Savannah, Georgia: Airport Accessibility And Travel Options

Savannah, Georgia is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, located roughly 12-15 miles northwest of the Historic District of Savannah. The airport offers regular flights to more than 30 non-stop destinations, including major cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, and New York, with airlines such as Delta, United, American, and JetBlue operating from the airport. The airport has been recognized as the #1 Best Domestic Airport by Travel+Leisure World's Best Awards and Condé Nast Traveler magazine for its accessibility, shopping, dining, and overall travel experience.

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

The airport's previous names include Savannah International Airport, Travis Field, and Chatham Field. It was included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015, which categorised it as a primary commercial service airport due to it having over 10,000 passenger boardings per year. The airport has U.S. Customs facilities on-site and is part of a Foreign Trade Zone.

The first Savannah Municipal Airport was opened on 20 September 1929, with an air service between New York City and Miami. In 1932, this airport was named Hunter Field. In 1940, the U.S. Army Air Corps proposed taking over Hunter Field in the event of a war. In response, the City of Savannah decided to build a second municipal airport to accommodate the military presence. The city acquired a 600-acre tract of land near Cherokee Hill, one of the highest elevations in the county, and construction of a new airfield began. Before its completion, the U.S. Army Air Corps took over the facility, naming it Chatham Field and using it as a bomber and crew training base during World War II.

In 1948, the airfield was turned over to the Georgia Air National Guard and renamed Travis Field, after Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, a Savannah native who was killed in a plane crash. In 1958, work began on a new airline terminal, and in 1965, Delta Air Lines introduced jet flights to the airport. A new terminal building was constructed in 1994, and the airport was renamed Savannah International Airport in 1983, and then Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in 2003.

The airport offers regular flights to over 30 non-stop destinations, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, and Toronto. It provides travellers with access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as well as neighbouring areas in South Carolina and Coastal Georgia.

The airport's history

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is a commercial and military-use airport in Savannah, Georgia, United States. The airport is owned by the City of Savannah and managed by the Savannah Airport Commission. It is located 7 nautical miles (8 miles or 13 km) northwest of the Savannah Historic District. The airport's previous names include Savannah International Airport, Travis Field and Chatham Field.

The first aircraft landing field in Savannah was on the south side of Daffin Park. Aircraft operations continued there until 1930. The first Savannah Municipal Airport opened on 20 September 1929, with the inauguration of air service between New York City and Miami by Eastern Air Express. In 1932, the airport was named Hunter Field, and a trolley car was used as its first terminal in the mid-1930s.

In 1940, the U.S. Army Air Corps proposed to take over Hunter Field if a war started. In response to the increased military presence, the City of Savannah decided to build a second municipal airport. The city acquired a 600-acre tract near Cherokee Hill, one of the highest elevations in the county, and construction of a new airfield began under a Works Progress Administration project. Three 3,600-foot runways were constructed, running north-south, east-west, and northeast-southwest.

In 1942, before the completion of this new airfield, the U.S. Army Air Corps decided to take over the new facility and start additional construction to carry out its mission. They named the airfield Chatham Field and used it until the end of World War II as a bomber base and crew training base for B-24 bombers and fighter aircraft.

In 1948, the airfield was turned over to the Georgia Air National Guard and the airport was renamed Travis Field, in honour of Savannah native Brigadier General Robert F. Travis, who was killed in a plane crash. To accommodate the airlines, Travis Field received a new control tower and an airline terminal in the former base theatre.

In 1958, work began on a new airline terminal, and in 1962, the east-west runway was extended to 9,000 feet (2,700 m). The jet age arrived in 1965 when Delta Air Lines introduced Douglas DC-9-10 flights. A new $21-million terminal building was built on the northwest corner of the airport in 1994.

Although the airport had no direct international flights at the time, it was renamed Savannah International Airport in 1983, and then Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in 2003. The airport has since resumed international service, with Air Canada beginning seasonal service between Toronto and Savannah in 2017.

Airlines and destinations

Savannah, Georgia is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, which provides travellers with access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as well as neighbouring areas including Bluffton and Beaufort, South Carolina, and the Golden Isles region of Coastal Georgia. The airport is located 13 km northwest of the Savannah Historic District and is owned by the City of Savannah and managed by the Savannah Airport Commission.

The airport offers regular flights to more than 30 non-stop destinations across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Airlines that operate out of the airport include Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Allegiant, Sun Country, and Air Canada, as well as Avelo, Southwest, and Breeze Airways.

