Atlantic City's Airport: Does It Exist?

Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) is located in Egg Harbor Township, about 9-10 miles from central Atlantic City, New Jersey. The airport is served by Spirit and American Airlines and offers worldwide connectivity. ACY serves over 1 million passengers per year and is easily accessible via Exit 9 on the Atlantic City Expressway.

Atlantic City International Airport (IATA: ACY)

The airport offers worldwide connectivity and is served by Spirit Airlines, which uses Airbus A319, Airbus A320, and Airbus A321 airliners, and American Airlines. It covers 5,000 acres (2,000 ha) of land and has two runways and one helipad. The airport is also a base for the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing and the United States Coast Guard's Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City.

The airport terminal has a small layout, making it an alternative to larger airports in the region, such as Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport. Passengers enter the terminal on the lower level, which has check-in counters, a restaurant, a gift shop, and a TSA security checkpoint. The baggage claim area is also located on this level, with three carousels. After the security checkpoint, stairs and escalators lead to the departures level, which has ten gates, along with airside shops and restaurants.

Atlantic City International Airport provides convenient transportation options for travellers. It has a six-story parking garage with a covered walkway to the terminal building. Surface parking is also available within walking distance, and a shuttle service is provided from the economy parking area. Additionally, taxi, Uber, and Lyft services are readily accessible at their booths in the baggage claim area or directly outside the terminal. For those renting a car, four major rental agencies are located across from the terminal in the parking garage.

Location and transport links

Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) is located in Egg Harbor Township, 9 miles (14 km) northwest of central Atlantic City, New Jersey. The airport is accessible via Exit 9 on the Atlantic City Expressway. It is operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) and serves residents of central and southern New Jersey, as well as those in Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The airport offers worldwide connectivity and is served by Spirit Airlines and American Airlines. It features a small terminal layout, making it an alternative to larger airports such as Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

For travellers to and from the airport, a taxi, Uber, or Lyft is a quick and convenient option, with booths located in the baggage claim area or directly outside the terminal. Car rental services are also available from four major agencies located across from the terminal in the parking garage.

The airport provides 24/7 parking across the street from the terminal, with a free shuttle service operating within the parking lots. A six-story parking garage is within walking distance of the terminal, and a shuttle service connects the economy parking area to the terminal building.

For those using public transport, a shuttle bus service is available from the airport terminal to the Egg Harbor City rail station, which connects to the Atlantic City Line. This rail line runs between the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal. Additionally, shuttle services connect to the visitor's centre at the FAA Technical Centre and Stockton University, as well as bus lines to the PATCO Speedline at the Lindenwold station.

The nearest highway is the Atlantic City Expressway, with an exit for County Route 563 (Tilton Road) and Delilah Road, which leads to a traffic circle with Amelia Earhart Boulevard, providing direct access to the airport.

Airlines and destinations

Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) is located in Egg Harbor Township, 12 minutes from downtown Atlantic City, and serves residents of central and southern New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The airport is currently served by Spirit Airlines and American Airlines.

Airlines

Spirit Airlines operates Airbus A319, Airbus A320, and Airbus A321 airliners. As of January 2025, Spirit Airlines is the only airline flying from and to Atlantic City. However, in April 2024, Spirit Airlines announced that it would be closing its crew base at the airport.

American Airlines also serves the airport, offering a connecting bus to and from Philadelphia International Airport. This service is ticketed and operated as an airline flight but uses buses due to Philadelphia's proximity to Atlantic City.

In May 2023, it was announced that Sun Country Airlines would begin service from its hub at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport to ACY. However, the start of this service was delayed.

