Phoenix's Two Airports: A Travel Guide

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by multiple airports. The main airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), which is one of the best and busiest airports in the country. It is located less than 5 miles from downtown Phoenix and serves as a hub for American Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Another airport in the area is Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA/IWA), which is a major hub for Allegiant Airlines and offers limited flight options. Additionally, there are other smaller airports in the Phoenix metropolitan area, including Phoenix Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix Goodyear Airport, and Chandler Municipal Airport.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

The airport was founded and built by J. Parker Van Zandt, the owner of Scenic Airways, in 1928. Van Zandt purchased 278 acres of farmland for Scenic Airways' winter operations and immediately began constructing a hangar and runway. The airport was named Sky Harbor and was the fourth airport built in Phoenix. Scenic Airways sold the airport to Acme Investment Company in 1929, which owned it until 1935 when it was purchased by the city of Phoenix for $100,000.

Over the years, the airport has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the construction of new terminals, runways, and a control tower. Terminal 4, the largest terminal, opened in 1990 and has 86 gates. The airport's 326-foot-tall (99 m) air traffic control tower began operations in 2007 and is among the tallest in North America.

The airport offers a variety of dining, shopping, and service options, with over 100 restaurants, shops, and services. It is easily accessible by road, and the PHX Sky Train provides convenient transportation between the airport terminals and the rental car centre.

In 2019, The Wall Street Journal ranked Sky Harbor as the best airport among the 20 largest airports in the United States, citing its short screening waits, fast Wi-Fi, and convenient transportation options. The airport continues to grow and expand to accommodate increasing passenger demand, with plans for a new terminal announced in 2024.

Phoenix Deer Valley Airport

The airport is 24 miles (39 km) north of central Phoenix and covers 914 acres (370 hectares) at an elevation of 1,478 feet (450 metres). It has two asphalt runways: 7R/25L, which is 8,196 by 100 feet (2,498 by 30 metres), and 7L/25R, which is 4,500 by 75 feet (1,372 by 23 metres).

In 2020, the airport recorded 402,444 aircraft movements, making it the 5th busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the busiest general aviation airport globally. This high ranking is due to its large general aviation business and its status as the home of two popular flight schools. The same year, the airport had 402,444 aircraft operations, averaging 1,102 per day: 99% general aviation, <1% military, 1% air taxi, and <1% airline. 920 aircraft were then based at the airport: 773 single-engine, 93 multi-engine, 22 jet, 18 helicopter, 10 glider, 2 ultralight, and 2 military.

Phoenix Goodyear Airport

After World War II, NAS Litchfield Park's primary role shifted to the storage and preservation of obsolete or excess U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard aircraft. In 1968, all Department of Defense and Coast Guard aircraft preservation and storage operations were consolidated at the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center in Tucson, leading to the closure of NAS Litchfield Park.

Following its closure, the city of Phoenix purchased the airport as a general aviation reliever airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Arizona. Phoenix Goodyear Airport covers 789 acres (319 hectares) at an elevation of 971 feet (296 meters) above mean sea level. The airport features one asphalt runway, Runway 3/21, measuring 8,500 feet by 150 feet (2,591 meters by 46 meters), and one concrete helipad, Helipad H1, measuring 64 feet by 64 feet (20 meters by 20 meters).

In 2020, the airport recorded 79,599 aircraft operations, averaging 218 per day. The majority of these operations were general aviation (94%), with minimal airline (<1%) and military (1%) activity. The airport is home to several companies offering aircraft maintenance and commercial pilot training. It is also a Superfund site due to soil and groundwater contamination from its time as a military installation.

While Phoenix Goodyear Airport does not serve as a commercial airport for airlines, it is a significant maintenance and storage hub. Aircraft from various domestic and international airlines can be spotted at the facility. Additionally, the airport has become a worldwide hub for aviation training, serving as the U.S. training centre for notable airlines and militaries.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport

The airport was built in 1941 as Higley Field and has undergone several name changes throughout its history, including Williams Field, Williams Air Base, Williams Air Force Base, Williams Gateway Airport, and Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport. The airport covers 3,020 acres (1,220 ha) and has three parallel paved runways capable of accommodating any size of aircraft.

The airport has an FAA-Contract Air Traffic Control Tower, and U.S. Customs and US-VISIT are on-site to facilitate international charters. The airport offers ground transportation options, including taxi, limousine, ride-share, shuttle services, and car rental agencies.

In 2022, a new control tower was added to accommodate the increased air traffic to the airport. The airport authority has also developed plans for expansion, titled "Gateway 2030," which aim to increase the airport's capacity to handle up to 10 million enplanements annually.

The airport's history

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, a joint civilian-military airport located 3 miles (4.8 km) east of downtown Phoenix. It is Arizona's largest and busiest airport, and one of the largest commercial airports in the United States. In 2021, it was the 8th-busiest airport in the US and the 22nd-busiest in the world.

The history of the airport can be traced back to 1928 when J. Parker Van Zandt, owner of Scenic Airways, purchased 278 acres of farmland for Scenic's winter operations. Van Zandt founded and built the airport, naming it Sky Harbor. He constructed a 100 x 120-foot airplane hangar and a runway. Scenic Airways operated the airport until the Wall Street Crash of 1929, when it was forced to sell to the Acme Investment Company. Acme owned the airport until 1935 when it was purchased by the City of Phoenix for $100,000. Due to its isolated location, the airport was referred to as "the farm."

Following the city's purchase, the airport began to grow, becoming a major southern hub for the United States. The airport's first modern terminal, Terminal 1, opened in 1952 and was one of the most modern in the country at the time. Airlines serving Phoenix in the 1950s included American Airlines, Frontier, Western, and TWA. Typical aircraft using the airport included Douglas DC-3s and DC-4s, as well as Lockheed Constellations.

As the airport continued to grow, a second terminal was constructed and opened in 1962. This terminal, which cost $2.7 million to build, boasted a footprint of 330,000 square feet with 19 gates. Despite the hopes that this new terminal would sustain the airport until 2000, passenger numbers continued to increase, and a third terminal was required. Terminal 3 opened in 1979, with a construction cost of $35 million and an additional $13 million for its parking garage.

With passenger numbers still on the rise, discussions about building a massive new terminal began in the mid-1980s. Work on Terminal 4 commenced in October 1989, and it opened with five concourses and 44 gates. Further expansions were carried out in 1998, 2004, and 2005, with the addition of new concourses and gates. Terminal 4 is the largest and busiest of the two terminals, with 86 gates divided into seven satellite concourses connected behind security.

Today, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport continues to be a significant aviation hub, handling more than 1,200 flights per day. The airport covers 3,400 acres and has three parallel concrete runways capable of accommodating large aircraft. The airport is also home to the Arizona Air National Guard's 161st Air Refueling Wing, known as the Goldwater Air Base.

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