31-01-2025
Kenmore Air, Puyallup Tribe expand seaplane service to BC destination. Here are details
Seaplane flights from Tacoma's Ruston Way will go international this year.
Kenmore Air and the Puyallup Tribe of Indians announced Thursday their seasonal seaplane flight service would add Victoria, British Columbia's Inner Harbour as a destination.
The service will run from May 15 through Sept. 15.
The entities, in a news release, said the flight will depart daily from Tacoma at 2:45 p.m. for an approximately one-hour flight to Friday Harbor Marina. After a 30-minute stopover, the flight will continue for a 20-minute trip to Victoria's Inner Harbour.
Total flight time is just under 2 hours.
'In addition to the Victoria route, May 15 will mark the return of Kenmore Air's seasonal seaplane service between Tacoma and the San Juan Islands with direct service to Friday Harbor Marina and stopover service to Roche Harbor,' the release noted, as well as a variety of locations on Orcas Island and Lopez Island.
Prices start at $199 per person, one-way for the Victoria and San Juan Islands flights.
Shorter flights also are available, with a 25-minute South Sound Scenic Flight tour for just $99 per person.
'We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, offering an exciting new route for travelers looking for a quick and scenic escape to Victoria,' said David Gudgel, president of Kenmore Air in a statement. 'This partnership continues to demonstrate our commitment to providing South Sound residents with the fastest, most convenient, and most beautiful way to travel to Victoria ... .'
The Puyallup Tribal Council, in a statement, said that with the expansion, 'The Puyallup Tribe is growing on the international stage.'
The council added, 'This extension of Kenmore Air's seaplane service reflects our ongoing commitment to providing accessible, efficient, and scenic travel options that connect our residents with the wider Pacific Northwest region and beyond.'
The Tacoma Ruston Way terminal is next to the Tribe-owned Woven restaurant, which opened last summer.
Kenmore Air and the Tribe announced their partnership and first flights in May 2022 and added new flights last year.
For more information, go to Kenmore Air's online booking site.
