Finding The Closest Airport For Orange Beach, Alabama

Orange Beach, Alabama, is a popular tourist destination, known for its pristine beaches and good southern cooking. However, the closest airport to Orange Beach is not in Alabama but in Pensacola, Florida. Pensacola International Airport is only about 30 miles from Orange Beach, whereas Mobile Regional Airport, the next closest airport, is about 70 miles away. Other nearby airports include Valparaiso, Destin-Fort Walton Beach, and Panama City.

Pensacola International Airport

The airport is located 3 miles northeast of Pensacola's central business district, in Escambia County, Florida. It is owned by the City of Pensacola and is one of five major airports in North Florida. Despite its name, Pensacola International Airport does not offer scheduled international flights, although chartered international flights are not uncommon.

The airport covers an area of 1,211 acres at an elevation of 121 feet above mean sea level. It has two runways: 17/35, which is 7,004 ft with a concrete surface, and 08/26, which is 7,000 ft with an asphalt surface. The airport has one passenger terminal with 12 gates, built in the early 1990s.

Mobile Regional Airport

The airport covers 1,717 acres (695 ha) of land and features two runways, an asphalt helipad, and six gates with jetways. The terminal boasts renovated shops and restaurants, car rental agencies, and handicap-accessible elevators. The airport provides convenient amenities such as free Wi-Fi, 15 minutes of free parking, and an executive club.

In terms of transportation, Mobile Regional Airport is situated off I-10 and offers convenient passenger service through major airlines like American Airlines, Delta, and United. It is approximately 72 miles from Orange Beach, Alabama, making it a viable option for travellers looking to visit the area.

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

The airport has two asphalt runways: 6/24, which is 12,007 by 150 feet, and 18/36, which is 7,099 by 150 feet. These runways can accommodate all types of aircraft, including fully loaded Boeing 747s. The airport has a Category II ILS system, allowing operations in visibility as low as a quarter-mile.

Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport is a civil-military airport serving Birmingham, Alabama, and the wider metropolitan area, including Tuscaloosa. It is located in Jefferson County, five miles northeast of Downtown Birmingham, near the interchange of Interstates 20 and 59. The airport has a staffed U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility and has previously offered scheduled seasonal international flights to the Bahamas, Canada, and Mexico.

The airport features a terminal building with three concourses: Concourse A, with eight gates, Concourse B, with five gates, and Concourse C, with six gates. The terminal has two levels, with ticketing and check-in facilities, a business centre, and a function room on the upper level, and baggage claim facilities, airline baggage offices, and airport operations offices on the lower level. The terminal offers free Wi-Fi, dining, and shopping options.

The airport is named after Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth, a civil rights activist and leader of the Birmingham campaign during the civil rights movement.

Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport

The airport is owned by the Gulfport-Biloxi Regional Airport Authority and serves the Gulf Coast region. It is a civil-military public-use airport, with a large cargo facility and two runways.

The airport was originally built in 1942 by the United States Army Air Forces as a training base for the Air Corps Flying Training Command. After the war, it was placed into reserve status and later conveyed to the City of Gulfport for civil use in 1949. The airport has undergone expansions and renovations over the years, including an extensive renovation completed in 2007 after severe damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The airport covers an area of 1,400 acres (567 hectares) at an elevation of 28 feet (9 metres) above mean sea level. It has a cargo facility spanning 40,000 square feet (3,700 square metres), including chiller, cargo sorting, distribution, and office spaces.

Jack Edwards Airport

The airport covers an area of 838 acres at an elevation of 17 feet above mean sea level. It has two runways with asphalt surfaces. For the 12-month period ending January 31, 2023, the airport had 61,372 aircraft operations, with 91% dedicated to general aviation, 7% military, 2% air taxi, and less than 1% commercial. There were 116 aircraft based at the airport during this time.

The airport was originally an outlying field for Naval Air Station Pensacola. In 1977, the U.S. Navy sold it to the state of Alabama, and it was named after U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards. In 1983, the state sold the airport to the city of Gulf Shores, and a new terminal was built in 1998, with a runway extension completed in 2003.

Southern Airways Express previously served the airport but ceased operations due to cost considerations. However, starting from various dates in May 2025, the airport will offer flights to and from Belleville/St. Louis, Cincinnati, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Houston–Hobby, Kansas City, and Knoxville.

Frequently asked questions