Arizona's Air Travel: Airport Options And Accessibility

Arizona is home to 49 airports, 11 of which are considered major airports. The leading airports in Arizona include the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and the Tucson International Airport. More than 20 domestic and international airlines operate at Sky Harbor Airport, while Tucson's airport features more than 80 daily nonstop departures to 24 destinations. Other major airports in Arizona include the Flagstaff Pulliam Airport, the Grand Canyon National Park Airport, and the Yuma International Airport.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

The airport is home to the 161st Air Refueling Wing, an Air Mobility Command unit of the Arizona Air National Guard. The military section is known as the Goldwater Air National Guard Base. The airport has three runways, all of which can accommodate aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 900,000 lb (410,000 kg) or more. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport has two terminals, Terminal 3 and Terminal 4, with 117 active aircraft gates in total. Terminal 4, named after former Arizona Senator and 1964 Presidential candidate Barry M. Goldwater, is the largest and busiest, with 86 gates. Terminal 3 is used by most domestic or pre-cleared arrivals, including Frontier Airlines, while international carriers, American and Southwest, operate from Terminal 4.

The airport offers travellers a range of facilities, including over 100 restaurants, shops, and services. There are various transport options available to and from the airport, including the PHX Sky Train, an automated people-mover that connects the airport to the 44th Street and Washington Light Rail station, the East Economy Parking Lot, and both terminals. The airport is also served by bus, taxi, limousine, ride-share, and shuttle services.

The history of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport dates back to 1928 when J. Parker Van Zandt, owner of Scenic Airways, purchased farmland for Scenic's winter operations. Van Zandt founded, named, and built the airport, constructing a hangar and a runway. Scenic Airways sold the airport to the Acme Investment Company in 1929, which then sold it to the city of Phoenix in 1935. Maddux Air Lines operated the airport's first scheduled passenger service in February 1929, with a route between San Francisco and El Paso, stopping in Phoenix. Since then, various airlines have come and gone, including Standard Air Lines, TWA, Arizona Airways, and Bonanza Airlines. The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations, including the addition of new terminals, concourses, and runways.

Tucson International Airport

The airport offers daily nonstop airline service to 23 destinations across the United States and Canada, with connections to over 400 destinations worldwide. It features three concourses, with Concourse A offering nine gates, Concourse B offering eleven gates, and Concourse C in a separate building with one gate. The main terminal has three levels, with the ground level designated for baggage claim and passenger pick-up, the upper level for ticketing, concessions, and gates, and the third level for meetings and conference rooms.

The Tucson Airport Authority is also responsible for bringing the Hughes Missile Plant, now known as Air Force Plant 44, to Tucson. The plant is currently operated by Raytheon. In addition, the airport hosts Morris Air National Guard Base, a complex home to the 162nd Wing, the largest Air National Guard fighter unit in the United States.

Flagstaff Pulliam Airport

The history of the airport dates back to 1948 when it was constructed and named after Clarence T. Maggie Pulliam, a dedicated Flagstaff city manager who dedicated 44 years of service to the city. The airport covers a substantial area of 763 acres (309 ha) and sits at an elevation of 7,014 feet (2,138 m). Its single runway, designated 3/21, is asphalted and measures 8,800 feet (2,700 m) in length and 150 feet (46 m) in width.

In terms of flight operations, the airport accommodates direct daily flights to and from Phoenix (PHX) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), operated by American Airlines. These flights provide convenient connections for travellers from around the world, who can easily access Flagstaff by utilising these hubs. The airport also offers an array of car rental, taxi, and shuttle services for added convenience.

Grand Canyon National Park Airport

The airport is built on the site of the first Grand Canyon Airport, which was built in 1925. The current airport opened in October 1965, and the terminal was completed in 1967. The airport has one runway, 3/21, which is 9,000 feet by 150 feet and can support aircraft with a weight-bearing capacity of up to 160.0. Aircraft-crash-and-rescue services are available during the control tower's operating hours.

In 2021, the airport had 41,161 aircraft operations, with an average of 113 per day. The airport covers an area of 859 acres at an elevation of 6,609 feet above mean sea level. It is the fourth most active air carrier airport in Arizona, after Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tucson International Airport, and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport.

The airport is served by several air tour and commuter air carriers, including Grand Canyon Airlines, WestWind Aviation Service, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, and Maverick Helicopters. These companies offer fixed-wing and rotor-wing tours of the Grand Canyon and surrounding areas.

Yuma International Airport

The airport is primarily utilised for military aviation, but it also accommodates commercial flights and general aviation activities. In the 12 months ending December 31, 2017, Yuma International Airport recorded 179,838 aircraft operations, averaging 493 flights per day. Of these, 53% were military, 38% were general aviation, and 9% were air carriers. The airport is home to a diverse range of aircraft, including single-engine, multi-engine, jet, ultralight, and military planes.

The history of aviation in Yuma dates back to 1911 when Robert Fowler took off from the city to set a world record for endurance and distance. In the following decades, efforts were made to secure an airport for Yuma, and in 1928, the Yuma Aviation Bill was signed, leading to the development of Fly Field, which later became Yuma Army Air Field during World War II. After a period of civilian use, the airfield was reactivated for military training during the Korean War.

Frequently asked questions