Private Jet Charter Airport List
West Palm Jet Charter is your personal flight department for private air charters. The ability to fly in and out of general aviation airports gives West Palm Jet Charter’s clients a number of important advantages that are not available when flying with major commercial airlines. Browse our jet charter airport list to find the airport that is closest to your destination.
Alabama Airports
There are 96 public airports in Alabama, including 6 airports providing scheduled passenger service as well as general aviation services, 78 public-use airports and 12 privately owned public-use airports. Alabama also has 40 private-use landing fields and 61 licensed helipads. Notable general aviation airports include Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) which is home to the Southern Museum of Flight. Alabama’s aviation system provides access to the Gulf Coast resort, fishing and hunting areas, Talladega Super Speedway, the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail and the historic Alabama Civil Rights Trail. Key airports include:
TCL Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa Regional Airport
The airport was opened in April 1940 as Van De Graaff Field, and, during World War II, was a U.S. Army Air Forces primary pilot training field. Tuscaloosa is home to the University of Alabama and serves western Alabama.
BHM Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham Shuttlesworth International
Serving Birmingham, the largest city in Alabama, and central Alabama, BHM opened in 1931 and is the largest and busiest airport in the state. With a main runway of 12,002 feet, the airport is capable of handling all aircraft types.
AUO Auburn, Alabama Auburn University Regional Airport
Owned and maintained by Auburn University, was formerly known as Auburn–Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport. AUO offers no commercial service but is well-situated in eastern Alabama. There are special aircraft services available here for AU home football games.
Alaska Airports
Alaska Airports Due to its enormous size, Alaska has an extensive network of 281 public airports, including 91 airports that provide both commercial and general aviation services, 190 general aviation/public-use airports and hundreds of private-use airports and seaplane bases. Most of Alaska is rural and fewer than 20% of its communities are served by roads. Consequently, air travel is virtually the only way to get around, and airports are a vital link for access to food, mail, schools and medical services. Alaska has challenging topography, with mountains that go from sea level to 20,000 feet within 50 miles. Summer flying weather is generally good with long daylight hours, but it’s possible to encounter icing conditions year round. Many of Alaska’s runways are gravel and not lighted. And fuel planning must be accurate because airports are separated by great distances. Key airports in The Last Frontier include:
ANC Anchorage, Alaska Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport
Ted Stevens Anchorage International is just south of Anchorage, Alaska’s most populous city. ANC/PANC is an international port of entry with customs landings rights, the busiest airport in the state, and one of the busiest airports in the world for cargo traffic. Air traffic peaks here from June through August when most visitors come to enjoy world-class hunting, sport-fishing and Denali National Park/Mt. McKinley, the highest mountain in North America.
Arizona Airports
The Grand Canyon State has an extensive network of 84 public airports, including 20 airports providing scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 59 public-use airports and 5 private-use landing fields. Led by Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), Arizona provides some of the best flying conditions in the nation due to its excellent weather. The aviation system provides access to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, the red-rock buttes of Sedona and the saguaro forests of the Sonoran Desert. Notable general aviation airports include Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), which features one of the tallest control towers in North America and is one of the largest airports in the world to have all runways parallel. Key airports include:
TUS Tucson Tucson International Airport
With more than 60% of its operations attributed to general aviation, TUS is appreciated by GA passengers and pilots. It is an international port of entry with 24-hour customs service. Its proximity to Mexico also makes it an important cargo hub.
SDL Scottsdale Scottsdale Airport
SDL is a favorite of corporate business travelers because it has no scheduled airline traffic and offers amenities such as airside vehicle access. It is one of the busiest single-runway facilities in the nation and the busiest corporate jet facility in the state.
PHX Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor is Arizona’s largest and busiest airport, the largest commercial airport in the American Southwest, and the 15th busiest airport in the U.S. It is one of the few locations in the U.S. where one can fly nearly every day of the year.
Arkansas Airports
The Grand Canyon State has an extensive network of 84 public airports, including 20 airports providing scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 59 public-use airports and 5 private-use landing fields. Led by Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), Arizona provides some of the best flying conditions in the nation due to its excellent weather. The aviation system provides access to the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, the red-rock buttes of Sedona and the saguaro forests of the Sonoran Desert. Notable general aviation airports include Phoenix Sky Harbor International (PHX), which features one of the tallest control towers in North America and is one of the largest airports in the world to have all runways parallel. Key airports include:
VBT Bentonville Bentonville Municipal Airport
VBT – Bentonville Municipal Airport Private Jet Charters to and from Bentonville Municipal Airport (VBT)
LIT Little Rock Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport
LIT – Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport Executive Jet Charters to and from Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT)
California Airports
There are over 250 public-use airports in California, including 30 commercial service airports, of which 11 are ranked in the top 100 nationwide in terms of passenger traffic. Notable general aviation airports include Bob Hope Airport (BUR) which began life in 1930 as United Airport, the first multimillion-dollar airport in the country, and Santa Monica Municipal (SMO) which hosted bombers and military transports during World War II, and was hidden from view from the air by Hollywood craftsmen who built a false “town” and suspended it atop the airport. California airports are well-known for modern facilities, state-of-the-art aviation technologies and outstanding flying weather. Key airports include:
VNY Van Nuys, California Van Nuys
VNY is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world. It offers easy access to the San Fernando Valley and all of Los Angeles, and is frequented by celebrities, politicians and executives because it offers convenience and anonymity.
SNA Orange County, California John Wayne-Orange County Airport
Also known as John Wayne Airport, SNA is the only commercial service airport in Orange County, California. It is about 35 miles south of Los Angeles, between the cities of Costa Mesa, Irvine, and Newport Beach, and is 14 miles from Disneyland.
SMO Santa Monica, California Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Originally called Clover Field after fallen World War I aviator 2nd lieutenant Greayer “Grubby” Clover, SMO was the site of the 1st circumnavigation of the world by air in 1924. The airport is located just 6 miles north of LAX.
SJC San Jose, California Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport is the smallest of the three San Francisco Bay Area international airports, but is located in the heart of Silicon Valley. The site was originally approved in 1938 for emergency landings when SFO was fogged in.
SFO San Francisco, California San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International is the 2nd busiest airport in California (after LAX), and is a major gateway to Europe and Asia. Originally named Mills Field, SFO opened in 1927 and is home to the Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum.
SBA Santa Barbara, California Santa Barbara Municipal Airport
SBA is very convenient for travelers who are headed to Santa Maria, Carpinteria, Ventura and the Santa Ynez Valley. It was constructed on the site of a sea plane factory built in 1916 by the Loughhead brothers (later changed to Lockheed).
SAN San Diego, California San Diego International Airport
SAN is also known as Lindbergh Field in commemoration of San Diego’s design and construction of the Spirit of St. Louis, in which Charles Lindbergh made the first non-stop flight from New York to Paris in 1927.
OAK Oakland, California Oakland International Airport
Oakland International is one of three international airports in the San Francisco Bay area, but has the highest on-time arrival percentage. When OAK opened in 1927, it had the longest runway in the world at the time (7,020 feet).
HWD Hayward, California Hayward Executive Airport
Originally a WWII fighter base, Hayward Army Airfield, for the U.S. Army in 1942, the airport was home to the legendary P-51 Mustang. Today, HWD helps reduce congestion in the San Francisco Bay area and is very convenient to Silicon Valley.
CRQ Carlsbad, California McClellan-Palomar Airport
Mostly used for general aviation, CRQ serves the northern part of San Diego County, and is the 4th busiest single runway airport in the U.S. It opened in 1959 and is popular due to its proximity to business and recreation.
BUR Burbank, California Bob Hope Airport
The former Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport was renamed after the legendary entertainer in 2003. BUR offers access to all of Los Angeles and is most convenient if you’re headed to Glendale, Pasadena, Santa Clarita or the San Fernando Valley.
Colorado Airports
Colorado provides a network of 76 public airports, including 14 airports with scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 61 public-use airports, and at least one private-use airport. Notable airports include Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver, a general aviation facility which offers no scheduled passenger service but has traffic rivaling that of San Francisco (SFO) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK) airports, Denver International Airport (DEN), which is the 2nd largest airport in the world, and Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE), which earned 8th place on the History Channel’s Most Extreme Airports program due to its high altitude and constantly changing weather. Key airports in the Centennial State include:
TEX Telluride, Colorado Telluride Regional Airport
Telluride Regional serves Southwest Colorado from its location atop Deep Creek Mesa in the San Juan Mountains, the highest commercial airport in North America at 9,070 feet above sea level. TEX is the gateway to the world-class Telluride Ski Resort.
RIL Rifle, Colorado Garfield County Regional Airport
Garfield County Regional is the gateway to Colorado’s cattle ranching region at the base of the White River Plateau in Western Colorado. RIL is convenient for deer and elk hunters and fisherman, and is also near Grand Junction, 61 miles to the southwest.
HDN Hayden, Colorado Yampa Valley Airport
Yampa Valley Airport is near Steamboat Springs in Northwest Colorado but can accommodate larger jets than nearby Steamboat Springs Airport (SBS). HDN is located in the heart of the Steamboat Ski Resort and offers convenient access to Fish Creek Falls.
EGE Eagle, Colorado Eagle County Regional Airport
EGE, also called Eagle Vail Airport, is surrounded by mountainous terrain, earning its title as one of the world’s most “extreme” airports. It serves Northwest Colorado and is convenient to the Vail, Beaver Creek, Copper Mountain, Keystone, and Breckenridge ski resorts.
DEN Denver, Colorado Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport (DEN) features the longest public use runway in the U.S. (16,000 feet) and is the second largest airport in the world after Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport. It is 17 miles from Aurora, CO and 25 miles from Denver.
COS Colorado Springs, Colorado Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
Officially named the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, COS is located at the base of Pikes Peak in the center of Colorado. The second busiest airport in the state is a convenient alternative to Denver’s often crowded Denver International Airport (DEN).
BJC Denver, Colorado Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport
Rocky Mountain Metropolitan, formerly “Jeffco” or Jefferson County airport, is the closest airport to both Denver (16 miles) and Boulder, Colorado (12 miles). BJC offers U.S. Customs service and can accommodate aircraft up to 75,000 pounds without prior permission.
ASE Aspen, Colorado Aspen-Pitkin County Airport/Sardy Field
High mountain terrain surrounds Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE), also known as Sardy Field. It serves Northwest Colorado and is about three miles from Aspen and six miles from Snowmass in a remote area of the Rocky Mountains’ Sawatch Range.
APA Denver, Colorado Centennial Airport
Centennial Airport provides easy access to Denver, Colorado, the “Mile High City”, only 17 miles to the southeast. This charter-services-only international facility is the nation’s 3rd busiest General Aviation airport. APA offers all-weather capability and 24 hour U.S. Customs service.
Connecticut Airports
Connecticut provides a network of 76 public airports, including 2 airports with scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 18 public-use airports, and at least one private-use airport. Notable airports include Igor I. Sikorsky Memorial Airport (BDR) in Bridgeport, the most populous city in Connecticut. Sikorsky was a Russian American aviation pioneer in both helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft who made BDR his headquarters for Sikorsky Aviation Corporation where he developed the world’s first mass-produced helicopter in 1942. Bradley International (BDL) is home to the New England Air Museum which has many one-of-a-kind exhibits, such as the oldest surviving Sikorsky aircraft and the Silas Brooks Balloon Basket, the oldest surviving aircraft in the U.S. Key airports in the Constitution State include:
OXC Oxford, Connecticut Waterbury/Oxford Airport
Serving New Haven and Southwest Connecticut, Waterbury-Oxford Airport offers no scheduled passenger service but is home to many international private jet charter companies. OXC is well-known for its corporate jet facilities and its convenience to both the New York and Boston metropolitan areas.
BDL Bridgeport, Connecticut Igor Sikorsky Memorial Airport
Originally called Avon Field, where aircraft landed on the grass infield in 1911, BDR was eventually named in honor of the founder of Sikorsky Aviation Corporation, the airport’s most famous tenant since 1929. BDL is a GA airport in Southwest CT with no commercial passenger service.
BDL Windsor Locks, Connecticut Bradley International Airport
Bradley International is the state’s busiest commercial airport and the 2nd busiest in New England after Boston-Logan. Located halfway between Hartford and Springfield, BDL serves Central Connecticut and is home to Embraer’s Northeastern U.S. jet service center and the New England Air Museum.
Delaware Airports
Delaware, the second smallest of the 50 U.S. states, has 10 public airports, including 2 that offer general aviation services and minimal scheduled passenger service, and 8 general aviation/public-use airports. The state is bordered to the north by Pennsylvania; to the east by the Delaware River, Delaware Bay, New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean; and to the west and south by Maryland. Due to its central location in the Northeast, Delaware is convenient to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) for domestic and international travel as well as Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), which are also within a 100-mile radius. Key airports in Delaware include:
ILG Wilmington, Delaware New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport is a general aviation reliever airport providing services to private aircraft and charters as well as limited scheduled passenger service. It is 5 miles south of Wilmington and about a 30-minute drive from Philadelphia, PA. ILG is also about a 90 minute flight to New York City or Washington, DC. The airport’s proximity to I-95, I-295, I-495 and the New Jersey Turnpike make ILG accessible to the entire Northeast corridor.
