How far behind is Telluride lodging occupancy compared to last year as of January 15–21, 2026?

Current bookings are running 34% behind last year, though this has improved by 23 points since the lowest point of impact from the recent disruption. January itself is pacing 21% behind year-over-year, but February and March are holding relatively steady at only 5 and 3 points behind 2025 respectively.

What is the occupancy outlook for February and March in Telluride?

February is currently projected at 48% occupancy (5 points behind 2025), while March is tracking at 39% (3 points behind 2025). These months represent the largest portion of winter visitation and are holding far steadier than initially expected following the recent disruption.

What is the current status of air bookings to Telluride for winter 2026?

December through March bookings are down 12–13% for total passengers compared to last year. January passengers are off nearly 20%, but February is only down 5–7% and March about 7%, with significant pent-up capacity still available—particularly 55% in March—suggesting meaningful recovery potential.

Why does the Telluride Tourism Board consider air and lodging updates important to the real estate market?

Travel patterns and destination health directly influence short-term visitation and long-term buyer confidence, which underpins second-home purchases, rental performance, and overall demand for Telluride real estate. Strong rebound signals in bookings help buyers and sellers make smarter timing decisions.

What large group is bringing visitors to Telluride in late January 2026?

The ski resort's group sales team has secured the Florida Ski Council, bringing approximately 350 people to the destination from January 24–31, along with several other ski clubs, to help stabilize leisure visitation during the recovery period.

Telluride Air + Lodging Update Jan 15–21

By Anne-Britt OstlundJanuary 17, 20263 min read

Lifetelluride

Telluride is in recovery mode—and the numbers are starting to show it.

With the disruption behind us and the ski resort reopening more terrain daily, the Telluride Tourism Board (TTB) is watching air and lodging metrics closely for signs of momentum returning. While January will be the toughest month to claw back (timing is timing), the more important story is this: the rebound has started, and February and March are holding far steadier than many expected.

If you’re a homeowner, investor, second-home buyer, or simply someone who loves the health of our destination economy, these updates matter. Travel patterns influence everything from short-term visitation to long-term confidence in the market—one of the reasons Telluride Real Estate has always been so tied to lifestyle, access, and the mountain’s operating rhythm.

Below is your Air + Lodging Update for January 15–21, with the key takeaways highlighted clearly.

LODGING UPDATE

With the strike behind us, and the ski resort opening more terrain daily, the TTB is monitoring lodging metrics closely for signs of recovery. While overall occupancy has not yet seen significant movement, YOY bookings are starting to rebound, which is an encouraging indicator as we move forward. Bookings are currently running 34% behind last year, but have improved by 23 points since the lowest point of impact.

In an effort to move the needle, the TTB has implemented immediate marketing recovery efforts designed to amplify the ski resort reopening message and drive bookings in the near term.

January continues to show the largest decline, pacing 21% behind YOY, which is expected given the timing of the disruption. February and March, however, are holding relatively steady. February is currently pacing at 48% occupancy, 5 points behind last year, while March is tracking 3 points behind 2025 at 39%.

For the remainder of January, total occupancy is pacing 16% behind YOY (37% vs. 44%). While the strike continues to impact leisure visitation this month, group business is helping to provide some stability. Notably, the ski resort's group sales team has secured the Florida Ski Council, bringing approximately 350 people to the destination (January 24 - 31), along with several other ski clubs.

AIR UPDATE

The strike ended about halfway through the reporting week, and we are seeing an uptick, while not quite back to historic levels. Jan will be hard to recover, but Feb and Mar are not far down and represent the large portion of winter visitation.

Bookings for the season were down 20% YOY this week, where we had been off 40% the last two weeks. Jan is off nearly 20% for total passengers, but Feb passengers are down just 5-7% YOY, and with 30% still left to fill (based on historic). March passengers are down about 7% YOY, with 55% left to fill -- March bookings stay consistent through the end of Feb to note. Dec-Mar is now down 12-13% for total passengers.

Let’s get the word out on the reopening and upper mountain terrain!

What This Means

The clearest action item coming out of this week’s data is simple:
Let’s get the word out on the reopening and upper mountain terrain.

That message is the lever right now—because when travelers believe the mountain is fully back and skiing strong, bookings follow. And when travel demand stabilizes, it supports the broader health of the destination: local business activity, second-home usage, rental performance, and overall market confidence.

In other words, this isn’t just a tourism update—it’s a pulse check on the ecosystem that underpins telluride real estate and long-term demand for telluride homes for sale.

At Mountain Rose Realty, I pay attention to these signals because they’re part of the larger story behind Telluride Real Estate—and they help buyers and sellers make smarter timing and strategy decisions with less guesswork.
— Anne-Britt Ostlund, Mountain Rose Realty

Blog Outro

👉 Want to explore your options or get a personalized market update?
Let’s talk. Schedule your private consultation today -

📲 Stay connected and get the latest Telluride real estate insights—follow us on social! https://www.mountainroserealty.co/contact/
https://www.facebook.com/theMountainRose
https://www.instagram.com/themountainrose/

Frequently Asked Questions

What This Means: The clearest action item coming out of this week’s data is simple:Let’s get the word out on the reopening and upper mountain terrain. That message is the lever right now—because when travelers believe the mountain is fully back and skiing strong, bookings follow. And when travel demand stabilizes, it supports the broader health of the destination: local business activity, second-home usage, rental performance, and overall market confidence. In other words, this isn’t just a tourism update—it’s a pulse check on the ecosystem that underpins telluride real estate and long-term demand for tellurid
How far behind is Telluride lodging occupancy compared to last year as of January 15–21, 2026?: Current bookings are running 34% behind last year, though this has improved by 23 points since the lowest point of impact from the recent disruption. January itself is pacing 21% behind year-over-year, but February and March are holding relatively steady at only 5 and 3 points behind 2025 respectively.
What is the occupancy outlook for February and March in Telluride?: February is currently projected at 48% occupancy (5 points behind 2025), while March is tracking at 39% (3 points behind 2025). These months represent the largest portion of winter visitation and are holding far steadier than initially expected following the recent disruption.
What is the current status of air bookings to Telluride for winter 2026?: December through March bookings are down 12–13% for total passengers compared to last year. January passengers are off nearly 20%, but February is only down 5–7% and March about 7%, with significant pent-up capacity still available—particularly 55% in March—suggesting meaningful recovery potential.
Why does the Telluride Tourism Board consider air and lodging updates important to the real estate market?: Travel patterns and destination health directly influence short-term visitation and long-term buyer confidence, which underpins second-home purchases, rental performance, and overall demand for Telluride real estate. Strong rebound signals in bookings help buyers and sellers make smarter timing decisions.
What large group is bringing visitors to Telluride in late January 2026?: The ski resort's group sales team has secured the Florida Ski Council, bringing approximately 350 people to the destination from January 24–31, along with several other ski clubs, to help stabilize leisure visitation during the recovery period.