Louisville, Kentucky's Airport: All You Need To Know

Louisville, Kentucky is served by Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF, FAA LID: SDF). The airport is located just 7 miles from downtown Louisville and 0.2 miles from the Kentucky Exposition Center. It covers 1,500 acres and has three runways. The airport is easily accessible and offers daily flights to numerous destinations across the country and worldwide.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport

Despite being called an international airport, there are no regularly scheduled international passenger flights. However, it is a port of entry and handles many UPS Airlines international cargo flights through the United Parcel Service's worldwide air hub, often referred to as UPS Worldport. The airport is the third-busiest in the United States in terms of cargo traffic and is the sixth-busiest globally. Over 4.6 million passengers passed through the airport in 2023, while over 6.7 billion pounds (3.38 million tons) of cargo passed through in 2022.

The airport was renamed on January 16, 2019, in honour of the boxer and Louisville native Muhammad Ali. On June 6, 2019, the airport unveiled its new logo, featuring "Ali's silhouette, arms up and victorious, against the background of a butterfly".

Standiford Field was built by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on land that was found not to have flooded during the Ohio River flood of 1937. It was named for Dr Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician who was active in transportation issues and owned part of the land. The field remained under Army control until 1947 when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

The airport's main commercial terminal is the Jerry E. Abramson Terminal. It consists of two floors with ground transportation and baggage claim services on the first floor and ticketing, passenger drop-off, and concourse access on the second. There are 24 gates across two concourses, connected by a rotunda and a unified security checkpoint.

The airport's former names

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF, FAA LID: SDF) is located in Louisville, Kentucky. The airport was formerly known as Louisville International Airport and, before that, Standiford Field. The airport's IATA code, SDF, is based on its former name, Standiford Field.

Standiford Field was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941 on a parcel of land south of Louisville. It was named for Dr. Elisha David Standiford, a local businessman and politician who was active in transportation issues and owned part of the land. The field remained under Army control until 1947, when it was turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations.

When it was built, Standiford Field had one 4,000-foot (1,200-metre) runway. The airfield opened to the public in 1947, and all commercial services were moved from Bowman Field, which was Louisville's main airport until that point. The first airlines to operate from Standiford Field were American, Eastern, and TWA, with 1,300 passengers a week.

In 1995, the airport's name was changed from Standiford Field to Louisville International Airport. This was done to reflect the airport's status as a "`primary commercial service` airport", with more than 10,000 passenger boardings per year.

On January 16, 2019, the Louisville Regional Airport Authority voted to change the name of the airport once more, this time to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, in honour of the boxer and Louisville native Muhammad Ali. The new logo features "Ali's silhouette, arms up and victorious, against the background of a butterfly".

UPS Airlines' operations

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF, FAA LID: SDF), formerly known as Louisville International Airport and Standiford Field, is a civil-military airport in Louisville, Kentucky. The airport is a hub for UPS Airlines' international cargo operations, with the airline's worldwide air hub, known as UPS Worldport, located on-site.

UPS Worldport, the airline's worldwide air hub, is a massive facility covering 5.2 million square feet (48 hectares or 80 football fields). It is capable of handling an impressive volume of packages, with a sorting capacity of 416,000 packages per hour, or 115 packages per second. The hub serves all of UPS's major international and domestic hubs and primarily handles express and international packages and letters.

UPS Airlines has been operating at the Louisville airport since 1980, and the site has undergone significant expansions and improvements over the years to accommodate the airline's growing operations. In 2002, the company officially adopted the term "Worldport" after a $1 billion, five-year expansion project previously known as "Hub 2000." UPS has continued to invest in expanding and enhancing its facilities at the airport, with a second $1 billion expansion completed in 2010, further increasing its sorting capacity and infrastructure.

The airline's presence at the Louisville airport has brought economic benefits to the region, with UPS being one of the largest employers in both Louisville and the state of Kentucky. The company's commitment to aviation safety and efficiency has solidified its reputation as one of the world's safest and most reliable airlines, ensuring the smooth and secure transport of goods, including life-saving medicines, humanitarian aid, and essential supplies that drive global economies.

The airport's proximity to downtown Louisville

The primary airport serving Louisville, Kentucky, is the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF). It is located just south of the city center, in Louisville's Okolona neighborhood, and is easily accessible from downtown Louisville and other areas of the city. The airport's convenient location makes it a popular choice for travelers heading to and from the Louisville area.

The airport is just a short drive from downtown Louisville, providing easy access to the city's central business district and popular attractions. The drive from the airport to downtown typically takes around 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic and your exact destination. This proximity is advantageous for business travelers and tourists alike, offering quick connections to the heart of the city.

The airport's address is 600 Terminal Drive, Louisville, KY 40209, and it is situated near the intersection of I-264 and I-65, providing convenient access to the city's highway system. This makes it easy to navigate to and from the airport, whether you're coming from downtown Louisville or other areas of the city and its surroundings. The airport covers an area of 1,200 acres (486 hectares), with two runways and a modern terminal building.

For those without a car, the airport also offers convenient ground transportation options to get to downtown Louisville and beyond. Several taxi and ridesharing services operate at the airport, providing an easy and quick way to reach your destination. Additionally, the TARC (Transit Authority of River City) public bus system serves the airport, connecting it to various points in the city, including downtown. The TARC Route 2 bus provides direct service between the airport and downtown Louisville, with stops at the main terminal and the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center.

In conclusion, the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport's proximity to downtown Louisville is a significant advantage for travelers. Its convenient location, easy accessibility, and efficient ground transportation options make it a preferred choice for those visiting the city. The airport's connectivity to the city's highway system and public transportation network further enhances its appeal, providing quick and straightforward journeys to and from downtown Louisville.

Airlines that operate from the airport

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (IATA: SDF, ICAO: KSDF, FAA LID: SDF) is located in Louisville, Kentucky, just 7 miles (or a 10-minute drive) from downtown Louisville and 0.2 miles from the Kentucky Exposition Center. The airport, which covers 1,500 acres, has three runways and is the sixth-busiest cargo airport in the world.

The following airlines operate from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport:

• Allegiant
• American
• Breeze
• Delta
• Southwest
• Sun Country
• United

The airport also has a rich history of airline operations. When it first opened to the public in 1947, American, Eastern, and TWA were the first airlines to operate there, with 1,300 passengers a week. Over the years, the airport has expanded and upgraded its facilities, attracting other airlines such as Southwest Airlines in the 1990s. Today, the airport serves nearly 40 non-stop destinations and offers 76 daily departures and arrivals, accommodating 7,300 departing passengers each day.

Frequently asked questions