District of Columbia Airports
The Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, also called the “DC area”, encompasses the U.S. Capital as well as parts of the states of Maryland and Virginia, and a small portion of West Virginia. There are 3 major airports with scheduled passenger service and general aviation services in the area. As for public-use general aviation airports, there are two rings of incredibly restricted airspace around DC for national security reasons. The Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) encompasses the Flight Restricted Zone (DC FRZ) and the Special Flight Rules Area (DC SFRA), and they cover about 2,800 square miles. There are about a dozen general aviation public-use airports within the DC ADIZ. Pilots who violate the boundaries may be intercepted by military aircraft and escorted to the nearest airport, followed by suspension or revocation of the pilot’s certificates. Key airports in the D.C. area include:
IAD Dulles, Virginia Washington Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International is about 26 miles west of Washington D.C. IAD is the busiest airport in the Washington Metro Area, and 2nd busiest in the Baltimore–Washington area (after BWI airport). It is home to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, an aerospace museum that houses an Air France Concorde, the Enola Gay B-29 and the Space Shuttle Discovery.
HEF Manassas, Virginia Manassas Regional Airport
Manassas Regional is the largest regional airport in Virginia and is located about 30 miles from Washington, D.C. The airport opened in 1932 but was moved in 1964 to a more suitable location. Manassas Regional Airport is currently the busiest General Aviation airport in the Commonwealth of Virginia with over 400 based aircraft and over 85,000 annual aircraft operations.
DCA Arlington, Virginia Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
DCA is only 3 miles south of Washington, D.C. It opened in 1941, replacing Washington-Hoover Airport which was surrounded by high smokestacks and high-tension electrical wires. When visibility and ceilings cooperate, stringent noise restrictions require pilots to use the “River Visual” approach for Runway 19 which follows the Potomac River and provides a great view of many famous Washington monuments.
Florida Airports
The Sunshine State has a wide-ranging network of 140 airports, including 20 airports providing scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 109 public-use airports and 11 private-use landing fields. Florida is renowned for its excellent flying weather, which varies from humid sub-tropical in the north to semi-tropical in the south. The Gulf Stream moderates the temperatures from between 65 and 95 degrees year round. Notable Florida airports include Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) whose predecessor, Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale, was the home base of Flight 19, the five TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared on December 5, 1945, losing all 14 airmen on board, and gave rise to the notoriety of the “Bermuda Triangle”. Key airports in Florida include:
VRB Vero Beach, Florida Vero Beach Municipal Airport
Vero Beach Municipal Airport is located just one mile outside of Vero Beach in East-Central Florida. VRB is a public-use general aviation airport with FAR Part 139 certification and currently has no scheduled passenger service. It maintains three lighted runways and handles approximately 185,000 annual take-offs and landings in everything from small general aviation aircraft to large corporate jets.
TPA Tampa, Florida Tampa International Airport
Serving Florida’s West-Central coast, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, Tampa International is just a few miles from downtown Tampa. In 2007 and 2008, Zagat Survey ranked TPA the “Best Overall U.S. Airport,” while placing it second best overall in 2009 and 2010. Tampa International has been designated an official entry/exit point for travels to and from Cuba.
TMB Miami, Florida Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport
Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport is 13 miles south of Miami in Kendall. Its proximity to Miami has made TMB a very popular corporate aviation facility and there are hundreds of aircraft based here. It is also an all-weather site for Ohio University Avionics Engineering Center’s flight testing of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) on experimental aircraft, and home to the Wings Over Miami aviation museum.
SUA Stuart. Florida Witham Field Airport
Witham Field, in Martin County, Florida, operated during World War II as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Witham Field and during the 1950s and 1960s as Grumman Aircraft Corporation’s “Plant 77”, which field-tested and manufactured parts of various military aircraft. Since 1994, SUA has served as a general aviation airport and home to hundreds of private and business aircraft.
SRQ Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport
Serving Southwest Florida, Sarasota-Bradenton International is located between Sarasota and Bradenton. SRQ was leased to the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942 as a fighter pilot training base during World War II. The world famous Gulf Coast beaches of Siesta Key Beach, Lido Key Beach, Longboat Key Beach and Anna Maria Island are all nearby.
RSW Fort Myers, Florida Southwest Florida International Airport
Southwest Florida International was built in 1973 to accommodate newer aircraft and more traffic than nearby Page Field, and has become one of the busiest single runway use airports in the U.S. RSW is convenient for travelers with business or leisure plans in Cape Coral, Sanibel Island, Marco Island, Naples, Captiva Island and Bonita Springs.
PIE St Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida St Petersburg-Clearwater International
Some of the most beautiful beaches on Florida’s Gulf Coast are to be found in and around the PIE area of St. Petersburg and Clearwater, which borders Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Nicknamed “The Sunshine City” for its 360 sunshiny days each year, St. Petersburg is home to Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
PBI West Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach International Airport
PBI in Southeast Florida began operations as Morrison Field in 1936. It was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II as a staging base for the Allied invasion of France, with numerous aircraft departing Morrison to take part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Palm Beach County is known as the “Golf Capital of the World” for its 160 plus golf courses.
ORL Orlando, Florida Orlando Executive Airport
ORL is located in Central Florida. The airport was used by the U.S. Army Air Corps as Orlando Army Air Base for antisubmarine patrols along the east coast and Gulf of Mexico during World War II. ORL is a popular general and corporate aviation airport near all of the major Orlando attractions such as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld and the Kennedy Space Center.
OPF Miami, Florida Opa-locka Executive Airport
Opa-locka Executive Airport serves Southeast Florida from its location about 10 miles north of Miami, the second largest city in Florida. The area is surrounded by water with 300 lakes and easy access to the Atlantic Ocean. It also offers more than 125 golf courses, with many designed by Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer. OPF provides easy access to Miami, South Beach, Key Biscayne, Hialeah and Bal Harbour.
MTH Marathon, Florida Florida Keys Marathon Airport
Florida Keys Marathon Airport is located in the middle of the Florida Keys along Overseas Highway (U.S.1). MTH has no regularly scheduled passenger service and has been a general aviation facility for most of its existence. Marathon is a major sportsfishing destination, and the airport is one of the best sites in the entire U.S. to see the hard-to-find Antillean Nighthawk bird.
MKY Naples/Marco Island, Florida Marco Island Airport
Marco Island Airport, also known as Marco Island Executive Airport, serves Southwest Florida and is conveniently located to Naples, Marco Island, Goodland and Isles of Capri. Its IATA designation is MRK. MKY is ideal if you are headed to Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Reserve and Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
MCO Orlando, Florida Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport serves Central Florida and is the second-busiest airport in Florida and one of the busiest in the world. MCO is extremely convenient for visiting Florida’s main theme parks, such as Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Sea World and the Kennedy Space Center, as well as for the NBA’s Orlando Magic basketball games.
JAX Jacksonville, Florida Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International is the main airport in Northeast Florida. It is close to St. Augustine, the oldest city in the United States, as well as the upscale beach resort of Amelia Island. JAX is well-situated for both the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars games at EverBank Field and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, home to the University of Florida Gators.
FXE Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport
Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport is located within the city limits of Fort Lauderdale and serves Southeast Florida. It is one of the ten busiest general aviation airports in the U.S., and many privately owned aircraft are hangared or tied down here. FXE is also a FAA reliever facility for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).
FMY Fort Myers, Florida Page Field
Page Field is located about 3 miles south of Fort Myers, Florida, the gateway to all of Southwest Florida. During World War II, the airport was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces for antisubmarine patrols and conventional bomber training. FMY was name General Aviation Airport of the Year in 2002 and 2008 by the Florida DOT.
FLL Fort Lauderdale, Florida Hollywood International Airport
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International is located in the heart of Southeast Florida. It is located between Fort Lauderdale to the north and Hollywood to the south and is about 20 miles from Miami. FLL is one of the nation’s busiest international gateways and is only two miles from one of the country’s largest seaports, Port Everglades.
DAB Daytona Beach, Florida Daytona Beach International Airport
Daytona Beach International Airport serves Northeast Florida. The municipal airport was first called Sholtz Field, then Naval Air Station Daytona Beach, and reverted to the city of Daytona Beach in 1946. DAB is a few hundred feet from Daytona International Speedway, home of the number one event in stock car racing – the NASCAR Daytona 500.
BCT Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton Airport
Formerly called Boca Raton Army Airfield, the airport served as a base during World War II for air-sea patrols hunting enemy submarines, as a way station for war planes being ferried to Europe, and as a radar training center. Boca Raton Airport (BCT) is located in Southeast Florida, halfway between West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale
APF Naples, Florida Naples Municipal Airport
Naples Municipal Airport is located just two miles from the center of Naples, in Southwest Florida, which borders Everglades National Park on its eastern edge. APF was first established in 1942 as Naples Army Airfield by the US Army Air Forces. Since the 1950s, it has served as a home to private aviation and general aviation-related businesses.
Georgia Airports
There are 104 public airports in Georgia, including 9 airports providing scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 94 public-use airports and one privately owned public-use airport. Notable general aviation airports in The Peach State include Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) which is thought to be the only U.S. airport with gravestone markers in a runway (Runway 10). The graves date to the 1850s and belonged to the original owners of the airport property. Since the markers are near the runway shoulder, planes pass them while taxiing. Georgia’s aviation system provides access to popular destinations such as Atlanta’s Stone Mountain Park, Northern Georgia’s Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest and Amicalola Falls, the tallest waterfall in the Southeastern U.S., and the renowned Golden Isles. Key airports include:
SSI Brunswick, Georgia Malcolm Mc Kinnon Airport
Malcolm McKinnon Airport provides general aviation services for southeast Coastal Georgia, midway between Savannah, GA, and Jacksonville, FL. Also known as McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport, SSI is located on St. Simons Island, the largest of Georgia’s renowned barrier islands, or “Golden Isles”, named for vast marshes that turn a golden color in the fall. It is a popular destination for golf, fishing and beaches.
SAV Savannah, Georgia Savannah/Hilton Head International
SAV serves Southeast Georgia and the Savannah metro area, but nearly 40% of its total passenger traffic is bound for Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, located about 42 minutes away by car. SAV currently has no scheduled international commercial flights but offers U.S. Customs facilities. The airport serves as world headquarters for Gulfstream Aerospace.
RYY Atlanta/Kennesaw, Georgia Cobb County Airport-Mc Collum Field
Serving Southeast Georgia, RYY is a major general aviation reliever airport for Hartsfield-Jackson Airport (ATL) and is located only 25 minutes from downtown Atlanta. It offers no scheduled passenger service but is the primary general aviation airport for suburban Atlanta. The scenic Appalachian Mountains are less than a 30-minute flight away.
PDK Atlanta, Georgia Dekalb-Peachtree Airport
Dekalb-Peachtree Airport’s location just 8 miles from downtown Atlanta makes it a good choice for corporate, business, and general aviation aircraft visiting the Atlanta metro area. PDK does not have scheduled passenger service but is the second busiest airport in Georgia in the number of flight operations per year.
FTY Atlanta, Georgia Fulton County Airport-Brown Field
Fulton County Airport, also known as Charlie Brown Field, began operation in 1950. Located just 7 miles west of Atlanta, FTY is the nearest airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and handles much of the general aviation traffic that would otherwise go there.
FFC Atlanta/Peachtree City, Georgia Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon
Formerly known as Peachtree City Airport, Atlanta Regional serves the Atlanta-Metro Area from its location about 30 miles southwest of the city. FFX is home to the National Weather Service’s Atlanta forecast office and the annual Great Georgia Air Show, one of the most highly regarded aviation events in the nation that takes place in October.
ATL Atlanta, Georgia Hartsfield – Jackson Atlanta International
Hartsfield – Jackson is the busiest airport in the world, both in passengers and number of flights. ATL is located in East-Central Georgia and is a major hub for travel throughout the Southeastern United States with nearly 1,000,000 flights in 2012. With a main runway of 12,390 feet, the airport is capable of handling all aircraft types.
AGS Augusta, Georgia Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field
Augusta Regional is the former site of Georgia Aero Tech, a World War II flight training school. AGS serves both commercial and civil aviation flights in the Central Savannah River Area of Georgia and South Carolina. Traffic soars annually in April for the prestigious Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
Hawaii Airports
Hawaii has 15 public airports, including 11 airports that provide both scheduled passenger service and general aviation services and 4 public-use airports. Notable general aviation airports include Kona International Airport at Keahole (PHKO), where the runway is built atop a relatively recent lava flow: the 1801 HuÊ»ehuÊ»e flow from Hualalai. During 13 months of construction in 1969, Bechtel Corporation crews used 3 million pounds of dynamite to flatten the lava flow, and Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), which opened in 1927 as John Rodgers Airport. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, it became Naval Air Station Honolulu. Today, PHNL shares airfield operations with Hickam Air Force Base. Its principal runway, called the Reef Runway, was the world’s first major runway constructed entirely offshore. Key airports in the Aloha State include:
PHOG Kahului, Hawaii Kahului Airport
Kahului Airport is the primary airport on the island of Maui and receives both international and interisland flights. Most flights into Kahului Airport originate from Honolulu International Airport (PHNL) and is one of the busiest air routes in the US. Towering over the island is Mount Haleakala, a dormant volcano whose crater is large enough to hold Manhattan. Popular destinations include beaches, the whaling town of Lahaina and Pro-Tour golf courses.
PHNY Lanai City, Hawaii Lanai Airport
Located a few miles off the coast of Maui, Lanai is the smallest publicly accessible inhabited island in the island chain. PHNY offers interisland flights as well as general aviation and cargo services. At one time it was home to the world’s largest pineapple plantation (Dole) and is still mostly privately owned. Top visitor destinations include beach resorts and championship golf courses designed by Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.
