight, sometime even the same day, and we will call and/or email you to let you know.
If timing is extremely important to you, talk to us about full-plane charter options.
Recommended Connections for Best Overall Experience
We recommend the following for your Middle Fork Flights:
To start the trip: Whether you fly or drive, plan to arrive at the Boise airport around 1:00pm the day before your trip. That gives you the best shot at getting an early afternoon flight from Boise to either Stanley or Salmon, giving you plenty of time to get settled in and explore the town before your pre-trip meeting.
To end the trip: If you’re flying to Boise with us, plan to spend a night in Salmon after your trip, and schedule your airline departure out of Boise after 12:00pm. This makes sure you aren’t pressed for time coming off the river, and also allows you to spend your last night in the cute mountain town of Salmon, instead of an airport hotel in Boise. Plus, flying is always smoother in the morning.
Of course, if your travel plans need a tighter time-schedule, just let us know. We can usually work something out that will get you to and from Boise on time.
Pricing for Common Middle Fork Routes
To Stanley One-Way
One flight Boise to Stanley-
Boise-Stanley
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35 lbs bags fly free with ticket
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Includes taxes and fees
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$1/lb for extra baggage
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$50 Change or Cancellation Fee
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Pricing Stanley-Boise is $260
To Salmon One-Way
One flight either direction between Salmon and Boise-
Boise-Salmon, one way
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Salmon to Boise, one way
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Includes taxes and fees
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$1/lb for extra baggage
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$50 Change or Cancellation Fee
River Round Trip
A flight from Boise to either Stanley or Salmon, and one from Salmon-Boise-
Boise-Salmon + Salmon-Boise
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35 lbs bags fly free with ticket
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Includes taxes and fees
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$1/lb for extra baggage
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$50 Change or Cancellation Fee
Kid's Price
On any route-
Available for kids 12 and under
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Must fly with full-price adult
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35 lbs bags fly free with ticket
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$1/lb for extra baggage
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$50 Change or Cancellation Fee
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Cannot be comined with other offers
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Limit of two 50% tickets per booking/flight
NOTE: The much less common routes of Salmon to Stanley and Stanley to Boise are not included or available for the River Round Trip special. Stanley to Boise is only available at a seat rate in the morning – otherwise, its charter.
Why Fly?
Travelers like you recommend it.
In our latest survey,
99% of survey respondents said they would recommend Gem Air flights to a friend doing the same trip.
That’s pretty good!
Flying is Fast, and Easy.
Over 3/4 of respondents indicated that they chose to fly because it saved them time and hassle. We can understand that. Flying with us can save you between 7 and 10 hours in a car, depending on the route you are traveling.
Stanley Information
Where we drop you in Stanley
1100 Airport Rd, Stanley, ID.
There is no airport office space in Stanley – simply a runway and small shed.
When to meet us in Stanley
If your flight is leaving from Stanley, show up 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
There is no office, so our pilot will plan to meet you near the shed at the airport approximately 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
Ground Transportation in Stanley
Mountain Village Shuttle: If you are staying at the Mountain Village Lodge, they will pick you up and drive you down the hill.
It’s also within walking distance, but if you have a lot of baggage, walking can be cumbersome.
There are no taxis or rental cars in Stanley. Luckily, most things are within walking distance!
Stanley Area Information
Get to know what Stanley has to offer through Stanley’s Chamber of Commerce Page.
Boise Information
Where to meet us in BOI
Meet us at the Boise Main Terminal. Go to the baggage claim area, and look around for a check in counter with a Gem Air sign above it. We’ll be right there!
When to meet us in BOI
Show up 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time, and you’ll be set.
We operate outside of TSA’s secure area, so there are no x-rays or security check-in for our flights.
This desk is not staffed all day, so don’t worry if you don’t see anyone when you get there. A desk agent or pilot will show up about 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
Parking and Ground Transportation in BOI
The Boise Airport’s website has the best info on BOI Parking and Ground Transportation.
Uber is also a good option in the Boise Metro Area.
Salmon Information
Where to meet us in SMN
Meet us in Salmon at 31 Hamner Drive (Google has it right).
It’s about 5 miles south of Salmon, ID.
When to meet us in SMN
Show up 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time, and you’ll be set.
Parking and Ground Transportation in SMN
Airport Parking – When you fly with us, airport parking is free. Ask us for a parking pass at the front office.
Stagecoach Inn Shuttle – If you are staying at this hotel, they will come pick you up when you land.
Car Rentals with Quality Motors – This is the only car rental option we know of in town. Call (800) 432-7582.
Lemhi Ride – You can make a reservation for a ride Monday-Friday at a reasonable price. Call (208) 759-1875.
SMN Area Information
Check out the Greater Salmon Valley Chamber’s Visitor Page for ideas on everything from where to stay to what to do while in town (think bike rides, history walks, good eats and drink).