US flights are backed up.The road south is open.
Stuck at YYC and need to be in Montana or Washington? Lux Limo Service can drive you there. One private vehicle, door to door, one flat quote before you leave.
Tell us where you are and where you need to be. We will tell you how soon we can roll.
Or request a quote onlineFriday, November 13, 2026
What happened
Friday, about 3 pm in Calgary
At about 4 pm Eastern, the US Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop after a communications outage affecting its air route traffic control centres. It later called it a temporary telecommunications outage, and US officials said there was no indication of an attack.
At Calgary International
YYC held all US-bound departures until further notice. Toronto and Montreal suspended their US flights too.
Friday evening onward
Flights began restarting as facilities recovered. A stop like this leaves a backlog, and it can take days for seats to open up again.
Reported by CTV News Calgary, Global News, CNBC and Flightradar24.
This changes by the hour. Check your airline for the current status of your flight before you decide anything.
By road, in one vehicle
Where we can drive you
From Calgary, YYC, Banff or Canmore, straight to the door. Road time only, before the stop at the border, and weather permitting. Montana is one hour behind Calgary until March 14.
About5hours
Route detailsRoute details for Kalispell and WhitefishKalispell and Whitefish
MontanaFCA
Glacier Park International Airport and the Flathead Valley.
About5hours
Route detailsRoute details for Great FallsGreat Falls
MontanaGTF
Down Highway 4 through the Coutts crossing, which is open 24 hours.
About6.5 to 7.5hours
Route detailsRoute details for SpokaneSpokane
WashingtonGEG
Eastern Washington. A long day, with rest stops planned in.
About10 to 11hours
Route detailsRoute details for SeattleSeattle
WashingtonSEA
A full day on the road. Worth asking about for a family or a group.
Somewhere else in Montana or Washington? Ask. If the road is good and we have a vehicle free, we will quote it.
Northbound
Stuck south of the border? We come and get you.
If you are in Montana or Washington and need to get home, we can pick you up there and drive you north to Calgary, Banff or Canmore. Same vehicles, same flat quote, the other direction.
The honest version
When driving makes sense, and when it does not
A long drive is not the answer for everyone. We would rather tell you now than halfway to the border.
Driving makes sense when
- You are going to Montana, Spokane or Seattle, or somewhere close to them.
- You have somewhere to be that will not wait for a rebooked seat.
- You are a family or a group, and getting everyone onto one flight is the hard part.
- You are south of the border and want to get home to Calgary.
Better to wait and rebook when
- You are going to Florida, the East Coast, or anywhere a day in a car does not get you close.
- Your airline has already moved you to a flight that works. Take it.
- Someone in your group does not have a valid passport with them.
- The highway or the weather says no. If it is not safe, we will tell you, and we will not go.
What about driving to a US airport?
While a ground stop is on, US airports are not departing either, so we drive you to where you are going. Once flights are moving again, a nearby US airport (Kalispell, Great Falls or Spokane) may have a seat sooner than Calgary does. Ask your airline first. We cannot promise seats or flights.
Three steps
How it works
Call or text
Reach us at (877) 748-0138. Tell us where you are, where you need to be, how many people and how many bags.
Get one flat quote
We tell you the vehicle, the price and how soon we can roll, before you commit to anything. No surge pricing.
Ride door to door
Your chauffeur picks you up at YYC, your hotel or your home and drives you across the border to where you are going. Your bags go in once and come out once.
What to bring
- A valid passport for every passenger, children included. Keep it on you, not in a bag in the back.
- If you are not a Canadian or US citizen, check the current US entry rules for your passport before you book. We do not give immigration advice, and the border officer decides who is admitted.
- Winter layers. It is mid-November, and timing depends on the weather and the border.
