Savannah, Georgia: Which Airports Are There?

Savannah, Georgia is served by several airports, including the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV), which is the closest airport to the city. Other nearby airports include Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Orlando International Airport, and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, which offer a large number of domestic and international flights. In this article, we will explore the different airports that serve Savannah, GA, their history, and the different transportation options they offer.

Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport

The airport covers an area of 3,650 acres (1,477 ha) and sits at an elevation of 50 ft. (15 m) above mean sea level. It has two concrete runways and 15 aircraft gates, with construction underway to add four more gates by November 2025. The airport also features a 275,000-sq.-ft. terminal with 15 departure gates, a $35 million parking garage with 1,700 spaces, and several other facilities completed in the 1994 expansion and later.

The airport has a rich history, with the first Savannah Municipal Airport opening in 1929, offering air service between New York City and Miami. The current airport has had several names over the years, including Savannah International Airport, Travis Field, and Chatham Field.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (IATA: ATL), located in Atlanta, Georgia, is a major international airport serving the city and its surrounding metropolitan area. Named after former Atlanta mayors William B. Hartsfield and Maynard Jackson, the airport is situated 10 miles (16 km) south of Downtown Atlanta. Covering 4,700 acres (7.3 sq mi; 19 km2) of land, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport features five parallel runways aligned east-west. The runways vary in length, with three measuring 9,000 feet (2,743 m), one at 10,000 feet (3,048 m), and the longest runway stretching 12,390 feet (3,776 m), capable of accommodating the Airbus A380.

Hartsfield–Jackson has consistently ranked as the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic since 1998, excluding the year 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on travel. The airport handles an impressive number of flights daily, with just over 1,000 flights to 225 domestic and international destinations. It serves as the primary hub for Delta Air Lines, boasting the distinction of being the world's largest airline hub. Additionally, the airport accommodates other low-cost carriers such as Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines.

To address the significant increase in air traffic, a midfield terminal complex was constructed in 1977 under the leadership of Mayor Maynard Jackson. This complex, designed by multiple firms, including Stevens & Wilkinson and Smith Hinchman & Grylls, was a massive undertaking billed as the largest construction project in the South, with a cost of $500 million. The terminal was designed to accommodate up to 55 million passengers annually and spans an impressive 2.5 million square feet (230,000 square meters).

Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport offers convenient access to Savannah, located approximately 250 miles (4-4.5 hours) away. Various transportation options are available, including rental cars, Greyhound buses, and taxis, providing direct connections from the airport to Savannah. The airport serves as a popular gateway to Savannah and its surrounding areas, catering to both domestic and international travellers.

Orlando International Airport

In addition to its proximity to Orlando's attractions, the airport offers a variety of ground transportation options to get you to and from your destination. These include shuttle services, buses, taxis, and rental cars. The airport is served by several major highways, including Interstate 4, which provides easy access to and from the airport.

Overall, Orlando International Airport is a viable alternative to Savannah Airport if you are considering flying to or from the Savannah, Georgia, area. With its range of flight options and convenient location, it can be a good choice depending on your specific travel needs and preferences.

Charlotte Douglas International Airport

The airport was established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport. In 1982, it was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport for Ben Elbert Douglas Sr., who was the mayor of Charlotte when the airport was first built. The airport underwent another renaming in 1982, this time to its current name, Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

The airport is a smoke-free facility, adhering to the North Carolina Smoke-Free Law. However, a designated smoking area is available for smokers, easily accessible from both inside and outside the terminal near Door 1A or Door 1B. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a major hub, ranking as the 11th-busiest airport in the United States in terms of passenger traffic in 2019, with over 50 million passengers processed.

Jacksonville International Airport

In the fiscal year 2023, Jacksonville International Airport set a record for passenger numbers, handling 7,306,171 passengers, a 14.4% increase from the previous fiscal year. The airport has direct public transit service to the Jacksonville Transportation Authority's bus network. The Route 1 bus connects the airport to downtown Jacksonville, with connections to Greyhound Bus Lines and the Jacksonville Skyway monorail system.

The airport has a Delta Sky Club on Concourse A and a multi-airline passenger club located behind the airside food court. There are three galleries located off of the main courtyard before the security checkpoint. One features an art exhibit, the second features a revolving exhibit about a Jacksonville-area landmark or institution, and the third features a permanent exhibit on the history of aviation in the region.

The airport's two runways form a "V" pattern, with the tip of the "V" pointing west. There are plans to build two more runways, each paralleling one existing runway. The airport had 99,616 aircraft operations in the year ending February 28, 2023, with an average of 273 per day: 63% scheduled commercial, 19% general aviation, 14% air taxi, and 4% military.

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