Nearby Airports: Easy Access To Tallahassee

Tallahassee is served by several airports, with Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) being the closest, situated just 6-7 miles from the city centre. Other airports in the vicinity include Valdosta Regional Airport (VLD) in Georgia, 81-91 miles away, and the Southwest Georgia Regional Airport (ABY) in Albany, GA, which is 90-91 miles away. Thomasville Regional Airport (TVI) is 53-54 miles away and Dothan Regional Airport (DHN) in Alabama is 119 miles away. There are several other airports within 300 miles of Tallahassee, including some international airports such as Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB).

Tallahassee International Airport

The airport began as Tallahassee Municipal Airport on April 23, 1961, replacing the city's first airport, Dale Mabry Field. The original primary runway was Runway 18/36, which was 6,076 feet long and enabled all-weather approaches. By the 1970s, the airport had scheduled flights on major airlines such as Eastern Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and National Airlines. However, by the 1980s, the terminal became obsolete, and the runway was too short for newer aircraft like the Boeing 757 and Boeing 767.

The Million Air FBO at the airport provides contracted fuel services to US Military and Department of Defense aircraft. The airport regularly receives US Navy P-8 Poseidon aircraft, Lockheed Martin C-130 family aircraft, and other military aircraft on training missions. In the year ending April 30, 2023, the airport recorded 74,363 aircraft operations, averaging 204 per day, with 57% being general aviation and 21% military-related.

Valdosta Regional Airport

The airport primarily serves general aviation, but it is also served by Delta Air Lines, which provides daily flights to and from Atlanta, connecting passengers to a wide range of global destinations. During the 12-month period ending May 31, 2007, the airport recorded 73,565 aircraft operations, averaging 201 per day. At that time, there were 53 aircraft based at the airport, with the majority being single-engine (68%) and multi-engine (28%) aircraft.

Thomasville Regional Airport

The history of the Thomasville Regional Airport dates back to World War II when it served as a United States Army Air Forces training base for reconnaissance and fighter pilots. Known as the Thomasville Army Airfield, it was activated on March 1, 1943, and leased to the Army Air Forces for $1 per year during the war. The 59th Reconnaissance Group, consisting of four squadrons, was based at the airfield and used aircraft such as the P-39 Airacobra. The base also served as a sub-base for dive-bomber operational training under the Dale Mabry Army Airfield in Tallahassee, Florida.

The airport covers an area of 1,301 acres (526 hectares) and has an elevation of 264 feet (80 meters) above mean sea level. It features two asphalt-paved runways: 4/22, which is 6,004 feet (1,830 meters) by 101 feet (31 meters), and 14/32, which is 4,999 feet (1,524 meters) by 100 feet (30 meters). In the year ending December 31, 2021, the airport recorded 12,500 aircraft operations, averaging 34 per day, with 99% attributed to general aviation and 2% to military use.

The current terminal building, completed in January 2006, pays homage to the airport's World War II heritage with its elegant Southern design, featuring a red Georgia clay brick exterior, green metal roof, porticos, and white columns. The airport experiences approximately 12,500 take-offs and landings annually between its two runways, continuing to serve the aviation needs of the region.

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport

The airport covers 4,000 acres (1,600 hectares) of land and sits at an elevation of 68 feet (21 m). It features a single concrete/grooved runway, designated as Runway 16/34, which measures 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) in length and 150 feet (46 meters) in width. The runway is equipped with a 4-aligned PAPI light system, a MALSR approach lighting system, centreline lights, and touchdown zone lights.

American Airlines operates nonstop flights to Charlotte Douglas (CLT) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), with two flights per day to each destination. These flights are operated by American Eagle regional carriers PSA Airlines and Mesa Airlines, utilising regional jets. United Airlines also has a strong presence at the airport, offering nonstop service to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (IAH) through its regional carrier CommutAir. United Express additionally utilises Mesa Airlines for nonstop flights to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The airport originally sought the IATA code TFB, representing "The Florida Beaches," but this code was already assigned to Tifalmin Airport in Papua New Guinea. Instead, the code ECP was chosen, officially representing the Emerald Coast of the Panhandle, although some jokingly interpret it as "Everyone Can Party." Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport opened for commercial flights on May 23, 2010, and while it is designated as an international airport, it currently does not serve any international routes due to the small population in the surrounding areas and the primarily regional and national demand for travel to Panama City.

Dothan Regional Airport

Tallahassee International Airport is a city-owned airport located five miles southwest of downtown Tallahassee, in Leon County, Florida. It serves the state capital of Florida and its surrounding areas. Some of the surrounding airports to Tallahassee include Pensacola, Destin–Fort Walton Beach, Northwest Florida Beaches, and Jacksonville.

The history of Dothan Regional Airport dates back to the early 1960s when the old USAAF airfield was overhauled. The airfield layout was converted into a reinforced hard surface to accommodate new jet runways, buildings, and other facilities for a civil airport. Dothan Regional Airport officially opened for commercial activity on February 15, 1965. Before this, the municipal airport was located three miles west of the town, and it had three runways, all 4006 feet or less in length.

In terms of airline operations, in 2011, the airport recorded 85,201 aircraft operations, averaging 233 per day. The breakdown of these operations was as follows: 55% military, 40% general aviation, 4% airline, and 1% air taxi. At that time, 91 aircraft were based at the airport, with a composition of 52% single-engine, 40% multi-engine, 8% jet, and 1% helicopter.

The only commercial airline service operating at Dothan Regional Airport is Delta Connection, which offers twice-daily flights to Atlanta using CRJ-700 and CRJ-900 aircraft. However, over 50% of the airport's flights are military training operations from nearby Fort Novosel, NAS Whiting Field, and NAS Pensacola.

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