Kenmore Air, Puyallup Tribe Expand Partnership

In August 2023, Kenmore Air began flying local scenic flights in a 1955 de Havilland DHC-3 Turbine Otter from Tacoma's Ruston Way in Pierce County, Washington. The seaplane base is located on tribal land. Operations at the South Sound base later expanded to seasonal travel to the San Juan Islands north of Seattle.

And this year, they will expand again.

According to tribal authorities, the new daily flight will take travelers to British Columbia. The aircraft will depart Tacoma at 2:45 p.m. PDT and head to Friday Harbor for a short stopover, and then on to Victoria, British Columbia. The entire journey will take approximately 1 hour and 50 minutes, and prices start at $199 per person one way.

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with the Puyallup Tribe, offering an exciting new route for travelers looking for a quick and scenic escape to Victoria,” David Gudgel, president of Kenmore Air, said 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—all without the long drives or ferry rides typically associated with such a journey, which can consume a good portion of vacation time.”

May 15 also marks the return of Kenmore Air's seasonal seaplane service between Tacoma and the San Juan Islands. Customers can visit Friday Harbor, Roche Harbor, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island.

For the people who would like a shorter scenic flight, those also launch from the Tacoma location.

The aircraft sport a Native American inspired livery to honor the sovereign nation of more than 5,000 members. The tribe name is pronounced “pew-AWL-up,” and means “generous people'' or "welcoming people.” The tribe is the largest employer in Pierce County. 

The partnership with Kenmore is another success for the Tribe’s economic development wing, according to Matt Wadhwani, CEO of Puyallup Tribal Enterprises and tribal financial officer.

“Kenmore has been a terrific partner from the start,” Wadhwani said. “Two years ago, we said we intended to go global, and here we are.”

The Tacoma Ruston Way Terminal is located next to the tribe-owned Woven restaurant. The eatery opened last summer and offers outdoor dining. Ruston Way also features a 2.5-mile walking path along the waterfront with historical markers and sculptures.

Kenmore Air was founded in the Puget Sound in 1946 and is the largest seaplane airline in the U.S., flying more than 90,000 passengers annually in de Havilland Beaver and Otter aircraft.

In addition to providing scheduled flights to over 45 water-based destinations throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, Kenmore Air Express uses Cessna Caravan for scheduled service between King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KBFI) and the San Juans.

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