Ruth Haines
Kansas City International Airport (IATA: MCI, ICAO: KMCI, FAA LID: MCI) is located in Kansas City, Missouri, in Platte County, 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City. The airport was opened in 1972 and has been steadily expanding ever since, with a new complex completed in 2023. The airport covers 10,680 acres and has three runways. It serves the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is the primary airport for much of western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Kansas City International Airport |
| IATA | MCI |
| ICAO | KMCI |
| FAA LID | MCI |
| Location | Kansas City, Missouri |
| Distance from Downtown Kansas City | 15 miles (24 km) |
| County | Platte County, Missouri |
| Year opened | 1972 |
| Year new complex completed | 2023 |
| Previous name | Mid-Continent International Airport |
| Year of previous name change | 1972 |
| Previous airport replaced | Kansas City Municipal Airport (MKC) |
| Area covered | 10,680 acres (16.7 sq mi; 43.2 km2) |
| Number of runways | 3 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Kansas City International Airport's location and history
Kansas City International Airport (IATA: MCI, ICAO: KMCI, FAA LID: MCI) is a public airport located in Kansas City, Missouri, 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri. The airport is near two major highways, Interstate 29 and Interstate 435. It serves the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is the primary airport for much of western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
The airport was originally known as the Mid-Continent International Airport, named after Mid-Continent Airlines, which, along with TWA, had its facilities destroyed in the Great Flood of 1951. The city broke ground on the new airport in September 1954, and the first runway was completed in 1956. The airport opened in 1972, replacing the Kansas City Municipal Airport (MKC), and has always been a civilian airport.
Kansas City International Airport has grown significantly since its opening, more than doubling its acreage from 4,500 acres to 10,680 acres today. In 2023, a new complex was completed, replacing the old one. The new terminal, which opened on February 28, 2023, features spacious gate areas and numerous food and beverage options. The terminal has 40 gates, with the ability to expand to 50 in the future. The airport has received numerous awards for this new terminal project, which cost $1.5 billion and was the largest single infrastructure project in Kansas City's history.
Eurostar and CDG: Is There a Direct Link?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Transport and parking at the airport
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is located 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri. The airport offers several transport and parking options for travellers.
Parking
Kansas City International Airport offers various parking options, including short-term and long-term parking, as well as an economy parking lot with over 15,000 spaces and convenient door-to-door service. The airport also provides a full-service valet parking facility available 24/7. Additionally, there is a new 6,200-space garage built adjacent to the terminal for covered parking. For those waiting to pick someone up, there is a free cell phone waiting lot with nearly 100 spaces and electric vehicle charging stations.
Transport
The airport provides several transport options for travellers, including app-based ride-share services such as Iris, Lyft, Uber, or zTrip. Limousine and taxi services are also available, although the Kansas City Aviation Department does not endorse any specific company. Free shuttle buses, including the Gray Rental Car Bus and Economy Bus, offer 24/7 transportation and are wheelchair accessible. RideKC also operates to and from the airport every day, with regular free fares.
Checking in at the Airport: A Guide to Kiosks and Counters
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Terminal design and facilities
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is a public airport in Kansas City, Missouri, located 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri. The airport was opened in 1972 and has since doubled its footprint, from 4,500 acres to 10,680 acres.
The new terminal at Kansas City International Airport, designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), in collaboration with Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate, CWC, and the city's aviation department, is a state-of-the-art travel hub that transforms the existing airport. This 1.1-million-square-foot building replaces the original, overcrowded terminals, built in 1972, with a single 39-gate complex designed to expand to 50 gates in the future. The new terminal opened on February 28, 2023, and features spacious gate areas, nearly 50 local and national food and beverage options, and a 6,200-space garage built adjacent to the terminal for convenient covered parking.
The terminal's design is guided by the principle of inclusivity, with every gate desk, check-in position, and info desk set to a wheelchair-accessible height. It also features a "quiet room" and a sensory room for children. The terminal is also the first LEED v4 GOLD BD+C: NC terminal/concourse project in the U.S. Midwest and the second in the entire United States, with goals to run on renewable energy in the future.