Destinations

Direct Flights

There are 6 domestic flights from Atlantic City, all operated by Spirit Airlines. These include:

• Fort Lauderdale (FLL)
• Fort Myers (RSW)
• Myrtle Beach (MYR)
• Orlando (MCO)
• Tampa (TPA)
• West Palm Beach (PBI)

Popular Destinations with a Stopover

Popular destinations from Atlantic City that require a stopover include:

• Atlanta (ATL)
• Cancún (CUN)
• Charlotte (CLT)
• Chicago (ORD)
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• Denver (DEN)
• Detroit (DTW)
• Houston (IAH)
• Las Vegas (LAS)
• Los Angeles (LAX)
• Miami (MIA)
• Minneapolis (MSP)
• Nashville (BNA)
• Phoenix (PHX)
• Pittsburgh (PIT)
• Punta Cana (PUJ)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Seattle/Tacoma (SEA)
• St. Louis (STL)
• Vancouver (YVR)

Passenger facilities

Atlantic City International Airport (ACY) is located in Egg Harbor Township, about 9 miles (14 km) northwest of central Atlantic City, New Jersey. The airport offers worldwide connectivity and is served by Spirit Airlines and American Airlines. ACY serves over 1 million passengers per year and is operated by the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA).

The airport terminal is easy to navigate, and passengers can quickly disembark, collect their luggage, and exit to the street. The terminal has a small layout, making it an attractive alternative to Philadelphia International Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport.

Passengers enter the terminal on the lower level, which has check-in counters, a restaurant, a gift shop, and the TSA security checkpoint. The baggage claim area is also on this level, with three carousels. After the security checkpoint, stairs and escalators lead to the departures level, which has ten gates, along with airside shops and restaurants.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal.

For transportation to and from the airport, passengers can use taxi, Uber, or Lyft services, which can be found at booths in the baggage claim area or directly outside the terminal. The airport is also served by four major car rental agencies located directly across from the terminal in the parking garage.

Airport parking is available 24/7, and a free shuttle service transports passengers within the airport's parking lots. The airport also has a six-story parking garage with a covered walkway to the terminal building. Surface parking is within walking distance, and a shuttle service connects the economy parking area to the terminal.

ACY also offers a free passenger loyalty program called iFLYACY. Members receive benefits such as discounts on qualifying purchases, designated parking, promotional items, and the latest news and alerts about ACY services.

Airport history

Atlantic City International Airport (IATA: ACY, ICAO: KACY, FAA LID: ACY) is located in Egg Harbor Township, 9 miles (14 km) northwest of central Atlantic City, New Jersey. The airport is accessible via Exit 9 on the Atlantic City Expressway.

The airport was originally established in 1942 as a Naval Air Station on 4,312 acres of land leased from the city of Atlantic City. The US Navy leased the airport from Atlantic City and, on April 24, 1943, commissioned the Naval Air Station Atlantic City (NASAC). The airport became a base for the Navy's Fighter Training Unit, the Air Development Squadron 3, which developed and tested war strategy, and the Combat Information Center, a precursor to today's air traffic control tower.

In 1943, NAS Atlantic City changed its mission to strictly fighter training, consisting of low and high-altitude gunnery tactics, field carrier landing practice, carrier qualifications, bombing, formation tactics, fighter direction, night operations, and an associated ground school curriculum.

In 1958, the U.S. Navy decommissioned the airport and the lease was transferred to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The airport's lease reverted to Atlantic City, which retained 84 acres where the Civil Terminal Building was constructed in 1961. The ticketing/waiting area was added in 1989.

In 1992, the South Jersey Transportation Authority (SJTA) acquired the Civil Terminal Building and 84 acres of land from the city of Atlantic City. The SJTA has operated the airport as a public airport since then. In 1996, the terminal was expanded, and a second floor was added, including six boarding gates.

In 1998, the FAA William J Hughes Technical Center (FAATC) transferred operational control of the airport to the SJTA and entered a 50-year lease with the SJTA for approximately 2,200 acres, including all runways, taxiways, and commercial airport aprons.

In 2003, over one million passengers passed through the terminal, and growth continued in subsequent years. In 2008, a 1,4000-space parking garage was completed, and in 2012, a 75,000-square-foot terminal expansion was completed, including a new Federal Inspection Station for processing international flights.

Today, ACY comprises more than 5,000 acres and is a shared-use airport. The aviation complex includes the FAA's William J Hughes Technical Center, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Transportation Security Laboratory, the Federal Air Marshal Training Facility, Air National Guard 177th Fighter Wing “Jersey Devils”, and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City.

Frequently asked questions