PHNL Honolulu, Hawaii Honolulu International Airport
Honolulu International Airport is the principal airport in the Hawaiian Islands and one of the busiest airports in the United States. Being near the center of the Pacific Ocean, PHNL was a frequent stop for transpacific flights before the advent of long range aircraft. Aside from its four main runways, PHNL has two offshore runways for use by seaplanes. PHNL is convenient to world-famous Waikiki Beach, Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial.
PHLI Lihu’e, Hawaii Lihu’e Airport
Lihue Airport is the primary airport for the Hawaiian island of KauaÊ»i and is located on the southeast coast. Its runway can handle planes up to and including the size of a DC-10. Kaua’i is the northernmost, oldest geologically, and the fourth largest of the major Hawaiian Islands. Popular visitor highlights near PHLI include the Na Pali Coast, 17-mile Poihale Beach, Waimea Canyon, and 10 championship golf courses.
KOA Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Kona International Airport at Keahole
Hawaii has 15 public airports, including 11 airports that provide both scheduled passenger service and general aviation services and 4 public-use airports. Notable general aviation airports include Kona International Airport at Keahole (PHKO), where the runway is built atop a relatively recent lava flow: the 1801 HuÊ»ehuÊ»e flow from Hualalai. During 13 months of construction in 1969, Bechtel Corporation crews used 3 million pounds of dynamite to flatten the lava flow, and Honolulu International Airport (PHNL), which opened in 1927 as John Rodgers Airport. After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, it became Naval Air Station Honolulu. Today, PHNL shares airfield operations with Hickam Air Force Base. Its principal runway, called the Reef Runway, was the world’s first major runway constructed entirely offshore. Key airports in the Aloha State include:
Idaho Airports
Idaho has 124 public airports, including 6 that offer scheduled passenger service and general aviation services, 1 reliever airport, 30 general aviation airports, 66 public-use airports, and 21 public-use airports belonging to the U.S. Forest Service. Idaho is a mountainous state and is larger in area than all of New England. It borders six states and one Canadian province. Washington and Oregon are to the west, Nevada and Utah are to the south, and Montana and Wyoming are to the east. Idaho also shares a short border to the north with the Canadian province of British Columbia. This is a Rocky Mountain state with snow-capped mountains, river rapids, lakes and canyons. Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge in the United States, and Shoshone Falls plunge from a height greater than that of Niagara Falls. These are a few of the features that make Idaho a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Part of Idaho falls into the Pacific Time Zone (Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston, Sandpoint) while the majority of the state is in the Mountain Time Zone (Boise, Idaho Falls, Pocatello). Key airports in the Gem State include:
SZT Sandpoint, Idaho Sandpoint Airport
Sandpoint Airport is just two miles north of Sandpoint in Northern Idaho, almost to the border of British Columbia. It is also known as Dave Wall Field. SZT has no scheduled passenger service. The city of Sandpoint sits on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille and is surrounded by three major mountain ranges, the Selkirk, Cabinet and Bitterroot ranges. It is home to Schweitzer Mountain Resort, Idaho’s largest ski resort.
SUN Hailey, Idaho Friedman Memorial Airport
Serving Sun Valley, Ketchum, Bellevue and the Wood River Valley, Friedman Memorial is located one mile from downtown Hailey, in the heart of Central Idaho, and about 13 miles south of Sun Valley. The site has been used for aviation since as early as 1916. SUN is surrounded on three sides by mountainous terrain and sits at an elevation of 5,318 feet.
COE Hayden, Idaho Coeur d’Alene Airport – Pappy Boyington Field
Coeur d’Alene Airport, located just minutes from downtown Coeur d’Alene and the surrounding resort areas, is a general aviation airport. COE serves northern Idaho and is a certified weather alternate for Spokane International Airport. Until 2007, it was known as Coeur d’Alene Air Terminal and was renamed to honor World War II hero Col. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington who was born in Coeur d’Alene.
Illinois Airports
Illinois is the most populous state in the Midwestern U.S., and Chicago is the nation’s third largest city. There are 109 public airports in the state, including 12 airports providing scheduled passenger service, 9 reliever airports, and 88 general aviation and public-use airports. Notable airports include Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) which, from 1962 until 1998, was the busiest airport in the world in terms of total flights and passengers. Although surpassed by Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) in 1998. O’Hare remains one of the two or three busiest airports in the world; and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) which is surrounded by buildings and development. Landing thresholds of its runways are displaced to provide a adequate obstacle clearance, so runways have shorter distances available for landings than for takeoffs. Key airports in the Land of Lincoln include:
UGN Waukegan, Illinois Waukegan National Airport
Formerly called Waukegan Regional Airport, UGN serves the Chicago area from its location about 35 miles north of the city. It is a general aviation airport and was named by the FAA as “Reliever Airport of the Year for 2012″. Waukegan National features a 6,000 foot runway, ILS, a manned air traffic control tower, a U.S. Customs Office, and is the 2nd busiest airport in Illinois for international arrivals.
PWK Prospect Heights/Wheeling, Illinois Chicago Executive Airport
Formerly known as Palwaukee Municipal Airport, Chicago Executive Airport is located about 18 miles northwest of Chicago and is Illinois’ 3rd busiest airport and the top reliever airport for the city of Chicago. It serves general aviation traffic and can comfortably handle executive jet aircraft in the 20-seat range, but larger aircraft also visit the field. PWK has an on-site U.S. Customs Office.
ORD Chicago, Illinois Chicago O’Hare International Airport
O’Hare, located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, is the 5th busiest airport in the world after Atlanta, Beijing, London Heathrow and Tokyo Haneda. It is the 4th busiest international gateway in the U.S., following JFK, LAX and MIA. Its IATA code, “ORD”, comes from one of the airport’s first names, Orchard Field Airport, after a small nearby farming community.
MDW Chicago, Illinois Chicago Midway International
MDW is conveniently located 8 miles from Chicago’s Loop. It is the second largest passenger airport in the Chicago area and the state. Before O’Hare was opened to commercial traffic in 1955, Midway was the world’s busiest airport. Originally called Chicago Air Park, it was renamed in 1949 in honor of the Battle of Midway, one of the most important Pacific naval battles of World War II.
DPA West Chicago, Illinois DuPage Airport
DuPage Airport, one of the busiest airports in Illinois, is located 29 miles west of downtown Chicago and serves as a reliever airport for general aviation aircraft. DPA is the only general aviation airport in Illinois with 4 active runways, two instrument landing system approaches and a 24-hour control tower. DPA also has an on-site U.S. Customs Office.
Indiana Airports
There are 118 public airports in Indiana, including 5 airports that provide scheduled passenger service, 7 reliever airports, 56 general aviation, 48 public-use airports and 2 public-use private airports. Notable airports include Indianapolis International Airport (IND) which is home to the world’s second largest hub for FedEx, behind Memphis International Airport. It is also the 8th largest cargo center in the United States. Indiana’s airports place travelers in close proximity to Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well as to several of the nation’s top universities, including Indiana University, Purdue University and Notre Dame University. Key airports in the Hoosier State include:
UMP Fishers, Indiana Indianapolis Metropolitan Airport
Although located in the town of Fishers, Indiana, UMP is about 8 miles northeast of Indianapolis and serves as a reliever airport for Indianapolis International Airport. Fishers has won numerous awards, including Top 100 Best Places to Live in America (#12) and Best Affordable Suburb. Cincinnati, Louisville, and Chicago are all within 180 miles of Fishers.
TYQ Zionsville, Indiana Indianapolis Executive Airport
TYQ is a 30-minute drive northwest of Indianapolis and serves as a reliever airport for Indianapolis International Airport. Indianapolis Executive is one of Indiana’s top 10 airports and home to some of the busiest traffic in the Indianapolis area. It provides easy access to major business centers in Hamilton, Boone and Marion counties and the rest of Central Indiana.
MQJ Greenfield/McCordsville, Indiana Indianapolis Regional Airport
Formerly known as Mount Comfort Airport until 2011, Indianapolis Regional is located about 12 miles from the center of Indianapolis and serves as a general aviation reliever airport for Indianapolis International Airport. MQJ places visitors in close proximity to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Indy 500, F1 US Grand Prix, and the Brickyard 400.
IND Indianapolis, Indiana Indianapolis International
IND is the largest airport in Indiana and is situated 7 miles southwest of downtown Indianapolis. Indianapolis International is among the top 25 busiest airports in the world for cargo traffic. It serves many nearby small and mid-sized cities and is the nearest commercial airport for Bloomington, Kokomo, Muncie, Lafayette and Terre Haute, Indiana. It also serves the neighboring states of Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky.
HNB Huntingburg, Indiana Huntingburg Airport
Serving southwest Indiana, HNB is a regional general aviation airport in Huntingburg, known as “Hollywood of the Midwest” because the movies “A League of Their Own”, “Hard Rain”, and the HBO film “Soul of the Game” were filmed there. In 1938 it began as a privately owned grass-dirt airstrip, but today the airport can accommodate aircraft ranging from single-engine airplanes to multi-engine jets.
HHG Huntington, Indiana Huntington Municipal Airport
Serving Huntington in northeast Indiana, HHG is also just minutes from Fort Wayne – Indiana’s 2nd largest city. This small general aviation airport puts visitors in close proximity to The U.S. Vice Presidential Museum at the Dan Quayle Center in Huntington as well as Fort Wayne’s 15 museums and art galleries, botanical gardens, zoo, three minor league sports franchises and an NCAA Division I team.
HFY Greenwood, Indiana Greenwood Municipal Airport
HFY is the closest and most convenient general aviation airport to the city of Indianapolis; it is located less than 15 minutes from downtown. Recent runway upgrades (to 5,000 feet), a parallel taxiway and 109 T-hangars have made it more attractive to corporate and private jet traffic. The city of Greenwood hosts one of the Indiana’s most diversified business communities.
GYY Gary, Indiana Gary/Chicago International
In the northwest corner of Indiana and located only 3 miles outside Gary, GYY operates as the “third airport” for the Chicago metro area and is about 25 miles southeast of the Chicago Loop. There is currently no commercial passenger service. The airport was the home of the South Shore Air Show until sequestration measures were imposed by the FAA in 2013.
EYE Indianapolis, Indiana Eagle Creek Airpark
This general aviation public-use airport is about 7 miles west of the center of Indianapolis and serves as a reliever airport for Indianapolis International (IND). Indianapolis is the 13th largest city in the United States, and one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country. The city is home to the annual Indianapolis 500, Brickyard 400 and NHRA U.S. Nationals.
Iowa Airports
The Hawkeye State of Iowa has 109 public airports, including 8 airports that provide scheduled commercial service and 101 general aviation public-use airports, and 88% of all flights in Iowa are general aviation related. There are a large number of agricultural operations from most airports in order to treat about 4 million acres of crops annually by air. Notable airports include Eastern Iowa Airport (CID) in Cedar Rapids, which was home to Orville and Wilbur Wright from 1878 to 1881. In 1928, the airport became the home of the first airplane owned and operated by any U.S. newspaper with a full-time pilot on the payroll (the Des Moines Register and Tribune) and the first privately owned plane of its class in the nation. It was a 5-person Fairchild cabin monoplane named “Good News”. Key airports in Iowa include:
SUX Sioux City, Iowa Sioux Gateway Airport/Col. Bud Day Field
Sioux City is in western Iowa near the junction of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. It is a public and military airport and home to the 185th Air Refueling Wing of the Iowa Air National Guard. Its airport designator “SUX” has been controversial, but the airport makes the best of it since the FAA has not offered any good alternatives.
SOY Sioux Center, Iowa Sioux Center Municipal Airport
SOY is a general aviation facility located in northwest Iowa, not far from Omaha, NE and Sioux Falls, SD. Commerce in the area is dominated by agribusiness, particularly corn and soybeans. Sioux Center Municipal is convenient for visitors to Sioux City, La Mars and Storm Lake , as well as Sioux Falls and Yankton, SD, and Norfolk and South Sioux City, NE.
IOW Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City Municipal Airport
Iowa City Municipal is located in the southeast part of Iowa City and is the second busiest general aviation airport in the state. Opened in 1918, IOW is the oldest civil airport west of the Mississippi River that is still in its original location. The very first air mail flights flew through the Iowa City, and many of the early pioneers of flight landed here, including Wiley Post, Jack Knight, Charles Lindbergh, and Will Rogers.
IFA Iowa Falls, Iowa Iowa Falls Municipal Airport
Iowa Falls Airport is located 3 miles south of Iowa Falls, Iowa, otherwise known as “The Scenic City” for its location alongside the Iowa River. It is also a regional transportation center, located along U.S. Routes 20 and 65 and the Canadian National and Union Pacific Railroads. IFA is convenient for travel to Ames, Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Fort Dodge and Des Moines.
DSM Des Moines, Iowa Des Moines International Airport
Des Moines International, just 3 miles from downtown Des Moines, offers scheduled passenger service and a U.S. Customs Office. The airport provides the longest air strip in the state of Iowa at 9,003 feet and another at 9,001 ft. runway that can accommodate any size and type of aircraft with ILS. DSM serves the Greater Des Moines Metropolitan Area and all of Central Iowa.
