Will TAT notify me if my flight is cancelled ?
Due to the dynamic weather changes in the Alaska Range, we cannot notify customers in advance of cancellations.
What are your hours of operation
We are open all year, seven days a week. The summer/shoulder season (through September 30th) office hours are daily from 7:00am- 5:30 pm every day, Alaska Standard Time. The winter season (October – April) office hours daily from 9:00 am – 3:00pm.
What time options do we have?
Flight times run approximately — Summer season (May 1st to Sept 1st)
8:30 am (first flight of the day), 11am, 1:30pm & 4pm (last flight of the day).
Flight times run approximately — Shoulder season: October- April
12:00 Noon
Which flight would you recommend?
We would recommend at least the Mountain Voyager with a Glacier Landing. There are six major glaciers on the south side, and so much to explore. This flight encompasses the south, east & west faces of Denali, winding through the three major peaks: Denali, Foraker, and Hunter and the climber base camp. The total trip time is 1 hour and 45 minutes. The Grand Denali with Glacier Landing tour goes all the way around Denali so that you can see both the south and north sides of the mountain, as well as the Wickersham wall—one of the highest vertical rises on the planet. The total trip time is 2 hours. If this is going to be a once in a lifetime trip, either the Mountain Voyager with Glacier Landing or the Grand Denali with Glacier Landing are recommended.
Are we going to see the peak of Denali and/or Land on the Glacier? Will we see all the features mentioned in the brochure/web site?
In Alaska, especially around big mountains, weather and clouds are constantly shifting so no exact experience can ever be guaranteed. Big mountains make their own weather systems. And with two opposing systems on either side of the Alaska Range the “actual” weather can change hourly. The points of interest mentioned in our tour descriptions are highlights of the tour, which we always do our best to show you depending on wind and weather. Our pilots make every tour unique by showing you the best currently available views, lighting and scenery while always keeping safety as the number one priority.
Do we get a refund if it’s cloudy?
To fly or not to fly? When you check in for your flightseeing tour, we will give a briefing on visibility and current conditions. It is then your decision whether to fly or not to fly. If we cancel or you decide not to fly due to weather conditions you always receive a 100% refund of your deposit. We also provide rescheduling options if your travel plans permit.
Will we be the only ones in the airplane? How is seating arranged? Can I sit in the co-pilot seat?
Unless you charter the entire airplane you will be sharing the flight with other guests. We try to seat couples and families side-by-side as much as possible. We cannot guarantee particular seating as it is often dictated by our FAA approved “weight and balance” program. However, visibility from every seat is excellent and everyone gets a window seat.
How much experience do your pilots have?
Talkeetna Air Taxi has the most experienced glacier pilots that are currently flying the Alaska Range. TAT has landed more people on the glaciers than all the other air services combined from 1999 to 2015.
Our pilots average 12 years of flight experience in Denali National Park. Also, Talkeetna Air Taxi is the only approved glacier landing concessionaire with its own state-of-the-art Flight Simulator. TAT has annual FAA recurrent training and in-depth safety training for specialized glacier operations.
Do I need to make a reservation, or can I just walk in?
We highly recommend making an advance reservation as soon as you know the dates you will be in our area. The sooner you make a reservation the more likely we will have the tour and time available that suits your travel plans. Denali flights from Talkeetna have become increasingly popular and we can’t always accommodate walk-ins. Also, since you can cancel 48 hours in advance free of charge, there is no risk to you in making a reservation. You can also cancel when you check in for your flight for any weather-related reason and receive a 100% refund of your deposit. All that is required to secure a reservation is a $50 deposit per person and as stated, fully refundable with 48 hour notice or inclement weather.
How long does it take to drive from/to?
| From | Driving time |
| Anchorage | 2.5 hours |
| Wasilla | 1.5 hours |
| Fairbanks | 5 hours |
| Denali Park | 3 hours |
| Seward | 5 hours |
| Girdwood | 3 hours 15 m |
| Valdez | 8 hours |
| Homer | 8 hours |
What should we bring?
Bring long pants, closed toe shoes, sunglasses, cameras with extra batteries and memory cards. It is easy to take well over 100 photos. We do not recommend backpacks/purses on the airplane as space is limited. We are happy to hold them until you return from your tour. Binoculars can be used on the glacier landings but are not recommended during the flight.
What is the Talkeetna Lodge Shuttle schedule?
The Talkeetna Alaska Lodge has a shuttle that runs every 30 minutes. The shuttle departs on the hour from Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge and every half hour from Talkeetna. If you use the Lodge shuttle, it drops you off within a five minute walk from our office. We do provide free van service transfers throughout downtown Talkeetna and to and from the Talkeetna Alaska Lodge for anyone flying with us.
What is the McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge shuttle schedule?
Summer Schedule:
Departing Princess to Talkeetna: 7 am to 5 pm, every hour on the hour
Returning to Princess from Talkeetna: 11:30 am to 7:30 pm every hour on the half-hour (with the last shuttle at 9:00 pm instead of 8:30 pm).
Do you offer any discounts?
We offer discounts for: Alaska residents, groups of 4 or more, AAA members, military (active and inactive), and seniors 62 and older. Children 11 years of age and under receive a 30% discount, and children 23 months and under are considered a lap child and fly for free.
During the winter season, we are unable to offer discounts.
Do you recommend taking anti-motion sickness medication?
If you are particularly prone to motion sickness, taking a precautionary, non-drowsy, anti-motion sickness medication is a good idea. However, our flights are very smooth and turns are slow and gentle. This is a professional scenic tour, not a thrill ride. Most people do not experience motion sickness and do not need an anti-motion sickness medication. We fly over snow and ice, which do not produce the heat thermals that can cause turbulence. On the rare occasion that turbulence does occur, we will do our best to inform passengers before flying.
What should we wear?
Sunglasses, long pants & closed toe shoes are always recommended. From May to the middle of September wear a light/medium jacket (layers are always a sure thing in Alaska). From mid September to April a heavy jacket, hat, boots and gloves are recommended.
We supply over-boots (gore-tex galoshes) which fit over your shoes for glacier landing flights.
Why should we take our Denali flightseeing tour from Talkeetna?
Denali Flights departing from Talkeetna have a distinct advantage over departures from Anchorage or Denali National Park entrance area. Talkeetna is only 58 miles from the summit and within ten minutes of take-off you are over the immense glaciers and infinite peaks of the Alaska Range. Money spent on departures from Anchorage or Denali National Park entrance area is money spent on flying over the flat lands getting to and from the Alaska Range.
Does Talkeetna Air Taxi offer other types of flights?
The types of flights TAT offers are:
- Helicopter services
- Climbing expedition support
- Media & Commercial filming projects
- Utility Charters (fuel deliver, building supplies…)
- Iditarod “Chase the Race” and day trip charters
- Aviation Management Directorate (U.S. Government) National Park Service transport
- Back-country rafting & hiking transport
- Aerial Photography & Survey
- Can you fly us to Kantishna?
- If you are staying at one of the lodges in Kantishna, we discourage planning on air travel from Talkeetna to Kantishna. Why? The flights are weather dependent. If the weather is not flyable, it is very difficult to arrange a last minute van transport from Talkeetna to Kantishna.
· How can I book a tour?
- The best way is to go to the Reservation page on our secure web site or call us toll free at 1(800)533-2219 or (907)733-2218. You can also send us an e-mail to clarify any questions you may have: info@talkeetnaair.com.
- We are available to discuss your schedule, provide advice and answer any questions you may have – seven days a week – year-round.
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