Direct Flights from San Diego to Missoula
Missoula · Montana
Nonstop service from SAN to MSO on Alaska. Here's the schedule at a glance — plus what to do once you land.
How rare is this nonstop?
Only 14 cities have a nonstop to Missoula, so this is a route worth knowing about — most travelers connect to get there.
How long to go to Missoula for, from San Diego
2h 30m in the air, 993 miles. That is a long weekend without much friction, though three nights beats two once you add the airport time at both ends.
About Missoula
Missoula is a medium-sized city in Western Montana with a population of about 73,000 (2020). The hub of five valleys in the northwest region of the state, or Glacier Country, the town boasts the University of Montana, the Rattlesnake Recreation Area, and a multitude of recreational opportunities, along with an active and colorful downtown.
Summary from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA).
Top things to do in Missoula
- Fort Owen State Park is a historic preservation area owned by the state of Montana in the United States, located on the northern outskirts of the town of Stevensville, Montana.
- Placid Lake State Park is a public recreation area located 28 miles (45 km) northeast of Missoula, Montana.
- The Missoula Art Museum (MAM) is a contemporary art museum in Missoula, Montana. MAM was founded in 1975 as the Missoula Museum for the Arts and has been accredited by the American Alliance of Museums since 1987.
- The Montana Museum of Art & Culture, or the MMAC, is a University of Montana art museum in Missoula, Montana with a collection of over 11,000 objects, many of which are of the contemporary American West.
- Travelers' Rest was a stopping point of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, located about one mile south of Lolo, Montana.
- Montana Snowbowl is an alpine ski area in the western United States, located on the Lolo National Forest of western Montana, twelve miles (20 km) northwest of Missoula.
- Beavertail Hill State Park is a public recreation area located on the Clark Fork River near Interstate 90, 26 miles (42 km) east of Missoula, Montana.
- Frenchtown Pond State Park is a public recreation area located ten miles (16 km) northwest of Missoula in Frenchtown, Montana.
- Council Grove State Park is a history-oriented, public recreation area located eight miles (13 km) northwest of Missoula in Missoula County, Montana.
- Salmon Lake State Park is a public recreation area located approximately 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Missoula, Montana.
- Greenough Park is a natural park covering 42 acres in Missoula, Montana, dedicated to the city by the Greenough family. Donated in 1902, it is Missoula's first park.
- The Garden of One Thousand Buddhas is a spiritual site near Arlee, Montana, within the Flathead Indian Reservation in Lake County, Montana, United States.
Attraction descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); place data from Wikidata (CC0).
Missoula weather, compared with San Diego
13° cooler than San Diego on average across the year, on daytime highs:
- January
- Missoula 32°F · San Diego 66°F · 33° colder
- April
- Missoula 57°F · San Diego 68°F · 11° colder
- July
- Missoula 86°F · San Diego 75°F · 11° warmer
- October
- Missoula 57°F · San Diego 74°F · 18° colder
December bottoms out near 32°F — a real coat, not a layer. Missoula also swings harder through the year than San Diego does — 55° between its coldest and warmest months against 12°.
Average daily highs, 1991–2020 station normals from Meteostat (CC BY 4.0), measured at each city's airport.
Planning a trip to Missoula
- Best time to visit
- The best time to visit Missoula is May–June and September, when daytime highs are a comfortable 67–74°F.
- How long to stay
- Missoula rewards a longer visit — a full week lets you explore its many sights, from Fort Owen State Park, Placid Lake State Park, and Missoula Art Museum and beyond.
Frequently asked questions
- Is there a direct flight from San Diego to Missoula?
- Yes — you can fly nonstop from San Diego (SAN) to Missoula (MSO) on Alaska.
- Which airlines fly nonstop from San Diego to Missoula?
- Alaska flies nonstop between San Diego (SAN) and Missoula (MSO).
- How far is Missoula from San Diego?
- Missoula is about 993 miles from San Diego by air.
- What is there to do in Missoula?
- Popular things to do include Fort Owen State Park, Placid Lake State Park, Missoula Art Museum, Montana Museum of Art & Culture, and more.
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