How Albany Airport's New Flight Paths Affect Residents

Albany International Airport, the oldest municipal airport in the United States, has a rich history dating back to 1908. Over the years, the airport has undergone several changes and expansions, including a $184 million renovation project in 1998 and a new parking garage. The airport currently offers 28 domestic flight destinations, with the longest route being a non-stop 2,230 km journey to Las Vegas. While I found information on the airport's history and current operations, I could not find specific information on whether the flight paths have changed.

Airlines that fly from Albany Airport

Albany International Airport is the major air centre for the Capital Region, Northeastern New York, and Western New England. It is also the oldest municipal airport in the United States, the airstrip for which was originally a polo field in 1908. The airport moved to Westerlo Island in 1909 and was named after Teddy Roosevelt's son, Quentin, a fighter pilot who died in World War I.

Several airlines operate from Albany International Airport, including Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Allegiant, and Southwest. Delta Airlines offers direct flights to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in New York City, while United Airlines offers direct flights to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). American Airlines provides direct flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA). JetBlue and Southwest fly directly to various destinations in Florida, including Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa, and Orlando. Allegiant Airlines operates flights to Nashville, Tennessee, and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

In addition to these, there are several other airlines that have served Albany International Airport over the years. Before airline deregulation in 1978, American Airlines and Eastern Air Lines were the primary "trunk carriers," while Allegheny Airlines (renamed USAir in 1979) was the major "local service carrier." Other airlines that have since shut down or discontinued service to Albany include TWA, Colonial/Eastern, Mohawk, Braniff International Airways, Mall Airways, and Empire Airlines.

As of December 2023, CommuteAir operates several daily flights to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) for United Express. The airport is also undergoing a rebranding and expansion project that began in December 2023 and is expected to be completed by mid-2025.

History of Albany Airport

Albany International Airport is considered America's first and oldest municipal airport, dating back to 1908. The airport was initially located on a former polo field on Loudonville Road, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) north of the city in the town of Colonie. In 1909, the airport moved to Westerlo Island, in what was then the town of Bethlehem and is now the city of Albany, and was named after Teddy Roosevelt's son, Quentin, a World War I fighter pilot who died in aerial combat.

Albany Airport has played a significant role in aviation history. In 1910, Glenn Curtiss, a former motorcycle daredevil, completed America's first long-distance intercity flight between Albany and New York City in an Albany Flyer biplane, earning a $10,000 prize. Aviation pioneers like Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, and James Doolittle were among the early visitors to the airfield. Mayor John Boyd Thacher II recognised the importance of aviation, famously stating, "a city without the foresight to build an airport for the new traffic may soon be left behind in the race for competition."

In 1928, a new, modern airport was constructed on the Shaker site near Albany-Shaker Road in Colonie, close to the original polo fields. The Shakers sold the land and loaned tractors and tools for the project. The early years of the airport were challenging, with closures and threats of closure leading to repeated improvements in the 1930s and 1940s. The airport was closed for an extended period from January 1939 to December 1940, eventually reopening with restricted hours, and finally resuming unrestricted operations in January 1942.

Over the years, Albany Airport has undergone several expansions and improvements. In 1968, the concourse was widened to accommodate more concessions and boarding space. The terminal was expanded again in 1979 with the addition of a new two-story building. The Albany County Airport Authority was established in 1993, and construction of a new terminal began in 1996, opening in June 1998. Concourse C was part of this $184 million renovation project. In 1999, a 16,000-square-foot addition was built for Southwest Airlines, completed in 2000. More recently, construction began in 2019 on various improvements, including a new parking garage, solar panels, escalators, and energy-efficient lighting.

Albany Airport's environmental initiatives

Albany International Airport is recognised as a world leader in developing cost-effective environmental management of aircraft deicing fluids. The airport has a state-of-the-art Storm Water Recovery and Treatment Facility that uses microorganisms to break down propylene glycol, producing methane gas below detection limits. This gas is reused as fuel for heating, both for the incoming fluid and the treatment facility itself.

Albany Airport has also implemented a vigorous noise programme, which includes the voluntary purchase of impacted properties within affected areas. These properties are then made available for suitable users as part of an economic development program.

The airport is also committed to improving its infrastructure. A project that began in December 2023 will extend the bridge from the north garage to the main terminal, improving passenger flow and creating space for concessions and retail. The airport also recently improved its terminal and built a new parking garage.

Albany International Airport is the oldest municipal airport in the United States. It was first established in 1908 on a former polo field in Loudonville Road, 3 miles north of the city in Colonie. The airport moved to Westerlo Island in 1909, and it was named after Teddy Roosevelt's son, Quentin, a fighter pilot who died in World War I.

Today, the airport is a major air centre for the Capital Region, Northeastern New York, Western New England, and Southern Vermont. It serves as the base for State Police Aviation activities in the State of New York and is one of the top economic development generators in Upstate New York.

Transport links to Albany Airport

Albany International Airport is the first and oldest municipal airport in the United States. It is the major air centre for the Capital Region, Northeastern New York, and Western New England. The airport is located 10 miles (16 km) from the closest rail station, Schenectady Amtrak Station in Downtown Schenectady, which mainly services western New York and goes east-west. Another rail option is the Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Station, 14 miles (23 km) away, which services New York City and Western New York, east-west and north-south.

A renovation project began in December 2023 and is expected to be completed in mid-2025. The project includes extending the bridge from the north garage to the main terminal, improving passenger flow, and adding space for concessions and retail.

The airport offers direct flights to various destinations, including:

• Detroit
• Fort Lauderdale
• Fort Myers
• Orlando
• Nashville
• LaGuardia Airport, New York
• Newark Liberty International Airport, New York
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Raleigh-Durham International Airport, North Carolina
• Washington Reagan National Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Dulles International Airport, Washington, D.C.
• Myrtle Beach

Transportation and shuttle services are available to and from the airport, including to the Albany-Rensselaer Amtrak Rail Station.

Accidents involving Albany Airport flights

On March 3, 1972, Mohawk Airlines Flight 405, a Fairchild Hiller FH-227 twin-engine turboprop airliner, crashed into a house within the city limits of Albany, New York, during its final approach to Albany County Airport (now Albany International Airport). The accident killed 17 people: 2 crew members, 14 passengers, and one occupant of the house. An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the probable cause of the accident was the crew's inability to feather the left propeller, combined with the aircraft's descent below the minimum altitudes for the approach.

In another incident, on September 16, 1953, American Airlines Flight 723, a Convair 240, crashed and caught fire after colliding with a series of radio towers while descending in foggy conditions.

More recently, in February 2025, passengers aboard Allegiant Flight 848 reported being stranded on the tarmac at Albany International Airport for over 6 hours without water or clear communication from the crew. The flight was scheduled to depart at noon but was delayed due to power failures.

In a separate incident, a Southwest Airlines flight to Albany International Airport in New York from Orlando International Airport was prevented from taking off from a taxiway by an air traffic controller, who noticed the crew's mistake. No injuries were reported, and all passengers were transferred to another flight.

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