CID Cedar Rapids, Iowa Eastern Iowa Airport
Originally called Cedar Rapids Municipal Airport, CID is a regional airport that serves Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and other communities in eastern Iowa. Scheduled commercial airline traffic shares the airport with cargo and general aviation traffic. Eastern Iowa Airport is convenient for travel to Cedar Falls, Dubuque and Iowa City as well as to Moline, IL.
Kansas Airports
Kansas has 137 public airports, including 8 airports that provide scheduled commercial service, 4 reliever airports, 68 general aviation airports and 57 other public-use airports. Wichita, the state capital, is nicknamed “The Air Capital of the World”. The aircraft corporations Stearman, Cessna, Mooney and Beechcraft were all founded here in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Laird Swallow was built here and was the first successful “commercial” airplane manufactured in the United States (1920-1923). The city grew quickly during World War II when it became a major manufacturing center for the Boeing B-29 bombers needed in the war effort. By 1945, at least 4 bombers were being produced daily in Wichita. For many years Boeing was Wichita’s largest employer. Key airports in Kansas include:
TOP Topeka, Kansas Philip Billard Municipal Airport
Serving Topeka, the capital of Kansas, Philip Billard Municipal is a general aviation airport located 3 miles to the east of downtown Topeka. The airport is named for a prominent Topeka resident, Philip L. Billard, who was a captain in the Kansas National Guard and a U.S. Army test pilot in World War I. TOP is convenient for travel to Manhattan, Lawrence, Leavenworth, Ottawa and Kansas City, KS.
ICT Wichita, Kansas Wichita Mid-Continent Airport
Wichita Mid-Continent Airport is a a small hub air carrier and general aviation complex located about 7 miles from downtown Wichita and is the largest and busiest airport in the state of Kansas. There are approximately 270 general aviation aircraft based here. The largest industry in Wichita is aviation-related. ICT serves south-central Kansas and is also convenient to Ponca City and Enid, OK.
FOE Topeka, Kansas Forbes Field/Topeka Regional Airport
Also known as Topeka Regional Airport, Forbes Field is about 7 miles south of Topeka, the capital of Kansas. It is classified as a general aviation facility. FOE is also home to the Kansas Air National Guard’s 190th Air Refueling Wing and the 1st Battalion 108th Aviation Kansas Army National Guard. The airport is used by the University of Kansas (KU) and by schools visiting the KU campus in Lawrence, which is 34 miles to the east.
Kentucky Airports
Kentucky has 137 public airports, including 5 airports that provide scheduled commercial service, 1 reliever airport, 49 general aviation airports and 4 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Louisville International (SDF) which is home to Worldport, the worldwide air-freight hub of United Parcel Service (UPS). The facility is the size of 80 football fields and is bigger than the airport’s passenger terminal. If you walked all the way around the perimeter you would travel 7.2 miles. It is capable of sorting 416,000 packages per hour. Ground-based radar technology was imprecise and too slow, so UPS upgraded to state-of-the-art ADSB surveillance technology which transmits data from the aircraft to the ground, helping keep better command and control of aircraft at Worldport. Worldport serves all major domestic and international hubs. Key airports in Kentucky include:
SDF Louisville, Kentucky Louisville International Airport
Located in the city of Louisville, Louisville International is the seventh busiest cargo airport in the world. Its IATA airport code, SDF, is based on the airport’s former name, Standiford Field. The airport is home to Worldport, the worldwide air hub of UPS, and to the Louisville Air National Guard Base. Louisville is home to the legendary Churchill Downs Racetrack where the famed Kentucky Derby is run every year in May.
LEX Lexington, Kentucky Blue Grass Airport
Located 4 miles west of Lexington, Blue Grass Airport serves over one million passengers each year. It offers commercial flights and a variety of corporate and general aviation services including U.S. Customs cargo inspection. LEX is home to the Aviation Museum of Kentucky and is close to Kentucky’s 450 renowned Thoroughbred horse farms. It’s also convenient to Louisville and to Cincinnati, Ohio.
Louisiana Airports
Louisiana has a network of 72 public airports, including 7 airports providing scheduled commercial service, 3 reliever airports, 46 general aviation airports and 16 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Lakefront Airport (NEW) which was built by Huey P. Long Jr., the outspoken Governor of Louisiana and U.S. Senator who was assassinated in 1935, on a man-made peninsula that juts into Lake Pontchartrain. It was originally named Shushan Airport after the president of the Levee Board that dredged the peninsula. When it opened in 1934, visitors noticed that every doorknob, window sill, countertop, and plumbing fixture either had the name or the initials of Abe Shushan. And Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is only 4.5 feet above sea level, making it the 2nd lowest-lying international airport in the world, behind Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam, which is eleven feet below sea level. Key airports in the Bayou State include:
SHV Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport Regional Airport
Shreveport Regional was established in 1952 and is classified as a primary commercial service airport. It serves as an alternate airport when bad weather disrupts flights into Dallas-Fort Worth International (DFW) and Houston Intercontinental (IAH). The runways and taxiways have the highest weight-bearing capacity called for by the FAA and are able to accommodate the largest of aircraft.
NEW New Orleans, Louisiana Louisiana Lakefront Airport
Just 5 miles northeast of New Orleans, NEW is categorized as a general aviation reliever airport. Until 1946, when commercial airline service began at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International, Lakefront Airport was the major commercial airport in the New Orleans area. Its airport code “NEW” derives from its original name, New Orleans Airport. The terminal building’s classic Art Deco façade was restored after Hurricane Katrina damage in 2005.
MSY New Orleans, Louisiana Louis Armstrong New Orleans International
Opened to commercial service in 1946 as Moisant Field (after daredevil aviator John Moisant), MSY is owned by the city of New Orleans and is located about 11 miles west of downtown in Kenner, a suburb of New Orleans. It is the primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metro area and southeast Louisiana. MSY replaced Lakefront Airport (NEW) as the city’s main airport.
LFT Lafayette, Louisiana Lafayette Regional Airport
Close to offshore oil and gas activity in the Gulf of Mexico, LFT is two miles southeast of Lafayette, the 4th largest city in the state, and serves southwestern Louisiana. It is a public use, primary commercial service and short-haul airport, and often serves as a diversion airport when bad weather disrupts flights from Houston Intercontinental (IAH) and other airports in the region.
DTN Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport Downtown Airport
Located 3 miles north of downtown Shreveport, Louisiana’s third largest city, and across the Red River from Bossier City, DTN is the second busiest general aviation airport in the state. It has served Arkansas, northwest Louisiana and east Texas since 1931. The airport is convenient for visitors to the area’s Riverboat Gaming casinos and to neighboring Barksdale Air Force Base and the 8th Air Force Museum.
BTR Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Ryan Field
Also called Ryan Field, Baton Rouge Metropolitan is located about 7 miles north of downtown Baton Rouge, the state capital, and serves south Louisiana and southwest Mississippi. It was originally a U.S. Army Air Corps installation called Harding Field, a training base for fighter pilots flying the newest planes and bombers during World War II.
Maine Airports
Maine has a network of 71 public airports, including 6 airports providing scheduled commercial service, 2 reliever airports, 27 general aviation airports and 36 other public-use airports and seaplane bases. Notable airports include Bangor International (BGR) which was designated by NASA as an emergency landing location for the Space Shuttle. It is home to the 101st Air Refueling Wing and other aviation operations of the Maine Air National Guard, and is often the first or last stop on U.S. soil for troops headed to or from Iraq, Afghanistan, or other overseas destinations. It has also been busy with transcontinental and transatlantic military charter flights making refueling stops. Once in Bangor, planes will often disembark military passengers, refuel, reload the troops, and take off to air bases elsewhere in the U.S. or overseas. Key airports in the Pine Tree State include:
BGR Bangor, Maine Bangor International Airport
Bangor International Airport began as Godfrey Field in the 1920s, on land owned by local attorney Edward Rawson Godfrey. It is located 3 miles west of Bangor, the third largest city in Maine, and serves the residents of central, eastern, and northern Maine as well as parts of Canada. It is the first major American airport encountered by flights approaching the U.S. from the east and the last for flights heading towards Europe.
Maryland Airports
Maine has 36 public airports, including 3 airports providing scheduled commercial service, 6 reliever airports, 9 general aviation airports and 18 other public-use airports and seaplane bases. Notable airports include Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall (BWI) which was originally named Friendship International Airport. Jet service began in 1958–59, and BWI became Washington DC’s main jet airport because early Boeing 707s and Douglas DC-8s could not use Washington National (DCA), and Washington Dulles International (IAD) was not built until 1962. Martin State Airport (MTN) was constructed in 1929 as an aircraft manufacturing site for the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company. Before and during World War II, the company produced the B-10 and B-26 bombers, the China Clipper, and the Martin Mars planes at the facility. The Martin Company merged with the American Marietta Corporation in 1961 to form the Martin Marietta Corporation (which later merged with Lockheed to form Lockheed Martin). Key airports in Maryland include:
MTN Baltimore, Maryland Martin State Airport
One of the largest general aviation facilities on the East Coast, Martin State Airport is located in southeastern Baltimore County, about 10 miles east of downtown Baltimore. The Airport handles primarily private and corporate aircraft. MTN is also home to the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Wing. The runway here is longer than Ronald Reagan National Airport and wider than BWI-Marshall’s GA.
BWI Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall
Located 10 miles south of the city of Baltimore and 32 miles northeast of Washington, DC, BWI or BWI Marshall Airport offers both passenger and cargo flights to domestic and international destinations. It is one of the fastest growing large airports in the United States and is usually the busiest airport in the Baltimore-Washington area. It is designated as an official port of entry and provides 24-hour U.S. Customs service.
Massachusetts Airports
Massachusetts has 41 public airports, including 8 airports providing scheduled commercial service, 3 reliever airports, 17 general aviation airports and 13 other public-use airports and seaplane bases. Notable airports include Nantucket Memorial Airport (ACK) which was used for the exterior shots of the fictional “Tom Nevers Field” in the long-running TV sitcom “Wings”, and Hanscom Field (BED) in Bedford, which hosted The Beatles’ chartered aircraft when they arrived in town in September 1964 for an appearance at Boston Garden. Hanscom Field was selected as an alternative to Boston’s Logan International (BOS) because it was thought that the singing group’s immense popularity would cause too much congestion there. Massachusetts airports provide access to Boston, the Cape Cod National Seashore, the Boston Harbor Islands, and the New England Summer Nationals, the largest automotive event on the East Coast. Key airports in Massachusetts include:
HYA Hyannis, Massachusetts Barnstable Municipal-Boardman/Polando Field
Barnstable Municipal Airport is located just one mile north of Hyannis and is Cape Cod’s major airport as well as a hub for Boston and the Islands (Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket). HYA is served by scheduled commercial flights as well as charters and general aviation. Its name commemorates aviation pioneers Russell Boardman and John Polando, who, in 1931, flew the first recorded transatlantic flight after Lindbergh’s in 1927.
EWB New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford Regional Airport
New Bedford Regional Airport is conveniently located in the heart of the SouthCoast region of Southern Massachusetts at the entrance to picturesque Cape Cod. It is an easy connection to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, and is convenient to the business and industrial centers of the area. New Bedford is one of the richest fishing ports in the nation and home to the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park & Museum.
BOS Boston, Massachusetts General Edward Lawrence Logan International
Logan International, located in East Boston, is the largest airport in New England and was the 19th busiest airport in the U.S. in 2012. Originally called Boston Airport when it opened in 1923, Terminal E was the second largest international arrivals facility in the nation when it opened in 1974. It remains the 12th busiest airport in the U.S. based on international traffic and the 10th busiest in terms of cargo.
BED Bedford, Massachusetts Laurence G Hanscom Field Airport
Hanscom Field is the largest general aviation facility in New England, serving a wide range of aircraft, from Piper Cubs to Gulfstream V jets. Its proximity 20 miles northwest of Boston makes it popular with sports teams competing in the Boston area and business executives who want convenient access to Eastern Massachusetts and “America’s Technology Region” situated along the Route 128/95 and Route 495/3 corridors.
ACK Nantucket, Massachusetts Nantucket Memorial Airport
Nantucket Memorial is the second busiest airport in Massachusetts after Logan International (BOS). It is located on the south side of Nantucket Island, about 3 miles southeast of town. Scheduled passenger service is provided by regional airlines throughout the year and by major airlines in the summer season when the Island’s population swells from 10,000 to 50 or 60,000.
Michigan Airports
Michigan has a large network of 222 public airports, including 20 airports with scheduled passenger service, 8 reliever airports, 68 general aviation airports and 126 other public-use airports. Michigan is the largest U.S. state by total area east of the Mississippi River and is bounded by four of the five Great Lakes and Canada. Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, is the busiest international border crossing in North America in terms of trade volume: more than 25% of all merchandise trade between the U.S. and Canada crosses the bridge. Notable airports include Willow Run Airport (YIP) which opened in 1942 and was home to an integral part of the industrial efforts that led to the Allied victory in World War II – the gigantic Willow Run manufacturing plant owned by Henry Ford, which produced a total of 8,685 B-24 Liberator heavy bombers between 1942 and 1945. The airport was built as part of the bomber plant and transferred to civilian hands after the war. Key airports in Michigan include:
YIP Detroit, Michigan Willow Run Airport
Situated in both Ypsilanti Township and Van Buren Charter Township in southeast Michigan, Willow Run Airport was once the major commercial airport for the region until 1958, when the Jet Age drove traffic to what is now Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, 10 miles closer to Detroit. YIP is still the second busiest airport in the Metro Detroit area and is home to the Yankee Air Museum.
