How to Get to Branson, Missouri
Each year, millions of visitors travel to Branson for various kinds of travel fun, from boating and hiking to enjoying unique attractions and one-of-a-kind shows featuring some of the biggest names in the business.
In the 1980s and 1990s, as Branson grew in popularity, the state found it necessary to find ways to better accommodate those who were heading here for vacation. Though commercial planes had been flying to nearby Springfield Municipal Airport since 1946 and a new terminal was opened in the 60s, as the town of Branson grow, it was necessary for the airport to grow as well. In 1992, cashing in on the popularity of Branson, the airport – which is about 50 miles north of Branson – was renamed the Springfield-Branson Regional Airport. Ground was broken for another terminal in 2006 and it was completed in 2009, prompting another name change to Springfield-Branson National Airport.
Today, most people arriving in Branson by air land at this airport and proceed by rented automobile to the town of Branson, a little more than an hour’s drive from the terminal. Currently, American, Allegiant, Delta, and United Airlines fly to Springfield from a variety of cities including Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, Memphis, Minneapolis, and Atlanta. That means those flying from other locales will need to arrange to change planes during their trip.
About a half-dozen of the most popular rental car agencies have booths at this airport and they stay quite busy as well, especially during the summer months. It is also possible to catch a bus from Springfield to Branson, which drops visitors off in the downtown area.
The small, privately-owned Branson Airport opened in the spring of 2009. Limited commercial airline service is available to and from this airport, which is located in Hollister, only roughly 10 miles from Branson. Currently, only 3 airlines operate from this airport – AirTran, Express Jet, and Sun Country, with service to and from Dallas/Ft. Worth, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Atlanta, Chicago, and Shreveport. Services are set to expand. The city of Branson West also has a small municipal airport, but there are no plans to operate commercial flights from that facility.
Unfortunately, traveling to Branson by train is not a good option at this time. There is no Amtrak station in Branson or in Springfield. As a matter of fact, the closest Amtrak station is in Kansas City, about 200 miles from Branson. There’s been conversation about a rail route from Kansas City to Branson, but that has yet to become a reality.
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