Owais Crawford
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is a joint military–public airport in Fresno, California, United States. It is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon. The airport has seen double-digit growth in its passenger traffic every year since 2018 (except in 2020 due to the pandemic). As of 2024, the airport is undergoing a significant expansion project to add a new concourse building with two new gates, enlarge the screening area for international arrivals, expand the luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights, and enhance the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Fresno Yosemite International Airport |
| Former name | Fresno Air Terminal (FAT) |
| Location | Fresno, California, United States |
| Type | Joint military–public airport |
| Owner | City of Fresno |
| Area | 1,728 acres (699 ha) |
| Number of runways | 2 |
| Number of gates | 7 |
| Parking | 917-space, four-level parking garage |
| Airlines | Southwest Airlines, Trans World Airlines (TWA), United Airlines, Pacific Air Lines, American Eagle |
| Destinations | San Francisco/Oakland, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Denver, Mexico, London |
| IATA | FAT |
| ICAO | KFAT |
| FAA LID | FAT |
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What You'll Learn
History of Fresno Yosemite International Airport
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a joint military–public airport in Fresno, California, United States. It is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. The airport is owned and operated by the city of Fresno and operates two runways on a property spanning 1,728 acres (699 ha).
The airport opened in June 1942 as Hammer Field, a military airfield, just six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, which led the United States to enter World War II. After World War II, Hammer Field was inactivated by the Army Air Forces, and the city of Fresno saw an opportunity to use the site to create a commercial airport much larger than the existing Chandler Field, which had opened in November 1929 but could not accommodate larger airliners. In 1946, the War Assets Administration reallocated the property to the city, and construction of a passenger terminal on the northeast side of the airfield began immediately. In 1948, the newly renamed Fresno Air Terminal (FAT) opened, with flights to San Francisco/Oakland and Los Angeles. The airport code "FAT" stands for Fresno Air Terminal, a former name for the airport.
The terminal facility underwent a complete renovation in 2008 with the doubling of the baggage claim area, a terminal lobby remodel, and security screening checkpoint expansion. The airport's current air traffic control tower was built around the same time as the terminal and opened in 1961. The terminal opened on March 28, 1962, and shortly after received an award from the San Joaquin Valley Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Pacific Air Lines was the first to schedule jets to Fresno, with Boeing 727-100s in 1966. United was the dominant carrier at the airport throughout the mid-1970s.
In 1996, the airport's name was changed from Fresno Air Terminal to Fresno Yosemite International Airport to attract out-of-state and international visitors to Yosemite National Park. Despite the name change, scheduled international commercial flights did not begin operating in Fresno for nearly a decade. Direct international service from Fresno began on April 1, 2006, and these are now some of the busiest flights from the airport. As of 2016, international service accounted for about 6% of all flights to Fresno but carried more than 13% of all passengers flying to the airport, a combined total of almost 201,000 people.
The airport has seen double-digit growth in its passenger traffic every year since 2018 (except 2020 due to the pandemic). As of 2024, the airport is undergoing a significant expansion project, including the addition of a new concourse building with two new gates, enlarging the screening area for arriving international passengers, expanding the luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights, adding new shopping and dining areas, and expanding the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint.
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Airlines and flights
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is a joint military–public airport in Fresno, California, United States. It is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. The airport offers scheduled passenger flights to several major airline hubs across the United States and international service to Mexico.
The airport was opened in June 1942 as Hammer Field, a military airfield. In 1948, the airport was renamed Fresno Air Terminal (FAT) and began offering flights to Trans World Airlines (TWA) and United Airlines to San Francisco/Oakland and Los Angeles. The current terminal opened on March 28, 1962, and the airport's name was changed to Fresno Yosemite International Airport in 1996 to attract out-of-state and international visitors to Yosemite National Park.
Throughout the mid-1970s, United was the dominant carrier at the airport. In 1966, Pacific Air Lines became the first airline to schedule jets to Fresno, with Boeing 727-100s. More recently, Southwest Airlines began serving the airport in April 2021, offering daily flights to Las Vegas and Denver.
The airport has seen double-digit growth in passenger traffic every year since 2018 (except 2020 due to the pandemic). As of 2024, the airport is undergoing a significant expansion project to add a new concourse building with two new gates for domestic and international flights, enlarge the screening area for international arrivals, expand the luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights, add new shopping and dining areas, and expand the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint.
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Airport facilities
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a joint military–public airport in Fresno, California. It is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. The airport offers scheduled passenger flights to several major airline hubs in the United States and international service to Mexico.
The airport has two runways and operates on a property spanning 1,728 acres. The airport code is FAT, which stands for Fresno Air Terminal, a former name for the airport. In 1996, the airport's name was changed to Fresno Yosemite International Airport to attract out-of-state and international visitors to Yosemite National Park.