LAN Lansing, Michigan Capital Region International Airport
LAN is located about 3 miles northwest of Lansing in the middle of Michigan. Although scheduled international passenger service is seasonal, the airport is an International Port of Entry into the U.S., with a U.S. Customs facility. It is within 15 miles of three other general aviation airports – Mason Jewett Field (TEW), University Airpark (41G) and Abrams Municipal Airport (4D0).
DTW Detriot, Michigan Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport
Located in Romulus, a suburb of Detroit, DTW is Michigan’s busiest airport and one of the ten busiest airfields in North America. It’s a major gateway for tourism in metropolitan Detroit and serves the Toledo, Ohio, area to the south, and the city of Windsor, Ontario and Southwestern Ontario in nearby Canada. The airport is known locally as Metro Airport or simply Metro, but also goes by Detroit Metro.
BTL Battle Creek, Michigan W.K. Kellogg Airport
Also called W.K. Kellogg Regional Airport, BTL is about three miles from Battle Creek, in the center of Lower Michigan and midway between Detroit and Chicago. In addition to general aviation, the airport supports air cargo and corporate flight operations, and is home to Western Michigan University College of Aviation. With a 10,003 foot runway, it can accommodate all types and sizes of aircraft, including a fully loaded Boeing 747.
AZO Kalamazoo, Michigan Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport
Near both Kalamazoo and Battle Creek, AZO has offered airline service in southwestern Michigan since 1944. The airport is used by transient and local private pilots flying for personal reasons, business and recreation, and competes with airports in nearby communities such as South Bend, Grand Rapids and Detroit. Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International is home to the Air Zoo, otherwise known as the Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum.
Minnesota Airports
Minnesota has 153 public airports, including 9 airports with scheduled passenger service, 7 reliever airports, 81 general aviation airports and 56 other public-use airports and seaplane bases. Notable airports include Rochester International in southeastern Minnesota, which was originally founded in 1928 by the Mayo Foundation to make it easier for their patients to get to the renowned Mayo Clinic from far-flung locations. The runways were not paved until 1940. The original Rochester Airport was closed in 1961 and moved to a new airport southwest of Rochester where it could be expanded to accommodate larger aircraft. Nearly 100 years later in 2013, Mayo Clinic in Rochester is ranked as the #3 overall hospital in the United States out of 4,793 nationwide hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. Key airports in Minnesota include:
RST Rochester, Minnesota Rochester International Airport
RST is often called Rochester Municipal Airport and is the second busiest airport in Minnesota. It is located 7 miles south of Rochester and serves southeastern Minnesota with commercial and general aviation services. The airport is home to the Southeastern Minnesota Flying Club, which has been located here for over 50 years. The city of Rochester is home to Mayo Clinic, the first and largest not-for-profit group medical practice in the world.
MSP Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport is the 16th busiest airport in North America in 2012 in terms of passengers served. MSP is located in east-central Minnesota and is surrounded by Minneapolis, St. Paul and the suburban cities of Bloomington, Eagan, Mendota Heights and Richfield. Major improvements in recent years include development of a metropolitan light rail system which connects both MSP terminals to the Mall of America and downtown Minneapolis.
INL International Falls, Minnesota Falls International Airport
Located in the north on the Minnesota/Canadian border, Falls International serves as a U.S. Port of Entry and offers 24-hour U.S. Customs and Border Patrol services. INL is served by one commercial airline, but is mostly used for general aviation and is ideally located for incoming aircraft from Europe or Asia to the U.S. flying great circle routes. In 2006, the main runway was extended to 7400 feet.
FCM Minneapolis, Minnesota Flying Cloud Airport
Flying Cloud Airport is located in Eden Prairie, a suburb about 11 miles southwest of Minneapolis. Opened to commercial service in 1945, FCM became the second-busiest airport in the central U.S. after Chicago-O’Hare International Airport and the ninth-busiest overall by 1966. Today it is a reliever airport and aircraft are restricted to 60,000 pounds or less. Flying Cloud serves single-engine piston, twin-engine piston, turboprop and corporate turbojet aircraft.
Mississippi Airports
Mississippi, the Magnolia State, has 79 public airports, including 7 airports with scheduled passenger service, 1 reliever airport, 65 general aviation airports and 6 other public-use airports. The Mississippi River flows along its western boundary. The southern coastline features large bays at Bay St. Louis, Biloxi and Pascagoula and is sheltered from the Gulf of Mexico by the Mississippi Sound and a number of islands. Over half of the state is heavily forested by wild trees. The state’s economy has been bolstered by casino gambling in the Gulf Coast resort towns of Bay St. Louis, Gulfport and Biloxi, and the Mississippi River towns of Tunica, Greenville, Vicksburg and Natchez. Visitors to Mississippi frequent the small northeastern town of Aberdeen which boasts over 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, including numerous antebellum homes, as well as Belzoni, the Catfish Capital of the world, and the Tupelo National Battlefield, site of the last major battle of the Civil War fought in Mississippi. Key airports in Mississippi include:
UTA Tunica, Mississippi Tunica Municipal Airport
Tunica Municipal is assigned the identifier UTA by the FAA and UTM by the IATA because UTA had already assigned to Mutare Airport in Mutare, Zimbabwe. This is a general aviation facility located one mile east of Tunica, in northwest Mississippi. The facility sees a substantial amount of traffic to the Tunica Resorts region, the 3rd largest gaming destination behind Las Vegas, Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
TUP Tupelo, Mississippi Tupelo Regional Airport
Located just 3 miles west of downtown Tupelo, TUP is an important regional business transportation center. The airfield is only 35 miles from Alabama to the east and about 50 miles south of Tennessee. Along with travelers from those states, Tupelo Regional Airport serves the 13 counties in northeast Mississippi. Recent terminal expansions and runway improvements make TUP an excellent choice for business travelers to the region.
PIB Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport
PIB is in southeast Mississippi, about 10 miles north of Hattiesburg which is halfway between Gulfport–Biloxi International (GPT) and Jackson–Evers International (JAN). It serves a 10-county region, providing commercial and general aviation services. The airport is within a day’s drive (500 miles) of 40% of the nation’s population. It sees a number of large charter aircraft carrying sports teams to/from events at the nearby University of Southern Mississippi.
OLV Olive Branch, Mississippi Olive Branch Airport
Located on the northern border of the state, OLV is a general aviation reliever airport serving northwest Mississippi as well as the East Memphis/Germantown/Collierville areas of neighboring Tennessee. (It is only 10 minutes from Memphis.) Olive Branch Airport is one of Mississippi’s busiest, with extensive general aviation services. Any aircraft from a small training aircraft to a Bombardier Global Express business jet can operate in and around OLV.
JAN Jackson, Mississippi Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport
Often called Jackson-Evers International, is located 6 miles east of Jackson. It replaced Hawkins Field, which had operated in Jackson since 1928. Although JAN has a U.S. Customs Office to service international arrivals and has established a Foreign Trade Zone, it currently has no international flights. It serves commercial, private, and military aviation, and is named after Medgar Evers, the former Mississippi Field Secretary for the NAACP.
HBG Hattiesburg, Mississippi Hattiesburg Bobby L. Chain Municipal Airport
Operating since 1930, the airport became Hattiesburg Army Airfield in 1941, used primarily for antisubmarine patrols along the Gulf of Mexico coastline. It returned to civil control in 1946, but commercial service moved to the new Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport in 1973. Today, HBG is a general aviation facility serving metropolitan Hattiesburg, and is the preferred business airport for Forrest, Lamar and Perry Counties.
GPT Gulfport, Mississippi Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport
Located in Gulfport in southern Mississippi, GPT is a primary commercial airport that serves the Gulf Coast area. The airport is also home to the Mississippi Air National Guard base as the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center. The Gulfport-Biloxi area is the 2nd largest metropolitan area in Mississippi and has a deep water port, space and oceanographic agencies, ship building, and tourism industries that contribute to its economy.
Missouri Airports
Missouri, the Show Me State, has a large network of 127 public airports, including 9 airports with scheduled passenger service, 5 reliever airports, 61 general aviation airports and 52 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Branson Airport (BBG), the construction of which involved the flattening of several Ozark Mountains and was the biggest earthmoving project in state history – at least 11 million cubic yards. The underlying land was once owned by Tennessee Ernie Ford, a noted American recording artist and television host. Kansas City International (MCI) is located just across US-71 (now I-29) from the Red Crown Tavern and Red Crown Tourist Court in Platte County, where law enforcement engaged in a 1933 shootout with outlaws Bonnie and Clyde and three members of their gang. The shootout was depicted in the 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, but the sign on the motel in the movie reads “Platte City, Iowa,” not Missouri. Key airports in Missouri include:
SUS St. Louis, Missouri Spirit of St. Louis Airport
SUS is a major air transportation facility for the St. Louis region and is located 17 miles west of downtown St. Louis. It has been the business aviation center of the Midwest for nearly 50 years and is convenient for travel to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Maryland Heights (20 m), the Anheuser-Busch Brewery and Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals, in St. Louis (27 m), and Six Flags Over Mid-America in Eureka (28 m).
STL St. Louis, Missouri Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Serving Greater St. Louis, STL is the largest and busiest airport in Missouri. The field was officially dedicated as Lambert–St. Louis Flying Field in honor of Albert Bond Lambert, an Olympic medalist and manufacturer of Listerine, who was St. Louis’ first licensed pilot. Adding a 9,000-foot runway in 2006 was the costliest public works program in St. Louis history ($1.1 billion), and required moving seven major roads and destroying about 2,000 homes, six churches and four schools
SGF Springfield, Missouri Springfield-Branson National Airport
Formerly Springfield–Greene County Airport, Springfield Municipal Airport and Springfield–Branson Regional Airport, the new terminal construction in 2006 caused the airport to be renamed once again to Springfield-Branson National. SGF is about 5 miles southwest of Springfield, the third largest city in Missouri and about 45 miles from Branson. It offers scheduled passenger service and general aviation services for southwest Missouri and features a newly built 8,000 foot runway.
PLK Branson, Missouri M. Graham Clark Downtown Airport
Formerly known as M. Graham Clark Field-Taney County Airport and often called Clark Field or simply Clark, PLK is located one mile south of downtown Branson. It was originally developed as a private airport by the College of the Ozarks. Its airport identifier, PLK, is derived from Point Lookout, home to the College. Because there are so many names for the same airport, it has been known to cause radio confusion for pilots in dense traffic. PLK is one of the busiest general aviation airports in the region.
MKC Kansas City, Missouri Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport
Dedicated by Charles Lindbergh in 1927, MKC replaced Richards Field as Kansas City’s main airport at the time. Although it was later replaced by Kansas City International (MCI) in 1972 with the advent of larger commercial planes and increased jet and passenger traffic, it is just across the Missouri River from Kansas City’s business center and is popular for corporate and recreational aviation. Its location near downtown has good highway access.
MCI Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International, originally Mid-Continent International Airport, is located about 15 miles northwest of downtown Kansas City. It was built after the Great Flood of 1951 damaged the city’s hometown airlines, Mid-Continent Airlines and TWA. Uncongested air and ground space, short taxi time and a low weather-related closure/cancellation rate are why MCI consistently ranks among the top five airports in North America in terms of satisfied passengers and pilots. It serves Kansas City, MO and Kansas City, KS.
JLN JLN Joplin, Missouri Joplin Regional Airport
In the southwestern corner of Missouri, Joplin Regional is at the center of what is regionally known as the Four State Area: Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, and Kansas. It is a non-primary commercial service airport, but 91% of its operations are general aviation related. JLN serves the corporate aviation needs of Carthage, Neosho and Webb City, MO, as well as Bentonville, Rogers and Siloam Springs, AR, Coffeyville and Independence, KS, and Miami, OK.
JEF Jefferson City, Missouri Jefferson City Memorial Airport
This airport is located about two miles northeast of downtown Jefferson City. In the heart of Missouri and midway between St. Louis and Kansas City, Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri. It sits on the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau on the southern side of the Missouri River near the geographic center of the state. JEF is convenient for private flights to mid-Missouri, including Fulton, Columbia, Sedalia and Lebanon.
FWB Branson West, Missouri Branson West Airport
Opened in 2009 on the west side of Branson West, and also known as Branson West Municipal and Emerson Field Airport, FWB is a general aviation airport designed specifically for private and charter aircraft. The town was originally called Linchpin but changed its name in 1992 to capitalize on the popularity of nearby Branson, MO. Surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, Branson is known as the “Live Music Show Capital of the World”.
CGI Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau Regional Airport
This general aviation facility is about 6 miles from downtown Cape Girardeau. It was constructed in 1942 by the U.S. Army Air Forces, called Harris Army Airfield, and was used as a training grounds for pilots. Cape Girardeau is the home of Southeast Missouri State University and is the largest city in southeast Missouri. Today, CGI serves southeast Missouri, southwestern Kentucky and northwestern Tennessee.
BBG Branson, Missouri Branson Airport
Opened in May 2009 and located 8 miles southeast of Branson, BBG is the only privately owned, privately operated commercial service airport in the United States. The IATA identifier for Branson Airport is BKG because BBG had already been assigned to Butaritari Atoll Airport in Butaritari, Kiribati. Branson is in the heart of the Ozarks and its collection of entertainment theaters has boosted its popularity as a tourist destination.
