Louisville, Kentucky: Airport Hub Or No-Go?

Louisville, Kentucky is served by the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, formerly known as Standiford Field. The airport covers 1,500 acres and has three runways. It is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world, largely due to UPS Airlines' operations. UPS's Worldport facility at the airport is 5.2 million square feet and capable of handling 115 packages per second. The airport also serves passenger flights, with over 4.6 million passengers passing through in 2023.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport

Louisville, Kentucky, is served by the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, formerly known as Standiford Field. The airport covers 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) and has three runways. Its IATA airport code, SDF, is based on its former name, Standiford Field.

Despite being called an international airport, there are no regularly scheduled international passenger flights. However, it is a port of entry and handles many UPS Airlines international cargo flights through the UPS Worldport hub. UPS Airlines' operations make Louisville the third-busiest cargo airport in the United States and the sixth-busiest in the world. The Kentucky Air National Guard's 123d Airlift Wing also operates C-130 transport aircraft from the co-located Louisville Air National Guard Base.

The airport's main commercial terminal is the Jerry E. Abramson Terminal. It consists of two floors, with ground transportation and baggage claim services on the first floor and ticketing, passenger drop-off, and concourse access on the second floor. There are 24 gates in two concourses, connected by a rotunda with a unified security checkpoint. The airport's busiest concourse, Concourse B, contains 12 gates.

The Louisville Regional Airport Authority voted to rename the airport after boxing legend Muhammad Ali, a Louisville native, on January 16, 2019. On June 6, 2019, the airport unveiled its new logo, featuring "Ali's silhouette, arms up and victorious, against the background of a butterfly".

UPS Airlines' operations

Louisville, Kentucky, is home to the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, formerly known as Standiford Field. The airport is a civil-military airport that covers 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) and has three runways.

UPS has had a hub at the airport since 1980, but the term 'Worldport' was not used officially by the company until 2002, after a $1 billion, five-year expansion project. The facility serves all of UPS's major international and domestic hubs, focusing primarily on express and international packages and letters.

The presence of UPS's hub has made the company one of the largest employers in Louisville and Kentucky, with more than 20,000 employees. UPS Air Cargo serves over 200 airports worldwide, providing access to key transportation centres across the U.S. and beyond through its comprehensive hub-and-spoke network.

Kentucky Air National Guard

Louisville, Kentucky, is served by the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, formerly known as Louisville International Airport and Standiford Field. The airport is a civil-military airport that covers 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) and has three runways.

The Kentucky Air National Guard (ANG) is located at this airport in Louisville. The ANG's 123rd Airlift Wing operates C-130 transport aircraft and provides professional, highly adaptive Airmen to Combatant Commanders and the Governor of Kentucky. The 123rd Airlift Wing supports combat-ready airlift capabilities, air logistics expertise, contingency response, special operations, civil engineering, medical support, explosive ordnance disposal, and base operating support.

The Kentucky ANG is responsible for public protection, mitigation, response, and recovery during state and national crises. Its members are paid equally based on their rank and years of service, and they enjoy a comprehensive benefits package. This includes up to 100% tuition assistance for Kentucky state-supported colleges, universities, or vocational schools, as well as access to on-base amenities such as fitness facilities and outdoor recreation. ANG members also qualify for educational assistance through the post-9/11 GI Bill or the Montgomery GI Bill.

In addition to the Kentucky ANG, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is also home to UPS Airlines' operations, making it the third-busiest cargo airport in the United States and the sixth-busiest in the world. The airport handled over 4.6 million passengers and 6.7 billion pounds (3.38 million tons) of cargo in 2022.

Standiford Field

Louisville, Kentucky, is served by the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, formerly known as Louisville International Airport and Standiford Field. The IATA airport code for the airport is SDF, which is based on its former name, Standiford Field. Standiford Field was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a parcel of land south of Louisville that was found not to have flooded during the Ohio River flood of 1937. It was named for Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician who was active in transportation issues and owned part of the land. The airfield remained under Army control until 1947, when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

Until 1947, Bowman Field was Louisville's main airport, but it was too close to downtown to expand. For many years, passenger traffic went through the small brick Lee Terminal at Standiford Field. More modern and larger facilities were built in the 1980s, and most of the Lee Terminal was later torn down. When it was first built, Standiford Field had one 4,000-foot (1,200 m) runway. The airfield opened to the public in 1947, and all commercial service from Bowman Field moved to Standiford Field. American, Eastern, and TWA were the first airlines, with 1,300 passengers a week. The airlines used World War II barracks on the east side of the field until May 25, 1950, when a proper terminal opened.

The Lee Terminal could handle 150,000 passengers annually and included six new gates, which increased terminal space to 114,420 square feet (10,630 square metres). The three runways (1, 6, and 11) were all 5,000 feet long. The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 45 weekday departures on Eastern Airlines, 19 on American, 9 on TWA, 4 on Piedmont, and 2 on Ozark. Scheduled jet flights (Eastern 720s to Idlewild) began in January–February 1962. In 1970, the terminal was expanded again, with the main lobby extended and the 33,000-square-foot (3,100 square-metre) Delta Air Lines concourse built.

In the 1990s, Southwest Airlines began service to the airport, which helped passenger boardings increase by 97.3%. In 1995, the airport's name was changed from Standiford Field to Louisville International Airport. Around that time, two new parallel runways were opened: runway 17L/35R, 8,578 feet (2,615 metres) long, and runway 17R/35L, 11,887 feet (3,623 metres) long; both are 150 feet (46 metres) wide. The Kentucky Air National Guard moved its base to SDF with eight military aircraft, and a new UPS air mail facility, new corporate hangars, a four-level parking garage, and a new control tower were also added.

As of 2024, the airport is in the midst of a major renovation project called SDF Next, which includes more than $1 billion in planned enhancements. Despite being called an international airport, it has no regularly scheduled international passenger flights. However, it is a port of entry and handles many UPS Airlines international cargo flights through the United Parcel Service's worldwide air hub, often referred to as UPS Worldport. Over 4.6 million passengers passed through the airport in 2023, while over 6.7 billion pounds (3.38 million tons) of cargo passed through in 2022. Louisville is the sixth-busiest cargo airport in the world and the third-busiest in the United States, largely due to UPS operations.

Bowman Field

Louisville, Kentucky, is served by the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, which was formerly known as Louisville International Airport and Standiford Field. The airport is located in Jefferson County and covers 1,500 acres of land, featuring three runways.

Before the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport was established, Bowman Field was Louisville's main airport from its establishment in 1919 until 1947. Bowman Field is one of the longest continuously operating general aviation airports in the United States. It is located approximately five miles from downtown Louisville, Kentucky, and is spread across 426 acres. The airport consists of two runways and 17 buildings, including the historic Art Deco Administration Building constructed in 1929.

Today, Bowman Field remains an active airport, accommodating hundreds of privately owned aircraft and several commercial operations, including flight schools and clubs. The airport offers 110 daily flights through nine airline brands, catering to both local and transient general aviation, air taxi services, and military operations.

The Louisville Regional Airport Authority manages both Bowman Field and the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, ensuring the efficient operation of these vital aviation hubs in Kentucky.

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