Chattanooga Airport: Managing High Traffic, Efficiently

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) is located 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority. It is a small-hub primary commercial service facility with one terminal, eight gates, and two asphalt runways. The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the addition of two boarding gates, a new restaurant, a gift shop, and a business center in March 2024. With record numbers of passengers pre-COVID, the airport expanded to eight gates, and various transportation options are available to and from the airport, including taxis, ride-sharing services, airport shuttles, and buses.

The airport is 5 miles (8km) east of downtown Chattanooga

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, also known as Lovell Field, is located 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority (CMAA) and is a Class C airport serviced by the Chattanooga Airport Traffic Control Tower.

The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations over the years, including a $28 million expansion project completed in March 2024, which added two new boarding gates, a new restaurant, a gift shop, and a business center. The expansion also included the construction of a new terminal wing and the renovation of the existing terminal. As of 2024, the airport has one terminal with eight gates across two concourses. Concourse A has five gates for Delta Airlines, while Concourse B has four gates for Allegiant Air and American Airlines.

Lovell Field covers 950 acres (380 hectares) and has two asphalt runways, with the largest aircraft currently serving the airport being the Airbus A319/A320 and the Boeing 757. The airport is accessible by various transportation options, including taxis, ride-sharing services, airport shuttles, and public buses. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) operates bus route 19 between the airport and downtown Chattanooga, offering a cost-effective option for travellers.

The history of the airport dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, with the first scheduled airline flight in Tennessee taking place in Chattanooga in 1928. The airport was named Lovell Field in honour of John Lovell, who played a significant role in establishing the airport at its present location in 1930. During World War II, Lovell Field served as a military training facility, and ownership was transferred to the CMAA in 1985.

It has one terminal, with two concourses and eight gates

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, also known as Lovell Field, is located 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority (CMAA). It has seen several expansions and renovations over the years, including a recent $28 million expansion project completed in March 2024, which added two additional boarding gates, bringing the total number of gates to eight.

The airport has one terminal, which is divided into two concourses: Concourse A and Concourse B. Concourse A has five gates exclusively for Delta Airlines, while Concourse B has four gates for Allegiant Air and American Airlines. The expansion in 2024 also included the addition of a new restaurant, a gift shop, and a business center, enhancing the overall passenger experience.

The original terminal building at Lovell Field dates back to the 1930s and has undergone multiple expansions and renovations. During World War II, the airport served as a military training facility. In the 1950s, with the growth in aviation, the airport operations were transferred to the City of Chattanooga, and the terminal was expanded. The original terminal was replaced by a new one in 1964, and in 1985, the ownership was transferred to the CMAA.

Today, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport offers various transportation options for travellers, including car rentals, taxis, ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft, and shuttle services. The Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) also operates bus routes, providing a cost-effective option for travellers heading downtown. With its convenient location, modern facilities, and efficient transportation network, the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport caters to the travel needs of the region, contributing to the accessibility and connectivity of Chattanooga and its surrounding areas.

The airport is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, also known as Lovell Field, is owned and operated by the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority (CMAA). The airport is located 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. It is a small-hub primary commercial service facility, as categorised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019-2023.

The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations over the years. In 1936, the landing area was expanded and paved as part of the New Deal's Works Progress Administration (WPA). The original terminal building was constructed during this time. The airport was used as a military training facility during World War II. In the 1950s, ownership of the airport was transferred to the City of Chattanooga, and a new runway was built, which remains the primary runway today. The original terminal was expanded in 1950, 1955, and 1964, before being replaced by a new terminal in 1992. In July 1985, ownership was transferred from the City of Chattanooga to the CMAA.

CMAA has continued to develop and improve the airport's infrastructure. In 2011, a 1-megawatt solar farm was constructed on the southwest corner of the airfield, with an additional 1.1 megawatts added in 2013. By 2017, the solar farm was providing approximately 90% of the airport's electricity. More recently, in March 2024, the airport completed a $28 million expansion project, which included a new terminal wing, additional two boarding gates, a new restaurant, a gift shop, and a business centre. The expansion also involved renovating 36,000 square feet of the existing terminal.

The airport offers non-stop flights to several destinations within the United States, including Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, New York, Orlando, Punta Gorda, Miami, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. Airline service is provided by United Express, Delta Air Lines, American Eagle, and Allegiant Air. The largest aircraft currently serving the airport are the Airbus A319/A320 and the Boeing 757, operated by FedEx Express.

It is a Class C airport, serviced by the Chattanooga Airport Traffic Control Tower

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, also known as Lovell Field, is a Class C airport. This means that it is a small-hub primary commercial service facility, as categorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019–2023. As of January 2023, there are 122 Class C airports in the United States.

Class C airspace is a designation that improves aviation safety by reducing the risk of mid-air collisions in the terminal area and enhances the management of air traffic operations. All aircraft inside Class C airspace are subject to air traffic control. This means that all traffic operating under VFR must be in communication with a controller before entering the airspace. The airspace is similar to Class B's "upside-down wedding cake", but much smaller and simpler.

Class C airspace has two rings, with the innermost ring having a radius of 5 nautical miles (9 km) and extending from the surface area around the airport to 4,000 feet (1,220 m) AGL (above ground level). The outer ring has a radius of 10 nautical miles (19 km) and surrounds the inner ring, extending from a floor at 1,200 feet (370 m) AGL to the ceiling at 4,000 feet (1,220 m) AGL. These dimensions can be customized to accommodate IFR traffic patterns and other surrounding airspace design issues, such as overlapping with other classes of airspace.

The Chattanooga Airport Traffic Control Tower ensures that aircraft follow the operating rules and equipment requirements of Class C airspace. The tower maintains communication with aircraft within the Class C airspace and provides instructions for entering and departing aircraft.

The Federal Aviation Administration categorised it as a small-hub primary commercial service facility

The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport, also known as Lovell Field, is a small-hub primary commercial service facility, as categorised by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in its 2019–2023 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. The airport is located 5 miles (8 km) east of downtown Chattanooga, in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States.

Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport has seen significant expansion in recent years, with a new terminal wing adding 26,000 square feet of space and renovations to 36,000 square feet of the existing terminal. The expansion, which cost $28 million, was completed in March 2024 and included the addition of two boarding gates, a new restaurant, a gift shop, and a business centre. The airport now has one terminal with eight gates across two concourses. Concourse A has five gates for Delta Airlines, while Concourse B has four gates for Allegiant Air and American Airlines.

The airport is served by several airlines, including United Express, Delta Air Lines, American Eagle, and Allegiant Air. The largest aircraft currently serving the airport are the Airbus A319/A320, operated by Allegiant Air and Delta Air Lines, and the Boeing 757, operated by FedEx Express. The airport has two asphalt runways, with the primary runway built in the 1950s.

In terms of transportation to and from the airport, the Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) operates bus routes, including Route 19, which runs between the airport and downtown Chattanooga with fares starting at $1.50. Taxi services are also available, with a flat rate of $25 for trips to downtown Chattanooga. Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft are additional options, and several shuttle services, such as the Chattanooga Shuttle and Groome Transportation, offer trips to other cities in the region.

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