Airports In Phoenix: How Many Are There?

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by several airports, including the major hub of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The city owns and operates three airports, including Deer Valley and Phoenix Goodyear Airports, which offer business opportunities such as aircraft maintenance and storage. In addition to these, there are several other airfields in the region, including military and private-use airports.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by three airports, one of which is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It is Arizona's largest and busiest airport, and among the largest commercial airports in the United States. In 2021, it was the 14th-busiest airport in the US and the 33rd-busiest in the world. The airport serves as a hub for American Airlines and a base for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines. It is also home to the 161st Air Refueling Wing, an Air Mobility Command unit of the Arizona Air National Guard.

The airport is located 3 miles (4.8 km) east of downtown Phoenix, in Maricopa County, and covers 3,400 acres (14 km2) at an elevation of 1,135 ft (346 m). It has three parallel concrete runways, all of which can accommodate aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 900,000 lb (410,000 kg) or greater. The longest of these runways measures 11,489 ft × 150 ft (3,502 m × 46 m). The airport has two terminals, Terminal 3 and Terminal 4, with 25 and 92 gates, respectively. Terminal 4 is the largest and busiest, with 86 gates divided into seven satellite concourses connected behind security.

The airport offers a range of amenities and services for travellers, including over 100 restaurants, shops, and other services. It also provides convenient parking options and easy transportation connections. The PHX Sky Train, for example, connects the airport to the 44th Street and Washington Light Rail station, the East Economy Parking Lot, and both terminals.

Phoenix Deer Valley Airport

The airport is within the Phoenix city limits, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. It is a busy hub for general aviation and is also home to two flight schools. In 2020, the airport recorded 402,444 aircraft movements, making it the fifth busiest airport in the world by aircraft movements and the busiest for general aviation.

The airport covers 914 acres (370 ha) and has two asphalt runways. In 2020, it averaged 1,102 aircraft operations per day, with 99% of those being general aviation. There were 920 aircraft based at the airport, including single-engine, multi-engine, jet, helicopter, glider, ultralight, and military planes.

The history of Deer Valley Airport dates back to the 1950s when the Sperry Flight Systems Company established an aerospace/defense manufacturing facility north of Phoenix. Around 480 acres of nearby land were leased as a potential site for a flight testing facility and later developed into a private airport. In 1971, the airport was sold to the City of Phoenix, and it soon became a base for several flight research and general aviation firms. Federal Aviation Administration funding has helped upgrade the terminal building, flight control tower, runways, and other facilities.

While there is no scheduled airline service, charter services are available through several companies. Deer Valley Airport has also served as a filming location for movies like the 1980 aerobatics film Cloud Dancer and has hosted air shows featuring vintage World War II aircraft.

Phoenix Goodyear Airport

The history of Phoenix Goodyear Airport dates back to World War II when it was built as a naval air facility, NAF Litchfield Park. After the war, it served as a storage and preservation site for obsolete or excess aircraft from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Coast Guard. In 1968, following the consolidation of aircraft preservation and storage at the Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, the facility was slated for closure. The city of Phoenix then purchased the airport to serve as a general aviation reliever airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

Today, Phoenix Goodyear Airport covers 789 acres (319 hectares) of land, with an elevation of 971 feet (296 meters) above mean sea level. The airport features one asphalt runway, Runway 3/21, measuring 8,500 feet by 150 feet (2,591 meters by 46 meters), and one concrete helipad, Helipad H1, measuring 64 feet by 64 feet (20 meters by 20 meters). In 2020, the airport recorded 79,599 aircraft operations, averaging 218 per day, with 94% attributed to general aviation, 1% airline, 1% military, and 4% air taxi.

The airport is not served by any airlines, but it is a significant maintenance and storage hub for various domestic and international airlines' aircraft. Several companies offering aircraft maintenance and commercial pilot training are based at the airfield, including AerSale, Inc., Airline Training Center Arizona (ATCA), and FLY Goodyear. Additionally, Lux Air Jet Center, the Fixed-Base Operator (FBO) for the airport, provides fuel and support services for government, military, and emergency medical service operators.

Luke Air Force Base

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by three airports owned and operated by the City of Phoenix: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Deer Valley Airport, and Phoenix Goodyear Airport. In addition to these, there is also Luke Air Force Base, a major training base for the United States Air Force located 15 miles west of Phoenix.

In the 1950s, Luke AFB became part of the Air Training Command (ATC) and played a crucial role in training bomber-escort pilots for the Strategic Air Command (SAC). The base transitioned to the Tactical Air Command (TAC) in 1958 and later to the Air Combat Command (ACC) in 1992. With the end of the Cold War, the base underwent significant changes, including the reassignment of the 58th Tactical Training Wing and the transfer of jurisdiction to the Air Education and Training Command (AETC) in 1994.

Today, Luke Air Force Base is the Air Force's largest F-16 Fighting Falcon training base, with 170 F-16s assigned. The host command, the 56th Fighter Wing (56 FW), is responsible for training F-35 and F-16 fighter pilots and maintainers. The wing comprises four groups, 27 squadrons, and six training squadrons. In addition to its training mission, Luke AFB also deploys airmen to support ongoing operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations worldwide.

The base has a significant impact on the local economy, with a population of about 7,500 military members and 15,000 family members. Including retired military personnel, the base services a total population of over 100,000 people. The nearby Barry M. Goldwater Air Force Range, covering nearly 2 million acres, is an integral part of the F-16 fighter pilot training mission, providing ample space for air-to-air maneuvers and simulated battlefield targets.

Pleasant Valley Airport

Phoenix, Arizona, is served by several airports, including at least three operated by the City of Phoenix: Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Deer Valley Airport, and Phoenix Goodyear Airport. In addition to these, there is also the Pleasant Valley Airport, a privately-owned public-use airport located in Peoria, Maricopa County, Arizona.

The airport used to service small aircraft into the Lake Pleasant Regional Park area. However, in 2022, it was closed when the lease for the land, which was on state Trust Land, was not renewed. The airport was known for its gravel and dirt runways, with a unique decomposed granite surface on one of them.

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