Gulf Shores Alabama: Which Airport Is Best?

Gulf Shores International Airport, also known as Jack Edwards Airport, is located in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. The airport is situated approximately 2 miles north of the central business district of Gulf Shores. It is ranked as the second busiest airport in Alabama, with over 90,000 annual operations. Gulf Shores International Airport offers direct flights to and from several major US cities, providing convenient access to Alabama's beautiful beaches and nearby attractions.

Gulf Shores International Airport is 2 miles from the central business district

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field is the airport that serves Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is located approximately 2 miles north of the central business district of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The airport is ranked as the second busiest in the state, with over 90,000 annual operations. It is an important aviation hub for the entire Gulf Coast and South Alabama, serving as the prime destination for travellers on business and pleasure.

The airport is owned by the Gulf Shores Airport Authority and is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011-2015, which categorised it as a general aviation facility. Gulf Shores International Airport has a rich history, originally being an outlying field (Canal Field) for Naval Air Station Pensacola. The U.S. Navy sold the airport to the state of Alabama in 1977, and it was later sold to the city of Gulf Shores in 1983. A new terminal was constructed in 1998, and a runway extension was completed in 2003.

Gulf Shores International Airport has two runways with asphalt surfaces. The airport covers an area of 838 acres at an elevation of 17 feet (5 m) above mean sea level. It is assigned a three-letter location identifier of JKA by the Federal Aviation Administration, with the airport code GUF by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).

In May 2025, the airport began offering commercial air service for the first time in its history. Allegiant Airlines launched six new routes, with one-way fares as low as $49. The first passenger flight departed from Gulf Shores International Airport to Knoxville, Tennessee, with direct flights soon commencing to Houston, Kansas City, and Cincinnati, among other destinations.

The airport is ranked the second busiest in Alabama

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field (IATA: GUF, ICAO: KJKA, FAA LID: JKA) is ranked as the second busiest airport in Alabama. The airport is located approximately two miles north of the central business district of Gulf Shores, Alabama. It is a public-use airport in Baldwin County, owned by the Gulf Shores Airport Authority.

The airport has a rich history, originally serving as an outlying field (Canal Field) for Naval Air Station Pensacola before being sold to the state of Alabama in 1977. The new airport 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 constructed in 1998, with a runway extension completed in 2003.

Gulf Shores International Airport covers an area of 838 acres at an elevation of 17 feet (5 m) above sea level. It features two asphalt runways: 9/27, which measures 6,962 by 100 feet, and 17/35, which is 3,596 by 75 feet. With over 90,000 annual operations, the airport is a significant aviation hub for the Gulf Coast and South Alabama, serving travellers for both business and pleasure.

In May 2025, Gulf Shores International Airport made history by offering commercial air service for the first time, with low-cost airline Allegiant Airlines launching six new routes with fares as low as $49. This development is expected to boost tourism and make Alabama's beaches even more accessible to visitors from across the southern United States.

It offers direct flights to/from six major US cities

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field (IATA: GUF, ICAO: KJKA, FAA LID: JKA) serves Gulf Shores, Alabama. The airport is located two nautical miles (4 km) north of the City of Gulf Shores.

The airport offers direct flights to and from six major US cities through Allegiant Airlines. All direct flights are two hours or less, and the airport is just three miles from the beach. The cities include Knoxville, Houston, Kansas City, Cincinnati, northwest Arkansas, and Belleville, Illinois.

Gulf Shores International Airport is ranked the second busiest airport in Alabama, with over 90,000 annual operations. It serves as an important aviation hub for the entire Gulf Coast and South Alabama. The airport covers an area of 838 acres (339 ha) at an elevation of 17 feet (5 m) above sea level. It has two runways: 9/27, which is 6,962 by 100 feet (2,122 x 30 m), and 17/35, which is 3,596 by 75 feet (1,096 x 23 m).

The airport has a total of 2,729,956’ of asphalt, equal to 43.1 miles of 12’ roadway. It also has over 36,109 feet of fencing, equal to 6.84 miles, and more than 537 lights.

Gulf Shores International Airport is also known as Jack Edwards National Airport

Gulf Shores International Airport, located in Baldwin County, Alabama, is also known as Jack Edwards National Airport. The airport is situated approximately two miles north of the central business district of Gulf Shores, Alabama, and is easily accessible from the beach, located just three miles away. It is ranked as the second busiest airport in the state of Alabama, with over 90,000 annual operations.

The airport has a rich history, originally serving as an outlying field (Canal Field) for Naval Air Station Pensacola. In 1977, the U.S. Navy sold the airport to the state of Alabama, and it was renamed after U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards. In 1983, the state sold the airport to the city of Gulf Shores, and a new terminal was constructed in 1998, along with a runway extension completed in 2003.

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field is a public-use airport owned by the Gulf Shores Airport Authority. It covers an area of 838 acres at an elevation of 17 feet above mean sea level. The airport features two asphalt runways, with the largest being 6,962 feet by 100 feet. As of 2023, the airport accommodated 61,372 aircraft operations annually, with an average of 168 operations per day.

The airport serves as an important aviation hub for the Gulf Coast and South Alabama, providing direct flights to and from several major U.S. cities. Allegiant Airlines offers low-cost flights to destinations such as Knoxville, Tennessee, Houston, Kansas City, and Cincinnati. With its convenient location and services, Gulf Shores International Airport, or Jack Edwards National Airport, plays a crucial role in facilitating travel to and from the beautiful Alabama Gulf Coast.

The airport is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011-2015

Gulf Shores International Airport/Jack Edwards Field, a public airport in Baldwin County, Alabama, is included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015. The airport is owned by the Gulf Shores Airport Authority and is located two nautical miles (4 km) north of the City of Gulf Shores. It is also known as Jack Edwards National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration has designated the airport with a three-letter location identifier of JKA, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) airport code is GUF, and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) airport code is KJKA.

The airport was originally an outlying field (Canal Field) for Naval Air Station Pensacola before the U.S. Navy sold it to the state of Alabama in 1977. The airport was then named after U.S. Rep. Jack Edwards. In 1983, the state sold the airport to the city of Gulf Shores. A new terminal was constructed in 1998, and a runway extension was finished in 2003.

Jack Edwards Airport covers an area of 838 acres (339 ha) at an elevation of 17 feet (5 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways with asphalt surfaces: 9/27, which is 6,962 by 100 feet (2,122 x 30 m), and 17/35, which is 3,596 by 75 feet (1,096 x 23 m). The airport handled 61,372 aircraft operations during the 12 months ending January 31, 2023, averaging 168 operations per day. General aviation accounted for 91% of these operations, military operations for 7%, air taxi for 2%, and commercial operations for less than 1%.

Gulf Shores International Airport is a significant aviation hub for the Gulf Coast and South Alabama, serving as the main gateway for travellers visiting for business or pleasure. With over 90,000 annual operations, it is ranked as the second busiest airport in Alabama. The airport is conveniently located just three miles from the beach, offering easy access to popular destinations such as Alabama's beaches and the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.

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