Jazmin Li
South Dakota, a U.S. state, is served by a range of airports, including both public and military airports. The state's airports are classified by the FAA based on their function and passenger numbers, with some airports receiving over 10,000 passengers annually. South Dakota's airports cater to a variety of aviation needs, including commercial services and reliever functions.
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What You'll Learn
Publicly-owned primary airports
South Dakota has a number of publicly-owned primary airports. These are airports that are publicly owned and have more than 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) each year. Each primary airport is further classified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) into one of four "hub" types, based on the number of passenger enplanements.
The first type is a large hub, which accounts for at least 1% of total US passenger enplanements. The second type is a medium hub, accounting for between 0.25% and 1% of total US passenger enplanements. The third type is a small hub, which accounts for between 0.05% and 0.25% of total US passenger enplanements. The fourth type is a non-hub, which handles less than 0.05% of total US passenger enplanements but still exceeds 10,000 annual enplanements.
Public-use airports that are not classified as primary, but still receive scheduled passenger service and have a minimum of 2,500 passenger boardings annually, are known as commercial service–nonprimary airports. In addition to these, reliever airports are designated by the FAA to alleviate congestion at large commercial service airports and enhance general aviation access for the community.
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Publicly-owned non-primary airports
South Dakota, a U.S. state, has a range of publicly-owned non-primary airports. These are publicly-owned airports that provide scheduled passenger service and have between 2,500 and 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year. These airports are further classified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) based on their passenger enplanements.
The first type is a large hub, accounting for at least 1% of total U.S. passenger enplanements. The second type is a medium hub, accounting for between 0.25% and 1% of total U.S. passenger enplanement. The third type is a small hub, accounting for between 0.05% and 0.25% of total U.S. passenger enplanements. The fourth type is a non-hub, which accounts for less than 0.05% of total U.S. passenger enplanements but still has more than 10,000 enplanements annually.
Reliever airports are another type of airport designated by the FAA to relieve congestion at large commercial airports and provide more general aviation access to the community. These may also fall under the category of publicly-owned non-primary airports. While I cannot provide a complete list of publicly-owned non-primary airports in South Dakota, this state has a variety of airports, including major international airports and smaller local airports.
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Private-use airports
South Dakota, a U.S. state, has a range of airports, including public-use, private-use, and military airports. Private-use airports are typically smaller than their public counterparts and may be located in towns outside of the city they serve.
While a comprehensive list of private-use airports in South Dakota is not readily available, some notable private-use airports include those that were previously public-use, those with commercial enplanements recorded by the FAA, or those assigned an IATA airport code. Here is a list of some of the private-use airports in South Dakota:
- Lake Andes Municipal Airport, located in Lake Andes, a city in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. This airport is noted for its proximity to the Lake Andes National Wildlife Refuge, a popular destination for birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts.
- Miller Field, located in Miller, a city in Hand County, South Dakota. Miller Field serves the local area and is known for its role in general aviation.
- Gettysburg Airport, situated in Gettysburg, a small town in Potter County, South Dakota. This airport serves the local community and is often used for recreational flying and aviation training.
- Bowdle Municipal Airport, found in Bowdle, a city in Edmunds County, South Dakota. This airport caters to the local aviation needs and is recognised for its contribution to agricultural aviation in the region.
These airports play a vital role in connecting local communities, facilitating aviation activities, and supporting economic development in their respective areas across South Dakota.
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Commercial enplanements
South Dakota has a number of airports serving commercial flights, with scheduled services and over 10,000 enplanements per year. These are classified as "primary" airports by the FAA and are further categorized into four hub types based on their annual passenger enplanements as a percentage of total U.S. enplanements: Large hub (L), Medium hub (M), Small hub (S), and Nonhub (N).
Primary airports in South Dakota include those serving the cities of Sioux Falls and Rapid City. These airports are likely to be the main entry points for visitors to the state, offering regular passenger services and handling a significant volume of passenger traffic. The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017-2021 provides insight into the importance of these airports in South Dakota's transportation infrastructure.
Commercial service-primary airports are a crucial aspect of South Dakota's aviation network. They are publicly owned and play a significant role in facilitating travel within the state. These airports offer scheduled passenger flights and have a higher number of enplanements compared to other airports in the region. The FAA's classification of these airports as primary, with further hub categorizations, helps to understand their scale and function within the state and the nation.
While the specific passenger numbers and hub classifications for each airport were not readily available, it is clear that these primary airports are vital transportation hubs for South Dakota. They provide essential connectivity for the state, linking it to the wider national and international aviation network. These airports cater to a significant number of passengers annually, making them key contributors to South Dakota's tourism and business industries.
In addition to the primary airports, South Dakota also has reliever airports designated by the FAA. These airports play a supporting role by relieving congestion at large commercial airports and providing general aviation access to the community. They serve as an important component of the state's overall aviation infrastructure, ensuring efficient travel and transportation for residents and visitors alike.
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Military airports
South Dakota has 75 airports for public use, including several regional airports and a number of private airports. There are no international airports in the state. While I could not find specific information on military airports in the state, there are likely to be some included in the 75 public-use airports. Additionally, there may be some private-use military airports in South Dakota.
The important regional airports in South Dakota are:
- Aberdeen Regional Airport in Aberdeen: This airport hosted the first fly-in event in South Dakota in 1923. During World War II, the airfield was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a contract glider training airfield owned by Anderson & Brennan Flying Service.
- Pierre Regional Airport in Pierre, the capital of South Dakota.
- Rapid City Regional Airport in Rapid City.
- Sioux Falls Regional Airport in Sioux Falls.
- Watertown Regional Airport in Watertown: This terminal has various amenities and services, including a well-equipped flight information system and a large conference room.
Some of the other notable airports in South Dakota include those at Lemmon, Spearfish, Pine Ridge, Huron, Brookings, Madison, Mitchell, Carton, and Yankton.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several airports in South Dakota, including international airports and smaller, local airports.
A complete list of airports in South Dakota, along with their IATA codes, can be found online.
The busiest airport in South Dakota is classified as a Large Hub, accounting for at least 1% of total US passenger enplanements.
Yes, there are military airports in South Dakota, such as the Joe Foss Field Air National Guard Station in Sioux Falls.
Yes, there are major international airports in South Dakota.
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