The current terminal opened on March 28, 1962, and the air traffic control tower was built around the same time, opening in 1961. The terminal features long walls of glass for the baggage claim and ticketing areas, which bookend a central lobby of solid masonry block bearing a Venetian glass mosaic called "Sky and Ground" by Raymond Rice. Passengers use a tunnel from the central lobby to reach the open-air, remote concourse where they board planes from ground level.
In recent years, the airport has undergone significant expansion and improvement projects. In November 2021, a new 917-space, four-level parking garage was added at a cost of $32 million. The airport is also working on a $127 million expansion project that will include a new concourse building with two new gates for domestic and international flights, an enlarged screening area for international arrivals, expanded luggage handling and sorting areas for outbound flights, new shopping and dining areas, and an expanded Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint.
The airport has seen double-digit growth in passenger traffic every year since 2018, excluding 2020 due to the pandemic. However, some challenges remain, including limited flight options and high prices for certain routes.
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Passenger experience
Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. The airport is located in Fresno, California, and offers scheduled passenger flights to several major airline hubs in the United States, as well as international service to Mexico.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport has a long history, dating back to its early days as Chandler Field in the 1920s. However, the current terminal, which opened in 1962, offers a modern and efficient passenger experience. The terminal features long walls of glass for baggage claim and ticketing areas, which bookend a central lobby of solid masonry block adorned with a venetian glass mosaic called "Sky and Ground" by Raymond Rice. Passengers proceed through a tunnel from the central lobby to reach the open-air, remote concourse for ground-level boarding.
The airport provides a range of amenities and services to ensure a comfortable and convenient experience for travellers. A $32 million parking garage with 917 spaces across four levels was added in 2021, enhancing parking options for passengers and visitors. Additionally, the airport is undergoing a significant expansion project, including the construction of a new concourse building with two new gates for domestic and international flights, an enlarged screening area for international arrivals, expanded luggage handling and sorting areas, new shopping and dining options, and an expanded security checkpoint. These improvements aim to enhance the overall passenger experience and increase the airport's capacity to handle growing traffic.
While the airport has experienced issues with limited flight options and high prices, particularly for routes to and from nearby cities like Los Angeles and San Francisco, it continues to expand its offerings. Southwest Airlines began serving the airport in 2021, providing daily flights to Las Vegas and Denver, and the airport is working to add more flights and improve connectivity.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is easily accessible and provides a convenient gateway to the surrounding region, including popular tourist destinations such as Yosemite National Park. The airport's ongoing expansion and development demonstrate its commitment to enhancing the passenger experience and meeting the needs of travellers visiting Central California.
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Future expansion plans
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is currently undergoing a $127 million expansion project to address the airport's growing passenger traffic and gate issues. The expansion includes the construction of a new concourse building with two additional gates for domestic and international flights, an enlarged screening area for international arrivals, an expanded luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights, new shopping and dining areas, and an expanded Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint. The original plan was for construction to begin in early 2021 and be operational by summer 2022.
The airport has seen continuous growth in passenger traffic since 2018, except during the pandemic in 2020. To accommodate this increase in traffic, the airport added a 917-space, four-level parking garage in November 2021, costing $32 million.
The airport's history of expansion dates back to its early years. After World War II, the city of Fresno acquired Hammer Field from the War Assets Administration and began constructing a passenger terminal, which opened in 1948 as the Fresno Air Terminal (FAT). The terminal featured long walls of glass for baggage claim and ticketing areas, bookending a central lobby of solid masonry block adorned with a Venetian glass mosaic titled "Sky and Ground" by Raymond Rice. Passengers used a tunnel to reach the open-air, remote concourse for ground-level boarding. This terminal remains in use today, having undergone renovations to preserve its original function.
In 1996, the airport's name was changed to Fresno Yosemite International Airport to attract out-of-state and international visitors to nearby Yosemite National Park. Despite this change, international flights did not commence for nearly a decade. The airport code "FAT" has been retained, despite airport managers petitioning the FAA for a new identifier, as it no longer matches the initials of the airport's name. The managers have since embraced the code, naming a major expansion project "FATforward."
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Frequently asked questions
The name of the airport in Fresno is Fresno Yosemite International Airport.
The address of the airport in Fresno is 5175 East Clinton, Fresno, CA 93727.
Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a joint military-public airport that is the primary commercial airport for the San Joaquin Valley and three national parks: Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. The airport offers scheduled passenger flights to several major airline hubs in the United States and international service to Mexico. The airport is currently undergoing a significant expansion project to add a new concourse building with two new gates, enlarge the screening area for arriving international passengers, expand the luggage-handling and sorting area for outbound flights, add new shopping/dining areas, and expand the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint.
