Exploring Port Arthur: Airport Accessibility And Travel Options

Port Arthur, Texas, does not have its own airport. The nearest major airport to Port Arthur is Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT/KBPT), previously known as Southeast Texas Regional Airport, which is 7 miles from the city centre. This airport is used for domestic flights and general aviation. The next closest airports are Lake Charles Regional Airport, 62 miles from Port Arthur, and Beaumont Jefferson County Airport, 6.87 miles from the city.

Jack Brooks Regional Airport is the nearest airport to Port Arthur, Texas

Jack Brooks Regional Airport (IATA: BPT, ICAO: KBPT, FAA LID: BPT) is the nearest airport to Port Arthur, Texas. It is located 7 miles from the centre of Port Arthur and is used for general aviation. The airport covers 1,799 acres and has two paved runways.

The airport was formerly known as the Southeast Texas Regional Airport and, before that, Jefferson County Airport. It was renamed to honour former U.S. Representative Jack Brooks (D-Beaumont).

Several airlines have started and ended service to the airport, including Southwest Airlines, American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection, and United Express. American Eagle resumed service to Dallas/Fort Worth in 2025.

In the past, Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) and successor Texas International Airlines served the Beaumont/Port Arthur area for over 30 years. Delta Air Lines also operated a mainline jet service into Beaumont/Port Arthur until 1979.

Beaumont Jefferson County Airport is another airport close to Port Arthur

Beaumont Jefferson County Airport, also known as Jack Brooks Regional Airport, is another airport close to Port Arthur. The airport is located nine miles (14 km) southeast of Beaumont and northeast of Port Arthur. It is the nearest major airport to Port Arthur with domestic flights from Beaumont, Texas, and is only seven miles from the centre of the city.

The airport covers 1,799 acres (728 ha) and has two paved runways. The first runway, 12/30, is 6,751 ft x 150 ft (2,058 m x 46 m), while the second runway, 16/34, is 5,071 ft x 150 ft (1,546 m x 46 m). The airport is used for general aviation and is southwest of the city of Nederland in unincorporated Jefferson County.

Several airlines have served the airport, including Southwest Airlines, American Eagle, Continental, Delta/Delta Connection, and United Express. Southwest Airlines ended its scheduled jet service in 1980, while American Eagle resumed service to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) in 2025.

Historically, the Beaumont/Port Arthur area was served by Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) and its successor, Texas International Airlines, for over 30 years. In the fall of 1949, TTa operated three round-trip Douglas DC-3 flights daily, connecting Houston Hobby Airport, Galveston, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Lufkin, Palestine, and Dallas Love Field. In the 1950s, Delta Air Lines introduced Convair 440 service, operating a route that included Houston Hobby Airport, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Shreveport, Little Rock, Memphis, St. Louis, and Chicago Midway Airport.

Today, American Eagle operates daily flights to DFW, and parking at the airport is always free for travellers.

Lake Charles Regional Airport is 62 miles from Port Arthur

Port Arthur, Texas, does have an airport. The nearest major airport to the city is Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT / KBPT), which is located 7 miles from the centre of Port Arthur. This airport has domestic flights from Beaumont, Texas, and offers free parking.

Another major airport close to Port Arthur is Lake Charles Regional Airport (LCH / KLCH), which is 62 miles from the city. This airport serves Lake Charles, Louisiana, and is 56 miles away by road, with a driving time of around 1 hour and 4 minutes.

Lake Charles Regional Airport is a good option for those in Port Arthur looking to travel further afield, as it offers domestic flights. The airport covers 1,799 acres and has two paved runways.

The distance between Port Arthur and Lake Charles Regional Airport can be covered by a short flight in a private plane. This flight distance is 49 miles and has a flight time of around 36 minutes. However, for those without access to a private jet, commercial airline flights are also an option.

In addition to these two major airports, there are several other airports within a few hundred miles of Port Arthur, including William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, which is 96 miles from Port Arthur, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport, also in Houston, which is 100 miles from Port Arthur.

Houston-based TTa operated flights to Port Arthur in 1949

Port Arthur, Texas, is served by Jack Brooks Regional Airport, formerly known as the Southeast Texas Regional Airport. The airport is located 7 miles from the centre of Port Arthur and is used for general aviation.

In the fall of 1949, Houston-based Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) operated three round-trip Douglas DC-3 flights per day. The route began at Houston Hobby Airport, stopping at Galveston, Beaumont/Port Arthur, Lufkin, Palestine, and ending at Dallas Love Field.

Trans-Texas Airways was derisively nicknamed "Tree Top Airlines", "Tinker Toy Airlines", and "Teeter-Totter Airlines" by competitors and cynical customers. The airline changed its name to Texas International Airlines in 1969, and continued to serve the Beaumont/Port Arthur area for over 30 years.

In 1966, TTa operated one daily Douglas DC-9-10 jet flight to Houston Hobby Airport, with additional flights to destinations in Texas and Louisiana. By 1968, TTa was operating three daily DC-9 jet flights from Jack Brooks Regional Airport, with two non-stop flights to Houston Hobby Airport and one to Dallas Love Field.

In 1976, Texas International Airlines offered direct DC-9 jet service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Beaumont/Port Arthur, with five stops in between. The airline was eventually merged into Continental Airlines, which continued to operate jet services to the airport.

Texas International Airlines operated Douglas DC-9-10 jets to Port Arthur

Port Arthur, Texas, is served by Jack Brooks Regional Airport (BPT/KBPT), formerly known as Southeast Texas Regional Airport. The airport is located 7 miles from the city centre of Port Arthur. While it is a regional airport, it does have domestic flights from Beaumont, Texas.

Texas International Airlines, originally known as Trans-Texas Airways, operated Douglas DC-9-10 jets to Port Arthur. Trans-Texas was derisively nicknamed "Tree Top Airlines", "Tinker Toy Airlines", and "Teeter-Totter Airlines" by competitors and cynical customers. The company rebranded to Texas International Airlines in April 1969, doing away with the negative associations.

Texas International Airlines operated Douglas DC-9-10 jets as well as Convair 600 turboprops to Houston, Dallas, and other destinations. On February 1, 1976, the airline operated direct DC-9 jet service from Los Angeles (LAX) to Beaumont/Port Arthur via five stops en route, including Albuquerque, Roswell, Midland/Odessa, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Houston. The airline also offered daily direct DC-9 jet service from New Orleans via a stop in Lafayette, LA.

The DC-9 was a short- to medium-range airliner designed to complement Douglas Aircraft's long-range DC-8. The first DC-9 production model flew on February 25, 1965, and the aircraft received airworthiness certification from the Federal Aviation Administration on November 23, 1965. The DC-9 allowed Douglas to beat rival Boeing to the short-haul jet market, and it became the best-selling airliner in the world for a time.

Texas International Airlines was headquartered near William P. Hobby Airport in Houston, Texas, and served the Beaumont/Port Arthur area for over 30 years. The airline was merged into Continental Airlines in 1982, which continued to operate jet service into Jack Brooks Regional Airport.

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