Montana Airports
Montana, the 4th largest state in size, has a network of 106 public airports, including 13 airports with scheduled passenger service, 37 general aviation airports, 4 U.S. Forest Service airports, and 52 other public-use airports. The state contains a total of 77 named mountain ranges that are part of the Rocky Mountains. Popular Montana destinations include Glacier National Park, which is often called the “Alps of the Americas” and is half of the joint U.S. – Canadian Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument in Billings, which preserves the site of the 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn, a.k.a. Custer’s Last Stand, an armed engagement between the U.S. Army and combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes, and Yellowstone National Park which extends 3,400 square miles from Wyoming into Montana and Idaho. Key airports in Big Sky Country include:
GTF Great Falls, Montana Great Falls International Airport
Located 3 miles southwest of Great Falls in central Montana, GTF is located on the scenic Missouri River less than 120 miles from the Canadian border and a few hours’ drive from Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks. It is home to Great Falls Air National Guard Base and the Montana Air National Guard’s 120th Fighter Wing. It also provides support for transient fixed-wing military aircraft that cannot currently be accommodated at nearby Malmstrom Air Force Base. GTF serves the Great Falls area and central Montana.
GPI Kalispell, Montana Glacier Park International Airport
Opened in 1942 under the name Flathead County Airport, GPI was not designated for international traffic until 1970. Located 6 miles northeast of Kalispell in northwestern Montana, Glacier Park International serves Flathead County, Evergreen, Columbia Falls, Whitefish, Glacier National Park and the Canadian Rockies. It is also convenient for travel to Flathead Lake, the largest natural, freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, and for trout fishing on the 7-mile long Whitefish Lake.
BZN Bozeman, Montana Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport
Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport at Gallatin Field is currently the busiest passenger airport in Montana. It is 8 miles from downtown Bozeman and serves Bozeman, Big Sky, southwest Montana, Yellowstone National Park and Montana State University. The name changed from Gallatin Field in 2011 after significant terminal expansions and the addition of a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility. BZN also serves the recreation areas of Big Sky Resort, Moonlight Basin and the Bridger Bowl Ski Area as well as the business centers of Bozeman, Belgrade and Livingston.
BIL Billings, Montana Billings Logan International Airport
Located just two miles northwest of Billings, BIL is situated on top of the Rims, a 500-foot cliff overlooking the city’s downtown. It serves the greater Billings Metropolitan area as well as south-central and eastern Montana and northern Wyoming. The airport opened as Billings Municipal Airport in 1928 with a 1,820-foot unpaved runway and a small building that had been built with horse-drawn equipment. Billings is the largest city in Montana and the gateway to some of the largest recent oil discoveries in the U.S.
Nebraska Airports
Nebraska offers a network of 85public airports, including 9 airports with scheduled passenger service, 1 reliever airport, 62 general aviation airports, and 13 other public-use airports. Notable airports include North Platte Regional Airport (LBF), which was part of the historic first overnight transcontinental airmail flight. The Postmaster General wanted to prove that airmail could be faster than surface mail if flown around the clock using relay teams instead of being transferred to rail cars for night travel. The North Platte Field was one leg of a test eastbound flight from San Francisco. Three of the four test flights were grounded by bad weather and one fatal crash, but one big De Haviland 4 wire-braced, open-cockpit biplane arrived in North Platte at 7:48 PM on February 22, 1921 to a field lit by burning fuel barrels. Pilot Jack Knight took control and flew the first night airmail flight to Omaha. Because he was the only pilot still flying, he continued on with the help of only a basic compass and a small, torn section of road map all the way to Chicago, where two other pilots were able to complete the flight to New York and make history. Key airports in the Cornhusker State include:
OMA Omaha, Nebraska Eppley Airfield
Eppley Airfield is located minutes from downtown Omaha and is the largest airport in Nebraska but is surrounded on the east, west and south by the state of Iowa. Formerly Omaha Municipal Airport, it was converted into a modern jet port in 1959-60, following a donation from the estate of Omaha hotel magnate Eugene C. Eppley. OMA serves Omaha and Council Bluffs, as well as eastern Nebraska, western Iowa, northern Kansas, northwest Missouri, and southern South Dakota.
LBF North Platte, Nebraska North Platte Regional Airport Lee Bird Field
Originally named The North Platte Field, the airport was built in 1921 for U.S. Air Mail Service needs and played a significant role in the future of airmail service, a milestone in world aviation. It became America’s first lighted airfield when it was lit by burning fuel barrels during the historic flight. During World War II, the field was used as a B-17 training field. LBF serves Lincoln, Logan and McPherson counties and all of western Nebraska.
Nevada Airports
Nevada has a network of 49 public airports, including 6 airports with scheduled passenger service, 3 reliever airports, 21 general aviation airports, and 19 other public-use airports. Notable airports include McCarran International, which currently occupies land that was once owned by American aviator George Crockett, a descendant of frontiersman Davy Crockett, who had established Alamo Field there in 1942. The first airport in the area, Las Vegas Airport, was built in 1929, but, after being utilized for training by the U.S. Army Air Corp during World War II, became the home of Nellis Air Force Base in 1947. Commercial air traffic had to be moved to another airport, and Crockett’s Alamo Field was selected. McCarran Field opened there in 1950, and 35,000 passengers used the airport in its first year. Today, McCarran International serves over 40,000,000 passengers annually. Key airports in Nevada include:
RNO Reno, Nevada Reno-Tahoe International Airport
Just three miles southeast of downtown Reno, at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in northwest Nevada, RNO is the second busiest airport in the state after McCarran International (LAS). The airport serves the Reno, Sparks, Lake Tahoe region, and Carson City, the state capital. The “biggest little city in the world” offers skiing and snowboarding, casino gambling, and silver mining history in nearby Virginia City. RNO is also home to Reno Air National Guard Base.
MEV Minden, Nevada Minden-Tahoe Airport
MEV is located in Minden, in western Nevada. The general aviation facility serves the Carson Valley, including Gardnerville and Genoa, and is just minutes from the pristine alpine waters of Lake Tahoe. The Minden area is one of the premier locations for soaring in the U.S. Gliders are towed over the airport, can go well over 25,000 feet, and can often cover distances of more than 500 miles to the White Mountains, Owens Valley and Eastern Nevada.
LAS Las Vegas/Paradise, Nevada McCarran International Airport
McCarran International is located 5 miles south of downtown and accounts for nearly 60% of all visitors to Las Vegas. It is the largest airport in Nevada and the 7th busiest airline airport in the world. Because there is little room for expansion, a new airport is in the planning stages and will be located south of Las Vegas in the Ivanpah Valley. The open-air Howard W. Cannon Aviation Museum makes its home in various locations inside LAS.
HND Las Vegas, Nevada Henderson Executive Airport
Henderson Executive is a reliever airport for McCarran International (LAS) and is located just minutes from downtown Henderson and from the Las Vegas Strip. Originally called Sky Harbor Airport, the airfield has the capacity and runway length to meet the needs of virtually all general aviation aircraft and caters to business travelers. HND is very convenient for visits to Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and gaming resorts in Mesquite, Primm and Laughlin, on the Colorado River.
New Hampshire Airports
New Hampshire has a network of 25 public airports, including 3 airports with scheduled passenger service, 1 reliever airport, 11 general aviation airports, and 10 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT), which is certified for Cat III B Instrument Landing operations. It prides itself on its reputation for never closing due to bad weather in its 86-year history. The airport closed only once, for two days following September 11, 2001, when all American airports were shut down. In 1938, MHT was the site of the first airplane ride for a teenager from Derry, NH, named Alan Shepard, Jr. He enjoyed his flight from Manchester to Boston so much that he offered to sweep out hangars at the airport in exchange for flying lessons. Alan Shepard, Jr. became a NASA astronaut and, in 1961, was the first American to travel into space. He went on to fly in the Apollo program and became the fifth person to walk on the Moon. Key airports in New Hampshire, the Granite State, include:
PSM Portsmouth, New Hampshire Portsmouth International Airport at Pease
Formerly known as Pease International, PSM is centrally located in Portsmouth, about 50 miles from Boston, MA, Portland, ME, and Manchester, NH. Travelers can reach Montreal and New York City in about 5 hours by car. PSM is a joint general aviation/ military facility with no scheduled passenger service. It was a Launch Abort Site and an Emergency Landing Site for NASA space shuttle orbiters, and is home to the Pease Air National Guard Base.
MHT Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
Usually referred to as Manchester Airport, MHT is New England’s 4th largest airport in terms of passenger volume. Located in Manchester, the largest city in northern New England, it is less than 50 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts and less than an hour’s drive from the region’s most popular ski areas, beaches and lakefront resorts. The New Hampshire Aviation Museum makes its home inside MHT’s classic, art-deco 1937 terminal.
LEB Lebanon, New Hampshire Lebanon Municipal Airport
Also known as Lebanon Airport, LEB is the northernmost commercial airport in New Hampshire, near the Vermont border. It is in Lebanon, home to Dartmouth Medical School. The villages of Woodstock and Quechee, VT, and Hanover, NH (home to Dartmouth College) are a quick drive from the airport and many of the region’s most popular ski resorts, including Killington, are within a one-hour drive.
New Jersey Airports
New Jersey has a network of 25 public airports, including 2 airports with scheduled passenger service, 13 reliever airports, 9 general aviation airports, and 20 other public-use airports. Notable airports in the Garden State include Teterboro Airport (TEB), which covers 827 acres and takes up almost the entire borough of Teterboro, along with parts of neighboring Moonachie and Hasbrouck Heights (in 2010, there were only 67 people residing in Teterboro). Attractions in the area around Teterboro include MetLife Stadium, home to the NY Jets and NY Giants and one of the highest-profile stadiums in the country with more than two million fans attending events every year. It will host Super Bowl XLVIII in February 2014. Key airports in New Jersey include:
TEB Teterboro, New Jersey Teterboro Airport
Teterboro Airport is located 12 miles from midtown Manhattan in the northeastern corner of New Jersey. Opened in 1919, TEB is the oldest operating airport in the New York City area. The Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey also makes its home on the airport grounds. Founded in 1972, it is the first state aviation hall of fame in the nation, honoring the men and women who brought outstanding aviation and space achievements to New Jersey.
MMU Morristown, New Jersey Morristown Municipal Airport
Three miles east of Morristown in Hanover Township, MMU is a general aviation reliever airport for the New York Metropolitan Area. It serves private and corporate aircraft and is the third busiest airport in New Jersey, surpassed only by Newark-Liberty International Airport, and Teterboro (TEB). The majority of New Jersey’s business fleet is located at Teterboro and Morristown Airports. MMU is convenient when visiting MetLife Stadium, home to the NY Giants and NY Jets, Yankee Stadium, and Citi Field, home to the NY Mets.
CDW Caldwell, New Jersey Essex County Airport
Also known as Caldwell Airport, CDW is two miles north of Caldwell and serves northeastern New Jersey. This facility is designated as a reliever airport for the New York/New Jersey region. It is located 20 miles west of New York City and 10 miles west of Teterboro Airport. Essex County Airport is also conveniently located only 15 minutes from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., which will host Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014.
BLM Belmar/Farmingdale, New Jersey Monmouth Executive Airport
Formerly known as Allaire Airport and Belmar Airport, Monmouth Executive (BLM) is a privately owned public-use facility in Wall Township, about 5 miles west of Belmar and 5 miles east of Farmingdale. Monmouth County is the gateway to the Jersey Shore and a short drive from New York and Philadelphia. Belmar’s beach is among the most popular surf spots on the East Coast, and its “E” Street is the original home of Bruce Springsteen’s “E Street Band”.
ACY Atlantic City/Pomona, New Jersey Atlantic City International Airport
Located 10 miles northwest of Atlantic City, ACY conducts commercial and general aviation operations to serve Atlantic City and the Southern New Jersey shore region, including Egg Harbor, Galloway and Hamilton Townships. It’s also home to the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 177th Fighter Wing and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City. For private flights, ACY is a good alternative for New York City (about 2 hours by car) and Philadelphia (about one hour).
New Mexico Airports
New Mexico has 59 public airports, including 8 airports with scheduled passenger service, 1 reliever airport, 41 general aviation airports, and 9 other public-use airports. The state’s population includes the second-highest percentage of Native Americans after Alaska. It is bordered by Oklahoma to the east, Texas to the south and east, Colorado, Arizona, and Utah to the north and west, and the Mexican states of Chihuahua and Sonora to the south. Aside from the native pueblos, travelers to New Mexico enjoy millions of acres of national forests and national monuments, such as Bandelier National Monument in Los Alamos, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument near Silver City, and White Sands National Monument near Alamogordo. Notable aviation-related locations include Spaceport America near Truth or Consequences, which is the world’s first commercial spaceport and will become the primary space tourism base of Virgin Galactic. Key airports in New Mexico include:
ROW Roswell, New Mexico Roswell International Air Center Airport
Also known as Roswell Industrial Air Center, ROW is located five miles south of Roswell and serves southeastern New Mexico. Before its civil use, it was home to Walker Air Force Base. When closed in 1967, Walker AFB was the largest base of the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command. But Roswell may be most famous for the Roswell “incident”, purportedly the crash of a UFO, which took place on a nearby ranch in 1947.
CNM Carlsbad, New Mexico Cavern City Air Terminal
Located six miles southwest of Carlsbad, CNM is a general aviation facility with limited scheduled passenger service that serves the southeastern part of New Mexico. Originally named Carlsbad Army Airfield, it was used during World War II as a U.S. Army Forces West Coast Training Center. Cavern City Air Terminal is the most convenient airport for travelers to Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 18 miles to the southwest.