The terminal's entrance is welcoming and light-filled, with a glass and aluminium facade and structurally expressive Y-columns. The interiors feature warm materials, including a hemlock ceiling and marble terrazzo floors. The terminal also incorporates colourful, locally designed mosaics cut and preserved from the site's previous terminal.
Kansas City International Airport offers various transportation services, including app-based ride-share services such as Iris, Lyft, Uber, or zTrip, and limousine services. The airport also provides a Cell Phone Waiting Lot with nearly 100 spaces, restrooms, and lighting for those waiting to pick up travellers.
Airports in Europe: SIM Card Availability and Options
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Airlines and flights
Kansas City International Airport (MCI) is located in Kansas City, Missouri, 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri. The airport serves the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is the primary airport for much of western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
Kansas City International Airport is a large airport in the USA, with 59 destinations and 9 airlines offering scheduled passenger flights. The airport has three runways and covers 10,680 acres (16.7 sq mi; 43.2 km2). It has previously been a hub for Braniff, Eastern, Midwest, Trans World, and Vanguard. As of April 2025, the following airlines operate from the airport:
- Alaska Airlines
- Allegiant Air
- American Airlines
- Delta
- Frontier Airlines
- Southwest
- Spirit
- Sun Country Airlines
- United
The airport offers direct, non-stop flights to destinations across the USA, including:
- Seattle (SEA)
- Denver International
- Chicago O Hare International
- Phoenix Sky Harbor International
- Dallas Fort Worth International
- Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport
- Ronald Reagan Washington National
- William P. Hobby Airport
- Saint Louis Airport
- Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
- Salt Lake City International
American Airlines offers flights to Washington, D.C., Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, and Philadelphia.
Seattle Airport: Sniffing Out Drugs with Canine Teams
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Accolades and awards
Kansas City International Airport (IATA: MCI, ICAO: KMCI, FAA LID: MCI) is located in Kansas City, Missouri, around 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Downtown Kansas City in Platte County, Missouri. The airport serves the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and is the primary airport for western Missouri and eastern Kansas.
Kansas City International Airport has received numerous accolades and awards over the years, with a particular focus on its new terminal, which opened in 2023. Here is a list of some of the awards received by the airport:
- Airport Experience News (AXN) 2024 Airport Excellence Awards: In 2024, the airport won top honours at the prestigious AXN awards, including Best Overall Program in its size category. The AXN awards recognize excellence in airport concessions and are voted on by industry executives. The airport's locally-inspired concession program, curated by Vantage Airport Group, was especially praised.
- Best Casual Dining Concept: The airport's Brown & Loe restaurant, operated by Outstanding Hospitality Management Concessions Group (OHM), won the Best Casual Dining Concept award. This award recognizes a casual dining concept that provides a high-quality, exceptional experience.
- Best Local-Inspired Restaurant: The Made for KC BBQ Experience, operated by OHM, won the award for Best Local-Inspired Restaurant. This immersive eating and shopping experience feature authentic Kansas City BBQ dishes, rubs, and sauces.
- Best Passenger Service: Director's Cut Take II, a barbershop offering pre-flight pampering and a full bar, was awarded the Best Passenger Service award.
- American Concrete Pavement Association National Award of Excellence: The airport received the Silver Award in Concrete Pavement for the Rehabilitate Runway 1L-19R Phase 2 project.
- Heart of America Associated Builders and Contractors Excellence in Construction Awards: The airport won in the Specialty–Over $4 Million Category for its Signage and Landscaping Project.
- Kansas City Industrial Council Sustainability Award: The new terminal project received the Platinum award for its LEED Gold certification.
- Public Relations Society of America Kansas City Prism Awards: The airport's websites (flykc.com, flymkc.com, kcairports.com) received the Gold Prism award, and their Grand Opening Events received the Silver Prism award in the Special Events Category.
- The Builders, a chapter of the AGC - Building Excellence Awards: The airport won Project of the Year by a General Contractor (Over $100 Million) for the Clark | Weitz | Clarkson joint venture.
MSP: Unraveling the Mystery Airport Code
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Kansas City International Airport is located in Kansas City, Missouri.
The address is 1 Kansas City Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64153.
The IATA code for Kansas City International Airport is MCI.
Kansas City International Airport opened in 1972.
The airport covers 10,680 acres, ranking 6th in the US for acreage, excluding military airfields and general aviation airports.
