Alamogordo, New Mexico: Airport Accessibility And Location

Alamogordo, New Mexico, is served by the Alamogordo–White Sands Regional Airport, a city-owned public-use airport located around 4 to 7 miles from the city. The airport has two runways, one paved and one dirt, and is used for general aviation. While it does not have any commercial air service, it is a designated United States Forest Service Fire Tanker Base, hosting tanker aircraft during forest fire seasons.

Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport

The airport opened in 1959 and was formerly known as Alamogordo Municipal Airport. It was home to Black Hills Aviation, which was bought by Neptune Aviation in 1993 and moved to Missoula, Montana. Neptune still bases some of its current fleet of British Aerospace 146 jets at Alamogordo during active forest fire seasons. The airport also sees large MD-87 firefighting jets operated by Erickson Aero Tanker.

The airport does not currently have any commercial air service. New Mexico Airlines discontinued service in 2012 after the airport lost eligibility for subsidies through the Essential Air Service program. The airport had 34,100 aircraft operations in the 12 months ending April 30, 2023, with an average of 93 per day.

The airport covers an area of 1,465 acres at an elevation of 4,200 feet above mean sea level. Runway 22/04 is paved for 9,006 feet by 150 feet, and Runway 16/34 is a dirt runway, 3,850 feet long and 190 feet wide. Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport installed an 8-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array in November 2008, using a $100,000 grant from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

El Paso International Airport

Alamogordo, New Mexico, is served by the Alamogordo–White Sands Regional Airport, a city-owned public-use airport located four nautical miles (five miles or seven kilometres) southwest of the central business district of Alamogordo. The airport does not have any commercial air service, but it does have two runways and several aviation facilities.

The nearest major airport to Alamogordo is El Paso International Airport (ELP/KELP), which is 86 miles from the city centre. El Paso International Airport is located in El Paso, Texas, four miles (six kilometres) northeast of downtown El Paso. It is the busiest commercial airport in West Texas, serving Southern New Mexico and Northern Mexico. The airport handled nearly four million passengers in 2023, with over 96,000 aircraft operations.

The airport has a range of shops and restaurants, including Black Mesa, Carlos & Mickey's, Home Team Sports, Starbucks, PGA Tour Grill, Schlotzsky's, Cinnabon, Slice, and Tia's Mexican Restaurant. The airport access road is Convair Road, which has a dedicated drop-off and pick-up area for passengers.

Roswell International Air Center

The Roswell International Air Center (IATA: ROW, ICAO: KROW, FAA LID: ROW) is located in Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico, around 122 miles from Alamogordo, NM. The airport was originally known as the Roswell Army International Airfield during World War II and later as the Walker Air Force Base during the Cold War. It is currently one of the largest centres for commercial aviation in the Southwest.

The Roswell Air Center covers 5,029 acres and has two paved runways. The first runway is 13,000 ft by 150 ft, and the second is 10,008 ft by 100 ft. The airport offers flights to and from Dallas-Fort Worth and Phoenix Sky Harbor. It is also a bustling aircraft boneyard, serving as a storage facility for retired airliners from several airlines, including American Airlines, United, UPS, Air Canada, and Scoot. The dry climate of the region, with low humidity, makes it an ideal environment for aircraft preservation.

The Roswell Air Center is not just an aviation hub; it is also home to a variety of businesses and organisations, including Millennium Transit Services, New Mexico Rehabilitation Center, a plastics manufacturer, a candy manufacturer, and Eastern New Mexico University. Additionally, the Walker Aviation Museum, located inside the terminal, showcases local aviation memorabilia.

The airport has a rich history, including its role in the Roswell UFO incident of 1947, and it was used by Felix Baumgartner for his record-breaking stratospheric freefall jump in 2012.

Albuquerque International Sunport Airport

The Albuquerque International Sunport, locally known as the Sunport, is the primary international airport serving the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is located 206 miles from Alamogordo, NM.

Design and Architecture

The airport is known for its distinct low-lying structure, Pueblo Revival architecture, and cultural décor, which references Albuquerque's Tiquex and Hispano heritage and New Mexico's Pueblo and Nuevo México roots.

Airlines and Destinations

The airport is served by 8 major carriers and offers non-stop service between ABQ and more than 30 destinations, all with worldwide connectivity. These destinations include:

• Portland (OR), Seattle/Tacoma
• Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
• Los Angeles, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Dallas/Fort Worth
• Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis/St. Paul
• Los Angeles, Salt Lake City, New York–JFK
• Austin, Baltimore, Burbank, Chicago–Midway, Dallas–Love, Denver, Houston–Hobby, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Nashville, Oakland, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, San Diego, Orlando
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, San Francisco
• Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Chicago–O'Hare
• Phoenix–Sky Harbor
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Houston–Intercontinental

Passenger Traffic and Aircraft Operations

The Albuquerque International Sunport welcomes over 5 million passengers annually and handles over 400 flights daily. In the year ending February 28, 2022, the airport had 134,024 aircraft operations with an average of 367 per day.

Cargo Operations

The airport's freight center moved 60,000 short tons of cargo in 2016. Cargo airlines serving the airport include FedEx Express, UPS Airlines, Empire Airlines (FedEx Feeder carrier), Ameriflight, Amazon Prime Air (operated by Sun Country), and South Aero.

Ground Transportation and Amenities

The airport provides ground transportation options such as bus services (ABQ RIDE Routes 50, 222, and 250) and a Car Rental Center with free shuttle services. It also offers a wide range of restaurants and shops, including national brands like Hudson News and Book Sellers, regional gift shops, and local eateries showcasing New Mexican cuisine. The Sunport is also known for its world-class art collection and unique amenities.

Holloman Air Force Base

Alamogordo, New Mexico, is served by the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport, which is located 6 miles from the city. The airport is owned by the city and is open for public use. It has two runways, one paved and one dirt, and is used by the United States Forest Service as a fire tanker base during the summer months.

The base has a long history of use for missile testing and development, dating back to the 1940s and 1950s. It has been the site of numerous notable experiments and achievements, including the first balloon flight to reach the stratosphere, conducted by Captain Joseph W. Kittinger, Jr. in 1960. The base was also involved in the training of chimpanzees for space flight in 1961-62, including Ham, the first great ape in space, and Enos, the third.

The base covers 59,639 acres and is located at an altitude of 4,093 feet. It has a population of over 2,000 people and is served by its own schools, including Holloman Elementary and Holloman Middle School.

Frequently asked questions