Specific destinations and airlines include:

• Akron/Canton, Allentown, Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Flint, Fort Lauderdale, Grand Rapids, Punta Gorda, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and Washington–Dulles (airlines include American, Avelo, and Breeze Airways)
• Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Philadelphia, and Washington–National (airlines include American and United)
• Hartford, Providence, and White Plains (airlines include Breeze Airways and JetBlue)
• Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, and Minneapolis/St. Paul (airlines include Delta and Sun Country)
• Boston, New York–JFK, and New York–LaGuardia (airlines include JetBlue)
• Boston and New York–JFK (airlines include Delta)
• Baltimore, Chicago–Midway, Dallas–Love, Houston–Hobby, Nashville, Denver, and St. Louis (airlines include Southwest)
• Minneapolis/St. Paul (airline: Sun Country)
• Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, and Washington–Dulles (airline: United)

In addition to these non-stop flights, the airport also offers one-stop direct services to other destinations.

Onward transportation

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport is located 10 miles northwest of downtown Savannah, near Pooler, Georgia. The airport provides access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as well as neighbouring areas including Bluffton and Beaufort, South Carolina, and the Golden Isles region of Coastal Georgia.

By Car

The airport is accessible by car via Interstate 95, which runs between Savannah and Pooler. Several rental car companies provide rentals directly from the airport, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar Rent A Car, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless Car Rental, and Thrifty Car Rental. The rental desks are located next to the baggage claim area, and cars can be picked up from covered lots adjacent to the terminal.

By Taxi

Taxi services are available at the airport, with a flat-rate system for certain destinations. The basic fare to downtown Savannah's Historic District is $28, Hutchinson Island is $34, Tybee Island is $53, and Hilton Head is either $80 or $85, depending on the exact destination. A surcharge of $5 per additional person applies for journeys within Georgia and $10 per person for out-of-state journeys.

By Rideshare

Ridesharing apps such as Uber and Lyft offer convenient transportation options from the airport. The pickup location for these services is at the north entrance of baggage claim. The typical cost for a ride from the airport to downtown Savannah is around $15-$25 for an UberX or Lyft, and $30-$40 for an UberXL or Lyft Plus, depending on the exact destination and travel time.

By Shuttle

Many hotels, particularly chain hotels near the airport, provide free shuttle services for their guests. Additionally, the Chatham Area Transit (CAT) offers the 100X Airport Express route, which provides nonstop service between the airport and downtown Savannah's bus station, the Joe Murray Rivers, Jr Intermodal Transit Center. The bus operates daily, with hourly departures from 6 am to 6:30 pm on weekdays, and 9:30 am to 5 pm on weekends and holidays. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes, and the fare is $5 one way or $8 for a round trip.

By Bus

The Chatham Area Transit (CAT) also operates regular bus services in Savannah, providing connections to various parts of the city. The bus network is accessible from the airport via the 100X Airport Express route.

By Train

There is currently no direct train service between Savannah and other major cities in the region, such as Atlanta. Train travel to and from Savannah can be inconvenient and time-consuming, often involving lengthy connections.

By Air

The Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport offers regular flights to more than 30 non-stop domestic destinations, including major cities like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. However, direct international flights are limited, with only seasonal service to Toronto, Canada.

Airports near Savannah

Savannah, Georgia is served by the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, located 7-8 miles northwest of the Savannah Historic District. The airport provides travellers with access to Savannah, Georgia, and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, as well as neighbouring areas including Bluffton and Beaufort, South Carolina, and the Golden Isles region of Coastal Georgia. The airport offers regular flights to more than 30 non-stop destinations across the East Coast, the South and the Midwest, with airlines including Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Allegiant, Sun Country and Air Canada.

Other nearby airports include Hilton Head Airport (25.6 miles away), Charleston International Airport (83.6 miles away) and Jacksonville International Airport (116 miles away). Charleston and Jacksonville can both be reached from Savannah by bus or train, with a journey time of around 2 and 6 hours respectively.

For those looking for direct international flights, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a good option, located 250 miles from Savannah and accessible by rental car, Greyhound bus or taxi. Orlando International Airport is another alternative, located 300 miles from Savannah and offering one of the cheaper American airports to fly into. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is located 250 miles from Savannah and can be reached by bus from the city of Charlotte.

Frequently asked questions