ABQ Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque International Sunport Airport
Albuquerque International Sunport is located three miles southeast of Albuquerque, in central New Mexico, and is the largest commercial airport in the state. ABQ also serves Santa Fe, the state capital. It shares runway space with Kirtland Air Force Base, which also provides aircraft rescue and firefighting services for ABQ. Albuquerque is home to the University of New Mexico and the largest hot air balloon festival in the world.
New York Airports
New York has a substantial network of 138 public airports, including 19 airports with scheduled passenger service, 20 reliever airports, 51 general aviation airports, and 48 other public-use airports. A few of New York’s notable airports are Republic Airport (FRG), which was originally developed by Sherman Fairchild in 1927 as his flying field and airplane factory (Fairchild Engine & Airplane Manufacturing Company). Grumman Aircraft Engineering built planes there in the 1930s, and the Seversky Aircraft Company moved in in 1935, becoming Republic Aviation in 1939. The company produced many famous military aircraft here, such as World War II’s P-47 Thunderbolt fighter, the F-84 Thunderjet and F-105 Thunderchief jet fighters, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II. Stewart International Airport (SWF) was the site, in 1981, of the return flight of 52 American hostages who had been held in Iran, and Montauk Airport (MTP) was frequented by Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones when visiting Andy Warhol’s nearby estate. Montauk inspired Jagger’s 1976 song, “Memory Motel,” based on the local bar where the Stones hung out while on tour because it was the only place in the area with a piano and pool table. Key airports in New York include:
SWF Newburgh, New York Stewart International Airport
Stewart International is a public/military primary commercial service airport located in Newburgh, in Orange County, New York, about 60 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. Its proximity to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point made the airport invaluable as a cadet training facility since the 1930s, and it remains home to the 105th Airlift Wing of the N.Y. Air National Guard. SWF serves the Middletown, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, New York City, Newark and Jersey City.
MTP Montauk, New York Montauk Airport
Montauk Airport is a privately owned, public use reliever airport on Long Island and is the easternmost airport in New York State. MTP serves Montauk, which is a major tourist destination for beachgoers and recreational saltwater fishing enthusiasts. With sand dunes and the Atlantic Ocean just beyond the runway, it sees the heaviest traffic in summer months. Its 3,400 foot runway can accommodate primarily smaller charter aircraft and helicopters.
HTO East Hampton, New York East Hampton Airport
East Hampton Airport is a non-towered general aviation facility located three miles west of East Hampton in Suffolk County, which makes up the central and eastern portion of Long Island. It provides charter and corporate services, flight training, aircraft maintenance and repairs. HTO has served eastern New York and the New York City Metropolitan area for over 70 years. It is the most convenient airport for visitors to the Hamptons, primarily between May and October.
HPN White Plains, New York Westchester County Airport
Avoid the congestion of New York’s three major airports (JFK, LGA and EWR) by booking private charter flights in and out of Westchester County Airport. Located in the towns of Harrison, North Castle and Rye Brook near White Plains, and just 33 miles north of Manhattan, HPN serves Westchester, a northern suburb of New York City, and Fairfield County, Connecticut. It also serves the New York metropolitan area. At least 75% of its operations serve general aviation.
FRG Farmingdale, New York Republic Airport
This general aviation reliever airport is located in East Farmingdale and is one of 12 airports on Long Island. FRG has served private charter and business aviation customers since 1969, as well as regional commuter operations. Republic Airport is home to The American Airpower Museum and its squadron of operational World War II aircraft. Troop L of the NY State Police is headquartered here, and most National Hockey League teams use FRG when playing the New York Islanders.
FOK Westhampton Beach, New York Francis S. Gabreski Airport
Located on Long Island, three miles east of Westhampton Beach, FOK is about 80 miles east of New York City. It was renamed from Suffolk County Airport in honor of Colonel Francis S. Gabreski, a retired U.S. Army Air Forces flying ace in World War II. FOK is both a general aviation facility serving corporate businesses and private aviation, and an Air National Guard (ANG) base for the 106th Rescue Wing of the New York Air National Guard.
BUF Buffalo, New York Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Located in Cheektowaga, Buffalo Niagara International is the 3rd busiest airport in New York (following JFK and LGA) and the busiest in Upstate NY. The airport is one of the oldest public use airports in the nation, having opened as Buffalo Municipal in 1926. BUF serves Erie County in western New York, Niagara Falls, the NYC Metro area and southern Ontario, Canada. In fact, one of every three passengers passing through BUF is from Canada.
ALB Albany, New York Albany International Airport
Albany International was the first municipal airport in the U.S. In 1908, it was located on a former polo field in the town of Colonie. It was moved to Westerlo Island one year later and named Quentin Roosevelt Memorial Field. Aviation pioneers who stopped there included Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and James Doolittle. Moved again in 1928, Albany Municipal Airport soon became known as the “aerial crossroads of the great Northeast.” ALB is 6 miles northwest of Albany, New York’s capital city, and serves eastern New York.
North Carolina Airports
North Carolina has a network of 110 public airports, including 10 airports with scheduled passenger service, 3 reliever airports, 59 general aviation airports, and 38 other public-use airports. The capital of the “Tar Heel State” is Raleigh, and Charlotte is its largest city. Both are among the top ten fastest growing metropolitan areas in the nation. Visitors to North Carolina enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Western part of the state (a part of the Appalachian Mountains that runs 469 miles through Virginia and North Carolina), the Biltmore Estate (a huge mansion in Asheville built by George Washington Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895), championship golf courses, and the beaches on the barrier islands off the coast, known as the Outer Banks. They are part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore which has a rich shipwreck history and many scenic lighthouses. The state is also home to NASCAR’s Charlotte Motor Speedway and stock car racing’s Hickory Motor Speedway, as well as the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte. Key airports in North Carolina include:
SVH Statesville, North Carolina Statesville Regional Airport
Statesville Regional Airport is a general aviation facility located in west-central North Carolina that serves Iredell County as well as the Charlotte Metropolitan area, just 38 miles away. SVH is 15 minutes from Lake Norman, North Carolina’s largest lake, 45 minutes from the Appalachian Mountains, and it provides convenient aviation services for the many corporations with headquarters in the region. The area is also well-known as a major NASCAR hub, and many NASCAR drivers live and work in the Lake Norman area.
SOP Pinehurst, North Carolina Moore County Airport
Serving Central North Carolina, Moore County Airport is located in Moore County, 5 miles northeast of Pinehurst and 3 miles north of Southern Pines. SOP is a general aviation airport that has offered scheduled passenger services in the past. Pinehurst/Southern Pines is home to some of the greatest golf in the world. Both the Men and Women’s US Open Championships will return to Pinehurst in 2014 and 43 of North Carolina’s finest golf courses are accessible from SOP.
RDU Morrisville, North Carolina Raleigh-Durham International Airport
RDU is located 4.5 miles northeast of Morrisville, which is midway between Raleigh and Durham. Raleigh-Durham International began passenger service in 1947. It serves the Research Triangle Metropolitan Region of North Carolina which encompasses North Carolina State University in Raleigh, Duke University in Durham, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill in central NC. RDU is popular with NCAA sports fans, particularly basketball, as the area is home to the UNC Tar Heels, the NCSU Wolfpack, and the Duke Blue Devils.
MRH Beaufort, North Carolina Michael J. Smith Field Airport
This public airport is about one mile north of Beaufort and northeast of Morehead City, in Carteret County, North Carolina. Formerly known as Beaufort-Morehead City Airport, it was renamed in memory of astronaut Michael J. Smith, a native of Beaufort who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. MRH has no IATA designation because the organization had already assigned MRH to May River Airport in Papua, New Guinea.
JQF Concord, North Carolina Concord Regional Airport
Concord Regional Airport is a general aviation airport located about 15 minutes west of Concord, the second largest city in the Charlotte Metropolitan Area, and serves southwest-central North Carolina. JQF is a reliever airport for Charlotte-Douglas International Airport and provides private and executive charter services. The city of Concord is known as the home of Charlotte Motor Speedway and numerous NASCAR race teams, including Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports, and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
ILM Wrightsboro, North Carolina Wilmington International Airport
Wilmington International is located in Wrightsboro, just north of Wilmington, along the Cape Fear River on the southeast coast of North Carolina. Opened in 1928 as Bluethenthal Field, it was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces for antisubmarine patrols and training during World War II, and became an international airport in 1988. ILM’s location halfway between NYC and Miami is convenient as a less busy port of entry to the country, and a 24-hour U.S. Customs Service facility is available here.
GSO Greensboro, North Carolina Piedmont Triad International Airport
GSO opened for business as Lindley Field in 1927 and, at the time, was called “the best landing field in the South.” Located just west of Greensboro in north-central North Carolina, Piedmont Triad International, commonly called “PTIA” or “PTI”, serves Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem and the Piedmont Triad Region. It is the third busiest airport in the state. GSO is also the headquarters for the Honda Aircraft Company, where the design and testing of the innovative HA-420 HondaJet very light jet was performed.
CLT Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
Opened in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, CLT is located in Charlotte, the largest city in North Carolina. Charlotte is a major U.S. financial center, home to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and home to the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and the NBA’s Charlotte Bobcats. CLT is also the site of the Carolinas Aviation Museum which houses one of only two surviving Douglas D-558 Skystreaks, the oldest surviving US-built Harrier, and the N106US, the US Airways Airbus A-320 that Chesley Sullenberger landed in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009.
AVL Asheville, North Carolina Asheville Regional Airport
Asheville Regional is located near Fletcher and offers general aviation and scheduled passenger services to Asheville and Western North Carolina. AVL opened in 1961, replacing Asheville & Hendersonville Airport which had served the area since the 1930s but had expansion limitations due to its proximity to mountain ranges. Asheville and the surrounding mountains are popular destinations in the autumn when fall foliage peaks in October and for the Biltmore Estate, the largest privately owned house in the U.S., at 178,926 square feet.
North Dakota Airports
There are 90 public airports in North Dakota, including 5 airports with scheduled passenger service, 3 reliever airports, 45 general aviation airports, and 37 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Grand Forks International Airport (GFK), which serves as the base and dispatch office for the University of North Dakota’s John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences, commonly called UND Aerospace. Its aviation education programs include commercial aviation, air traffic control, airport management, atmospheric sciences and unmanned aircraft operations. John D. Odegard, the founder, logged over 10,000 hours of flight time and was type-rated in Cessna Citations, Learjet, and Beechjet, as well as being a CFI and certified examiner for commercial, instrument, tailwheel, multiengine, and Citation type-ratings. Grand Forks International (GFK) has 10 heated hangars that house over 120 aircraft dedicated to the UND flight program, the largest fleet of civilian flight training aircraft in North America. Key airports in North Dakota include:
GFK Grand Forks, North Dakota Grand Forks International Airport
Grand Forks International, sometimes referred to as Mark Andrews International, opened 4.8 miles west of Grand Forks in 1928. It is North Dakota’s busiest commercial airport, and its 130,000 SF corporate jet center is the largest aircraft center in the state. GFK has no scheduled international passenger service but has an “international” designation because it provides U.S. Customs service for general aviation aircraft arriving from Canada and other countries. GFK serves Grand Forks, the Northern Red River Valley and Northeastern North Dakota. It is also the closest U.S. international airport to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
Ohio Airports
There are 165 public airports in Ohio, including 7 airports with scheduled passenger service, 12 reliever airports, 81 general aviation airports, and 65 other public-use airports. Notable airports include Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), founded in 1925, which had the first air traffic control tower in the country, as well as the first ground to air radio control and airfield lighting system. It was also the first airport in the U.S. to be connected to a rail transit system in 1968. Travelers to Ohio enjoy Cuyahoga Valley National Park between Akron and Cleveland, the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, and the world-class Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Powell. Key airports in Ohio include:
TOL Toledo, Ohio Toledo Express Airport
This joint civil-military airport is located 10 miles west of Toledo, Ohio. Toledo Express Airport (TOL) opened in 1955 and provides scheduled passenger service and general aviation services to Toledo and Northwest Ohio. It is also a secondary airport for Detroit, Michigan, and a base for many corporate aircraft in the region. Campuses of the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University are located nearby. TOL is also home to the Ohio Air National Guard’s 180th Fighter Wing.
OSU Columbus, Ohio Ohio State University Airport
Offering general aviation services for customers in central Ohio, Ohio State University Airport is located six mile northwest of Columbus and serves the needs of OSU’s faculty and students. It opened in 1943 to serve the OSU School of Aeronautics, which had been established to train military pilots. Today, it is Ohio’s premier business aviation center and ranks in the top 100 U.S. general aviation airports.
LUK Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field
When Cincinnati Municipal Airport, also called Lunken Airport, opened in 1925, it was the largest municipal airfield in the world at 1,000 acres. It is located three miles southeast of Cincinnati with the Ohio River to the south, and serves as a reliever airport for general aviation traffic in the Cincinnati area. The River’s tendency toward flooding prompted LUK to be nicknamed “Sunken Lunken”, and caused the airport to lose its commercial airline traffic to Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) in Hebron, Kentucky in 1947.