The border
For Great Falls we cross at Coutts and Sweet Grass on Highway 4, open 24 hours. For Kalispell and Whitefish we cross at Roosville on Highway 93, also open 24 hours, or at Carway and Piegan, which keeps posted hours. Montana is one hour behind Calgary until March 14, 2027. Your chauffeur plans the route and the timing around all of it.
Which vehicle
Sedan
One or two travellers with normal luggage.
1 to 2passengers
Chevrolet Suburban SUV
Families, skis and extra bags.
Up to 6passengers
Ford Transit executive van
Teams and groups, with luggage.
12 to 14passengers
We are a Calgary company with four vehicles of our own, each driven by a professional chauffeur. Call or text and ask what we can send today.
Questions
What stranded travellers are asking
Can you drive me from Calgary to the United States?
Yes. Lux Limo Service drives from Calgary, YYC, Banff and Canmore to US destinations within a day by road, in one private chauffeured vehicle, door to door. The trips we are set up for are Kalispell and Whitefish, Great Falls, Spokane and Seattle. If you need somewhere else in Montana or Washington, call or text (877) 748-0138 and ask.
How long is the drive from Calgary to Montana?
About 5 hours of road time to Kalispell and Whitefish, and about 5 hours to Great Falls, plus the stop at the border. Spokane is about 6.5 to 7.5 hours and Seattle about 10 to 11 hours. Montana is one hour behind Calgary until March 14, 2027. It is mid-November, so every time is weather and border permitting, and we plan rest stops on the longer runs.
How soon can you pick me up?
Call or text (877) 748-0138 and we will tell you how soon we can roll. We are a Calgary company with four vehicles of our own, so the honest answer depends on what is already on the road. Ask what we can send today.
How much does a car service from Calgary to Montana cost?
It depends on where you are going, how many people are travelling and which vehicle you need. You get one flat quote before you leave, and there is no surge pricing. Call or text (877) 748-0138, or request a quote on the booking page.
What do I need to cross the border?
A valid passport for every passenger, children included. Keep passports on you, not in the luggage. If you are not a Canadian or US citizen, check the current US entry rules for your passport before you book. We do not give immigration advice, and the border officer decides who is admitted.
Which border crossing do you use, and is it open at night?
It depends on where you are going. For Great Falls we cross at Coutts and Sweet Grass on Highway 4, which is open 24 hours. For Kalispell and Whitefish we cross at Roosville on Highway 93, which is also open 24 hours, or at Carway and Piegan, which keeps posted hours. Montana is one hour behind Calgary until March 14, 2027, and your chauffeur plans the timing around it. We cannot predict the wait at the border.
Should I drive to a US airport, or wait for my flight to be rebooked?
While a ground stop is on, US airports are not departing either, so the plain answer is that we drive you to where you are going when that is within a day by road. Once flights are moving again, a nearby US airport such as Kalispell, Great Falls or Spokane may have a seat sooner, so ask your airline before you book the ride. If you are going to Florida or the East Coast, waiting and rebooking is the better call.
I am stuck in Montana or Washington. Can you bring me home to Calgary?
Yes. We can pick you up south of the border and drive you north to Calgary, Banff or Canmore. Call or text (877) 748-0138 with where you are and how many people are travelling.
More detail
If you have a few minutes
- The US ground stop and YYC: what to doYour options if your flight to the United States was held or cancelled.
- Calgary to Montana by car serviceThe routes, the crossings and what the drive is like in winter.
- Calgary to Whitefish, MontanaDoor to door to Whitefish and the Flathead Valley.
- How a cross-border ride worksThe quote, the documents and what happens at the border booth.
- Starting in Banff or CanmoreHeading south from the mountains without backtracking to Calgary.
- When flights at YYC are disruptedA ground travel plan B for the next time, whatever the cause.
Tell us where you need to be.
Call or text. We will tell you what we can send and how soon we can roll.
Or request a quote online. Lux Limo Service, Calgary.
Top photo: Southern Alberta, on the road toward Waterton Lakes National Park. Ali Kazal, Pexels