Bellingham Airport (BLI) Flights & Flight Status

After serving as an air force base in the 1940’s, Bellingham International Airport (BLI) today offers simple, convenient access to low-cost flights to travellers in Washington State. With just one main terminal, five gates, and eight parking spots for planes, I’ve definitely never gotten lost here and have always felt at home as a Canadian visitor. It’s a nice gateway for travel to California and the U.S. Southwest.

Security lineups couldn’t be easier to navigate, and this airport is low-stress on just about every level. After takeoff, spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean and San Juan Islands await. For now, here’s everything you might need to know about Bellingham International Airport.

How to get to and from BLI

Most people arrive at the Bellingham airport via the I-5 highway. It’s about an hour and a half’s drive from either Vancouver, Canada or Seattle – although it’s worth checking ahead on border crossing wait times if you’re coming down from Canada.

From downtown Bellingham, I’d suggest grabbing either a taxi or Lyft to make the 10-minute ride. The Whatcom Transport Authority also offers public bus service from 7 am to 7 pm daily, but pick-up and drop-off is only every hour, so this takes a little more planning.

Airlines that service the Bellingham airport

You’ll find four major airlines at BLI: Allegiant Airlines, Alaska Airlines and its sister airline Horizon Air, and San Juan Airlines. Allegiant specializes in low-cost fares to the likes of Las Vegas, Phoenix, and San Diego. Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air offer service to Seattle, and Alaska Airlines also has seasonal service to warm-weather U.S. destinations.

To reach the nearby San Juan Islands, San Juan Airlines is a quick alternative to taking Washington State Ferries out of Anacortes. Flight times from Bellingham to Orcas Island or Lopez Island are generally less than 20 minutes. The San Juan Airlines terminal is an easy five-minute walk from the main terminal.

What to know about the terminal at Bellingham International Airport

I like how easy it is to navigate the Bellingham airport, whose main terminal spans 110,000 square feet. It has a simple linear design. The check-in counters are directly in front of you when you come in the main entrance on the north side, with the TSA security checkpoint located to the left. At the south side are two baggage carousels.

If you’re running late, the helpful staff is happy to walk you to the front of your security lineup.

Going through security lineups at BLI

BLI likes to tout having the shortest wait times in this part of the Pacific Northwest, and my personal observations bear that out. Busiest times are (ball park) 11 am to 3 pm.

There is a TSA Pre-Check Lane, but realistically, you can often get through the regular line almost as quickly. And you may as well hustle through, too, since the food and beverage options improve post-security.

Services and amenities at BLI

The airport features two Halibut Henry’s outlets before and after security, good for grab-and-go coffee, salads, snacks, and so forth. A full-service restaurant, Scotty Browns, offers more substantial pub fare from crispy calamari and smokehouse burgers to craft beer and cocktails. Although the airport is uncrowded overall, Scotty Browns is often bustling just before flights heading south as passengers get the party started early.

There are no pay-per-use or airline lounges at BLI. For nursing mothers, you’ll find Mamava pods, with running water and changing tables, on both sides of security. Wifi is good and reliable throughout the airport.

Pre-security, as an art buff, I recommend checking out the It’s Mine: Coast Salish Story Pole (2017) carved by Felix Solomon. It strikingly represents the salmon fishing journey of local Indigenous peoples.

Parking at the Bellingham airport

Depending on how much walking you’re up for doing (and how much it’s raining, which is always a possibility in northern Washington State), you have two choices for parking. The daily parking rate in the main parking lot right outside the terminal is slightly higher than in the lot directly across the street. Finding a spot isn’t hard in either scenario.

The main parking lot also includes two charging pedestals that can charge up to four electric vehicles simultaneously.

Renting a car at Bellingham International Airport

Near the baggage carousels, you’ll find a wide selection of major car rental companies: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. Counters are open roughly 8 am to 10 pm. You’ll find rental cars parked outside the baggage claim area.

Hotels near Bellingham International Airport

The easiest option is the Holiday Inn & Suites Bellingham, within eyeshot across the parking lots. The 2017-built property has 153 rooms, generally on the spacious side, and 12 of those rooms feature full kitchenettes – in case you’re there longer for, say, corporate meetings or a sports tournament. A monitor over the lobby business centre computers shows flight arrival and departure times. It’s a dog-friendly property: I always say hi to the resident canine ambassador.

Other amenities include the Northwater Restaurant and Bar, which dishes up pizzas from a wood stone oven and incorporates local ingredients in its cocktails. I also give the fitness facilities a thumbs-up. The well-equipped gym has a rowing machine, elliptical trainer, free weights, and more. The indoor pool and hot tub are complemented by a sauna and steam room.

For a more swanky stay in downtown Bellingham, I dig the centrally located Hotel Leo. Grab a drink at the Prohibition-inspired Amendment 21 lounge, browse through the on-site library, or stroll down to Bellingham’s revitalized waterfront.

Things to do during a layover

For a city of about 100,000, there is a lot to do layover-wise within a 10- to 15-minute drive from the Bellingham airport. History buffs can check out the Spark Museum of Electrical Invention or the Whatcom Museum downtown. Catch an independent movie at the Pickford Film Center or enjoy some easy hiking in Whatcom Falls Park.

Good downtown Bellingham restaurants to check out include the Old World Deli (I’m a fan of their pastrami) and the Penny Farthing (don’t miss the crab bisque or the meatball sandwiches).

Craft breweries and cideries abound as well. Aslan Brewing Company has some 20 tasty beers on tap, from Dawn Patrol to Disco Lemonade (a personal favourite of mine). The nearby Chuckanut Bay Distillery offers behind-the-scenes tours of the spirits-making process, and the award-winning Madame Richelieu Absinthe is well worth sampling.

If you scream for ice cream, Mallard Ice Cream serves up some inventive flavours like Super Vanilla and Garden Barbie.

Other airports near Bellingham International Airport

The closest major American city to Bellingham is Seattle, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), popularly known as “Sea-Tac,” serves more than 100 destinations in North America and abroad. I have plenty of experience with it, having flown from Sea-Tac to Helsinki many times on Finnair in the past, and it has certainly grown and improved over the years, although wait times and crowding can be issues.

North of Bellingham, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is a perennial contender for North America’s top airport in the SkyTrax World Airport Awards. Security lineups are quite navigable, the abundant Indigenous art and aquariums offer an inviting environment, and the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel is as comfortable as airport accommodations get.

Besides Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Abbotsford International Airport (YXX) – across the Canadian border – specializes in low-cost fares to Canadian cities like Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto. Personally, I always appreciate the overall laidback vibe at YXX, which is very similar to BLI.

Another alternative to Bellingham International Airport is the Everett-area Seattle Paine Field International Airport (PAE), where Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air serve Western destinations such as Phoenix, San Francisco, and Spokane.

Environmental innovations at the Bellingham airport

The Pacific Northwest has long been famous for technologically innovative companies like Microsoft and Boeing, and BLI is striving to keep pace with the demand for more eco-friendly and sustainable travel options.

Recently, the Bellingham airport installed 250 high-efficiency solar panels with the aim of generating 140,000 kilowatts of renewable clean energy each year. Management has also switched the airport fire trucks over to using fluorine-free foam.