DAY Dayton, Ohio James M Cox Dayton International Airport
Dayton International is the third busiest airport in Ohio. It is located nine miles north of Dayton, and serves all of Southwest Ohio. The city of Dayton is the birthplace of aviation, having been home to Orville and Wilbur Wright. DAY was leased by the U.S. Army during World War II and designated the “Dayton Army Airfield.” In 1947, it opened as Dayton Municipal Airport, the largest commercial airport in Ohio. It was renamed in 1952 in honor of James M. Cox, a former Governor of Ohio and candidate for President of the United States.
CMH Columbus, Ohio Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International is located six miles east of Columbus, in central Ohio. The airport’s designation CMH stands for “Columbus Municipal Hangar,” a name that is no longer used. Columbus is the capital of Ohio and its largest city. It is home to several Fortune 500 companies and major foreign corporations, as well as Ohio State University, the nation’s largest campus, and is home to the National Hockey League team, the Columbus Blue Jackets.
CLE Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland Hopkins International Airport
CLE is the largest airport in Ohio and is located 12 miles southwest of Cleveland in Cuyahoga County. Opened in 1925 as the first municipal airport in the United States, CLE is positioned within 500 miles of nearly half of the U.S. population and, today, is Ohio’s busiest airport (9+ million passengers in 2012). Cleveland is located on the southern shore of Lake Erie and is home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cleveland Hopkins International serves Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
CGF Cleveland, Ohio Cuyahoga County Airport
Located 10 miles east of Cleveland in Richmond Heights, Cuyahoga County Airport, also known as Robert D. Shea Field, is a general aviation reliever airport for Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE). CGF serves Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga Counties and all of Northeast Ohio. The Cleveland Jet Center, CGF’s FBO, was recently renovated to provide top-of-the-line facilities and aircraft services to private charters and corporate customers.
CAK Akron/Green, Ohio Akron-Canton Regional Airport
Located in Green, Akron-Canton Regional Airport is located midway between Akron and Canton, about 10 miles from each city, and is one of the fastest-growing airports in the Midwest. CAK opened for passenger service in 1948 as Akron–Canton–Massillon Airport. The airport provides scheduled passenger service for Akron, Canton, Massillon, Cleveland and all of Northeast Ohio, and is often more convenient for private jet charter customers in comparison to busier Cleveland-Hopkins International (CLE).
BKL Cleveland, Ohio Burke Lakefront Airport
Burke Lakefront Airport is located in Cleveland, on the shore of Lake Erie. It is a reliever airport for Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE) and the preferred general aviation airport in the region for business customers. BKL is also convenient to Cleveland Browns Stadium, Progressive Field, home of the Cleveland Indians, and Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and handles many professional team charter flights. The International Women’s Air & Space Museum is located in the lobby and west concourse of Burke Lakefront Airport.
Oklahoma Airports
With its network of 138 public airports, including 3 airports with scheduled passenger service, 3 reliever airports, 95 general aviation airports, and 37 other public-use airports, Oklahoma is convenient for private jet charter passengers heading to every corner of the State. Several of Oklahoma’s notable airports have connections to aviation pioneers and enthusiasts. Charles Lindbergh landed at Tulsa’s fledgling privately owned McIntyre Airport in 1927 in his Spirit of Saint Louis. He admonished civic leaders for not having a municipal airport in Tulsa. Development got underway immediately and Tulsa Municipal(TUL) opened in 1928. Two of Oklahoma City’s airports, Will Rogers World Airport (OKC) and Wiley Post Airport (PWA), were ironically named after journalist and aviation enthusiast Will Rogers and pilot Wiley Post, friends who died in the same plane crash in 1935 near Barrow, Alaska, while on a trip to gather material for Rogers’ newspaper column. Key airports in Oklahoma include:
TUL Tulsa, Oklahoma Tulsa International Airport
Formerly the site of privately owned McIntyre Airport, Tulsa Municipal Airport (later renamed Tulsa International) was built with the encouragement of Charles Lindbergh. It opened in 1928 and is located five miles northeast of the city of Tulsa in Northeast Oklahoma. TUL offers scheduled passenger service and is a popular base for private and corporate aircraft. It is also home to the 138th Fighter Wing of the Air National Guard and the Tulsa Air and Space Museum.
RVS Tulsa, Oklahoma Richard Lloyd Jones Jr Airport
Located in southwest Tulsa, RVS is the reliever airport for Tulsa International (TUL). RVS is located five miles south of downtown Tulsa, the 2nd largest city in Oklahoma. It is the busiest airport in the state and 5th busiest general aviation airport in the nation. Once called the “Oil Capital of the World”, Tulsa has expanded into business sectors unrelated to oil and energy. RVS serves Tulsa, Bartlesville, Okmulgee, Pawnee and the rest of Northeastern Oklahoma.
PWA Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Wiley Post Airport
Located in the northwest section of Oklahoma City, Wiley Post Airport is a reliever airport for OKC and a major center for corporate and business aviation. PWA was named after Wiley Post, an accomplished aviator who lived in Oklahoma, and the first pilot to fly solo around the world. Oklahoma City is the state capital and its largest city. PWA is convenient for travelers to the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder at Chesapeake Energy Arena in downtown.
OUN Norman, Oklahoma University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport
Frequently called Max Westheimer Airport, OUN is owned by the University of Oklahoma and is located three miles northwest of the city of Norman. It is a general aviation reliever airport capable of handling aircraft up to executive class jet aircraft and serves Norman and Central Oklahoma. OUN opened in 1941 and was named after the uncle of the original landowners. The airport is very busy during football season as it is home to the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
OKC Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Will Rogers World Airport
Will Rogers (OKC) is the busiest airport in Oklahoma. Locals refer to it as WRWA, but the official FAA designation is OKC. The airport is located in the southwestern section of Oklahoma City, about 6 miles from downtown. It is named in honor of humorist and legendary cowboy Will Rogers, an Oklahoma native. During World War II, it was a major training facility for the U.S. Army Air Forces and is still used by the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Will Rogers World Airport can accommodate any size aircraft.
Oregon Airports
A system of 97 public airports, including 7 airports with scheduled passenger service, 2 reliever airports, 48 general aviation airports, and 40 other public-use airports, delivers business travelers and private charter passengers to all parts of Oregon. Visitors enjoy the diverse geography of the Beaver State. The mountainous part of Western Oregon is home to three of the most prominent mountain peaks in the U.S., including Mount Hood. The Cascade Range extends from British Columbia through Oregon into Northern California and is home to glaciers and volcanoes, including the deep blue caldera of Crater Lake National Park. One of North America’s largest rivers, the Columbia River, runs along the northern border between Oregon and Washington. High desert terrain can be found in Eastern Oregon, which features the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. And the state’s lowest point is along the scenic Oregon Coast at the shore of the Pacific Ocean. Key airports in Oregon include:
UAO Aurora, Oregon Aurora State Airport
Aurora State Airport is primarily a general aviation airport located one mile northwest of the city of Aurora. The facility was built in 1943 by the U.S. Army Air Forces to support Portland Army Air Base. UAO is a non-towered facility and is the third-busiest airport in Oregon, just behind Portland International (PDX) and Portland-Hillsboro (HIO). It serves Aurora, Marion County and Northwest Oregon, and is convenient to Portland, the Cascade Mountains, the Oregon Coast, and the Willamette Valley.
RDM Redmond, Oregon Roberts Field Airport
Central Oregon is served by Roberts Field Airport in the city of Redmond. The airport is frequently called Redmond Municipal Airport. It is a primary commercial service airport and is home to the Lancair International factory and a base for aerial firefighting for the region. Redmond is situated on the eastern side of Oregon’s Cascade Range and is a gateway for mountain biking, fishing, hiking, camping, rock climbing, white-water rafting, skiing, and golf in the area.
PDX Portland, Oregon Portland International Airport
Portland International Airport is located about 12 miles (20 minutes by car) northwest of downtown Portland. PDX is Oregon’s largest airport and accounts for 90% of the state’s passengers and 95% of the air cargo. It is consistently rated as one of the top airports for U.S. business travelers by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. The airport serves Portland, the counties of Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill, as well as Northwest Oregon and Vancouver, Washington. PDX is also home to the 142nd Fighter Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard.
OTH North Bend, Oregon Southwest Oregon Regional Airport
Formerly known as North Bend Municipal Airport, OTH was renamed in 2006 to avoid confusion with Bend, a city located in Central Oregon. Southwest Oregon Regional is located in the city of North Bend, which borders Coos Bay, and is the only commercial airport on the Oregon Coast. OTH is the gateway to the Southern Oregon Coast and serves visitors to the Siuslaw and Siskiyou National Forests and the renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, four courses built on sand dunes overlooking the Pacific Ocean. OTH is also home to the U.S. Coast Guard.
MFR Medford, Oregon Rogue Valley International – Medford Airport
Based on number of passengers, MFR is the 3rd largest commercial service airport in Oregon. It provides scheduled passenger service and general aviation services for Medford, Jackson County, the Rogue Valley, Southwest Oregon and Northern California (Medford is just 27 miles north of the California border). Rogue Valley International began operations in 1930 and was the first municipal airport in Oregon. MFR is convenient for Rogue River rafting trip enthusiasts and is a gateway to Crater Lake National Park.
HIO Portland, Oregon Portland-Hillsboro Airport
Portland-Hillsboro, also known as Hillsboro Airport, is a corporate, general aviation and flight-training airport in Hillsboro, west of Portland. HIO is Oregon’s 2nd busiest airport after Portland International (PDX), and the state’s largest general aviation airport. It is a hub for many major local corporations, such as Nike and Intel, and for Portland’s NBA team, the Portland Trail Blazers. HIO is a port of entry and provides limited U.S. Customs services. The airport serves Portland, Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.
CVO Corvallis, Oregon Corvallis Municipal Airport
Located 5 miles south of Corvallis, CVO is a general aviation facility that offers private and corporate aircraft services. During World War II it provided bomber training as Corvallis Army Airfield. The original hangar is still in use today. Oregon State University and its NCAA Pacific-12 Conference OSU Beavers make their home here. CVO is situated in the middle of the Willamette Valley and serves Corvallis, Benton County, the Oregon Coast, Albany, Portland, Salem (the state capital) and Central Western Oregon.
Road Island Airports
Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state by area, also has the fewest public airports, including 3 with scheduled passenger service, 2 reliever airports, 1 general aviation airport, and 1 other public-use airport. The “Ocean State” is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean. It also shares a narrow maritime border with New York. Visitors to Rhode Island enjoy 400 miles of coastline with pristine beaches and coastal bikeways, and 20% of the nation’s historic landmarks. Its capital and most populous city is Providence, home to Brown University. Newport is the sailing capital of the world and was once the summer playground of America’s wealthiest families. It’s famous for its mansions built in the 1850s to 1900 by wealthy tycoons from New York and Philadelphia. Narragansett is home to the Narragansett Town Beach and Point Judith Lighthouse. Key Rhode Island airports include:
PVD Providence, Rhode Island Theodore Francis Green State Airport
T.F. Green Airport, or simply Green Airport, is the largest and most active of Rhode Island’s airports. It is located in Warwick, six miles south of Providence, RI. PVD is one of the reliever airports to Logan International Airport (BOS) in Boston, Massachusetts, but cheaper landing and transient fees at PVD make it an appealing for sports teams and entertainers visiting the Boston metropolitan area. In 2013, the airport was voted one of the best airports in the country by Travel + Leisure readers, for the 3rd time in the last 5 years.
South Carolina Airports
AIK Aiken, South Carolina Aiken Municipal Airport
Aiken Municipal is located 5 miles from downtown Aiken. AIK is a general aviation facility that provides service to local pilots and corporate jets. It is one hour by car from the state capital of Columbia and 20 miles northeast of Augusta, Georgia. In the late 1800s, Aiken was a famous wintering spot for wealthy people from the Northeast, such as Madeleine Astor, William K. Vanderbilt, Allan Pinkerton (the famous detective), and Eugene Grace (president of Bethlehem Steel). Today, it is an established equestrian community and horse training center. AIK serves Aiken and Western South Carolina.
South Dakota Airports
South Dakota has 72 public airports, including 6 with scheduled passenger service, 51 general aviation airports, 15 other public-use airports, and one military airport – Ellsworth Air Force Base in Rapid City. South Dakota is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux Native American tribes. Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls is the largest city. Its visitor attractions include Mount Rushmore in Rapid City (one of the most famous monuments in the country), Custer State Park (with one of the largest free-roaming bison herds in the world), the Corn Palace in Mitchell (with its “crop art” murals), Crazy Horse Memorial near Custer (the world’s largest sculpture-in-progress which was started in 1948), the painted canyons of Badlands National Park near Kadoka, Spearfish Canyon in the Black Hills, Jewel Cave National Monument (the third longest cave in the world), as well as fishing for Chinook salmon and trout, and hunting for pheasants, white-tailed deer, mule deer, turkeys, Canada geese, snow geese, and mallards along the Missouri River. Key airports in South Dakota include:
FSD Sioux Falls, South Dakota Sioux Falls Regional Airport/ Joe Foss Field
Located three miles northwest of Sioux Falls in Minnehaha County, FSD is the largest airport in South Dakota and serves the greater Sioux Falls area, as well as eastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. It is a primary commercial service airport and provides general aviation services to local pilots and corporate jets. The airport, also called Joe Foss Field, was named in honor of Brigadier General Joseph J. Foss, a former WWII ace pilot, Governor, and founder of the South Dakota Air National Guard. FSD is currently home to the South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing, nicknamed “Fighting Lobos”.
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