Morgantown, West Virginia: Airport Accessibility And Convenience

Yes, Morgantown, West Virginia, has an airport. Known as Morgantown Municipal Airport, it is located three miles east of the city in Monongalia County. The airport offers daily nonstop flights to Washington Dulles International Airport and Chicago O'Hare International Airport. With a convenient location and easy, fast check-ins, the airport provides comfortable waiting areas and seamless connections to domestic and international destinations through United's extensive flight network.

Morgantown Municipal Airport's location and elevation

Morgantown Municipal Airport, also known as Walter L. Bill Hart Field, is located three miles east of Morgantown, in Monongalia County, West Virginia. The airport is situated on the Mileground in Morgantown, providing a convenient option for travellers looking to avoid lengthy drives to distant airports.

The airport covers 494 acres (200 hectares) of land, with an elevation of 1,244 feet (379 meters) above sea level. At this elevation, the airport provides a take-off and landing point for smaller aircraft, as its single runway, 18/36, measures 5,199 feet by 150 feet (1,585 meters by 46 meters). This runway is currently unable to accommodate larger aircraft, but the airport has plans for expansion.

Morgantown Municipal Airport has a rich history of airline services, dating back to 1949 when Capital Airlines operated the first passenger flights using Douglas DC-3s. Over the years, various airlines have come and gone, including Lake Central Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, Aeromech Airlines, and Wright Air Lines. The airport has also witnessed changes in airline partnerships, such as Colgan Airlines' switch from Continental Express to United Express in 1988.

Today, the airport offers daily flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft. These flights are operated by SkyWest Airlines under the United Express banner, providing connections to United's extensive domestic and international network. The airport also provides comfortable waiting areas, easy check-ins, and convenient access to travel the world.

Airlines that service the airport

Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW), also known as Walter L. Bill Hart Field, is located three miles east of Morgantown, West Virginia. The airport covers 494 acres of land at an elevation of 1,244 feet above sea level. It has a single runway that cannot accommodate larger aircraft. However, the airport has filed a request to extend the runway by 1001 feet.

Morgantown Municipal Airport currently offers daily flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) through United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines. These flights are operated using 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft, providing seamless connections to United Airlines' extensive domestic and international network.

Historically, the airport has been served by various airlines, including Capital Airlines, Lake Central Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, Aeromech Airlines, and Christman Airlines. Allegheny Commuter, later known as USAir Express, also served the airport before ending its affiliation in 1981.

In recent years, Southern Airways Express was selected to provide service to Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. However, they ended service to Washington Dulles in 2017, opting to serve Baltimore–Washington International Airport instead. In 2021, they resumed service to Washington Dulles, and as of December 1, 2024, SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, will take over the route.

History of Morgantown Municipal Airport

The Morgantown Municipal Airport, also known as Walter L. Bill Hart Field, is located three miles east of Morgantown, in Monongalia County, West Virginia. The airport covers 494 acres of land at an elevation of 1,244 feet above sea level. Its single runway, 18/36, measures 5,199 by 150 feet.

The history of Morgantown Municipal Airport dates back to the late 1940s when it witnessed its first passenger airline flights. Capital Airlines, operating Douglas DC-3s, commenced operations in 1949, marking the beginning of commercial air travel in the region. Over the years, various airlines have served the airport, with a dynamic landscape of carriers coming and going.

In the early years, Capital Airlines held the fort until 1961 when Lake Central Airlines took over. This airline then merged with Allegheny Airlines in 1968, setting the stage for the next phase of the airport's journey. The late 1960s saw the entry of Aeromech Airlines, which operated as Allegheny Commuter, supplementing Allegheny Airlines' services. Aeromech's tenure continued until 1979, when they replaced Allegheny, offering flights to Pittsburgh and Washington National Airport.

The early 1980s brought change, with Aeromech ending its affiliation with Allegheny Commuter in 1981 and merging with Wright Air Lines in 1983. However, Wright Air Lines' service came to an end in 1984. During the same year, Christman Airlines briefly served Morgantown, while Colgan Airlines initiated flights to Washington National. The year 1985 saw Crown Airways enter the scene, operating as Allegheny Commuter to Pittsburgh.

As the decade progressed, Allegheny Commuter evolved into USAir Express in 1989. Colgan Airlines also underwent a transformation, initiating a code-share agreement with Continental Airlines as Continental Express in 1987, and later switching to United Airlines as United Express in 1988. Colgan's services, however, concluded in late 1989, leading to Jet Express taking over the route to Washington National from 1990 to 1992, operating on behalf of TWA as Trans World Express.

In the 2010s, Silver Airways became the primary carrier at Morgantown Municipal Airport, but their reliability issues led the city to explore other options in 2016. After considering multiple proposals, Southern Airways Express was selected, commencing flights to Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in November 2016. This decision was driven by Southern Airways Express' impressive 99.2% completion rate.

In 2017, Southern Airways Express shifted its focus from Washington Dulles to Baltimore–Washington International Airport, offering connections to low-cost carriers and an adjacent rail station with access to Washington Union Station. However, in 2021, they reverted to serving Washington Dulles. As of 2024, SkyWest Airlines, operating as United Express, secured the EAS contract, offering round-trip flights to Dulles and Chicago-O'Hare, with expectations to surpass 10,000 enplanements per year and bring additional federal funding to the airport.

Runway and aircraft specifications

Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW), also known as Walter L. Bill Hart Field, is located three miles east of Morgantown, in Monongalia County, West Virginia. The airport covers 494 acres of land at an elevation of 1,244 feet above sea level.

The airport has a single runway, 18/36, which measures 5,199 feet in length and 150 feet in width. This runway is currently the shortest among commercial airports in West Virginia, and it cannot accommodate larger aircraft. The runway's limited length, coupled with inclement weather conditions like snow or fog, can make it challenging for jet operators to land at the airport. Consequently, the airport has experienced difficulties in attracting and retaining additional corporate jet traffic and charter services.

To address these issues, the City of Morgantown, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has proposed the Runway Extension Project. This project includes plans to extend the existing runway by 1,001 feet, with the goal of enhancing the airport's facilities and improving its ability to attract new business. The extension project has received approval through the necessary environmental assessments, and the dirt required for construction will be sourced from the future I-68 Commerce Park.

In terms of aircraft, the airport had 23 planes based there as of January 2024, including 22 single-engine and 1 multi-engine aircraft. The airport currently offers daily flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) using 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft. These flights are operated by SkyWest Airlines as United Express, providing connections to United's broader domestic and international network.

Connections to other airports

Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW) offers daily flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) on a 50-seat CRJ200 aircraft. Passengers can connect to domestic and international flights on United's global network at IAD and ORD.

United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, is currently the only passenger airline operating at Morgantown Municipal Airport. The airline offers seven weekly round trips to Dulles and Chicago O'Hare, which are codeshared with United Airlines.

Historically, Morgantown Municipal Airport has been served by various airlines, including Capital Airlines, Lake Central Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, Aeromech Airlines, Christman Airlines, Colgan Airlines, Crown Airways, USAir Express, Silver Airways, Southern Airways Express, ViaAir, Boutique Air, and Corporate Flight Management.

Southern Airways Express previously provided service to Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, with connections to many low-cost carriers and an adjacent rail station providing access to Washington Union Station. However, they ended service to Washington Dulles in 2017, switching to Baltimore–Washington International Airport.

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