Jazmin Li
New York City is one of the US cities with six airports. The three main airports are Newark-Liberty (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), and John F. Kennedy International (JFK). The other three airports are Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and one more that is yet to be identified. New York City is also home to one of the top six airports in the US, with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport being the fourth busiest airport in the country.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the city | London and New York City |
| Number of airports | 6 |
| Names of the airports | Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Luton, and Southend |
| Reason for multiple airports | Expansion in demand for aviation, serving different airlines or city districts |
| Location of Heathrow airport | Outside the city |
| Year of origin of Heathrow airport | 1930 |
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What You'll Learn
- New York City has six airports, three major and three smaller
- London also has six airports, with Heathrow being the largest
- The number of airports can be counted differently
- Airports are built to cater to demand, different airlines, or city districts
- New York's LaGuardia opened as a private airfield in 1929
New York City has six airports, three major and three smaller
New York City is served by six airports in total, three major and three smaller. The three major airports are Newark-Liberty (EWR), LaGuardia (LGA), and John F. Kennedy International (JFK). These airports all serve distinct roles and opened at different times. Newark-Liberty International Airport is located in New Jersey and handles both domestic and international flights. It is more modern and less crowded than the other two airports, but it is also further from the city. LaGuardia, on the other hand, is the closest of the three major airports to the city, located about 8 miles from northern Brooklyn and Manhattan. It mainly handles domestic flights and smaller aircraft on shorter routes. JFK, located in Queens, primarily handles international flights and larger aircraft. It is easily accessible, with the AirTrain providing a fast and affordable travel option.
In addition to these three major airports, there are three smaller airports within a reasonable distance of New York City that offer scheduled flights. These include Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Westchester County Airport. New York Stewart International Airport, in particular, is known for being one of the furthest airports from the city it serves, located around 71.5 miles north of New York City.
The existence of multiple airports in New York City is due to a combination of historical and functional reasons. LaGuardia, for example, was originally a private airfield built near the city and later became a commercial airport due to its convenient location. As air traffic expanded and existing airports reached capacity, the development of new airports became necessary. This is a common pattern in cities with multiple airports, where expanding existing airports may be challenging, and building new ones on open land is more feasible.
New York City's extensive airport system is a testament to the high demand for aviation in the region and the need to serve different purposes, airlines, and city districts. These airports play a crucial role in facilitating domestic and international travel, accommodating millions of passengers each year.
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London also has six airports, with Heathrow being the largest
London, England, has six airports, the most of any city outside the US. Heathrow is the largest of these airports and is considered the main gateway to the United Kingdom for non-European visitors. Heathrow is located in the London Borough of Hillingdon, in the western suburbs of London. It has four terminals and two parallel runways. Heathrow is connected to London's motorway network via the M4 and M25 motorways and to London Paddington station by train. Heathrow is also the third busiest airport in the world in terms of passenger numbers. In 2018, Heathrow served 70 million passengers, and all six London airports together handled a total of 177,054,819 passengers.
The other five airports in London are Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, London City, and Southend. Gatwick is the second-largest airport in London and is located in the London Borough of Crawley. It has two terminals and is connected to London's motorway network via the M23. Luton is London's fourth-largest airport and is located in Bedfordshire. It is the fifth-busiest airport in the United Kingdom and is connected to London St. Pancras by train. Stansted is a lower-cost airport located in Uttlesford District, Essex. It is connected to London's Liverpool Street station by the Stansted Express train. London City Airport is the closest to central London and is located in the London Borough of Newham, in the Docklands. It has a single runway and a steep approach, limiting its size. Southend Airport is located in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, and is served by National Express coach services and local buses.
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The number of airports can be counted differently
The number of airports serving a city can be counted differently depending on various factors. Firstly, the proximity of the airport to the city centre can be a determining factor. For instance, New York City has three main airports, namely Newark-Liberty, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy International, but if we include airports within a reasonable distance of the city with scheduled flights, we count three additional airports: Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Westchester County Airport. Thus, the inclusion of airports outside the immediate city boundaries but still serving the city can impact the count.
Secondly, the classification of airports based on their size and purpose can lead to different counts. Some airports may be considered too small or insignificant to be included in the count for a particular city. Conversely, larger airports that serve multiple cities may be counted as part of different metropolitan areas. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) uses a detailed classification system based on annual passenger boardings, categorizing airports into large, medium, small, and non-primary commercial hubs. This classification takes into account factors such as the volume of passenger traffic and the relative importance of the airport within a region.
Thirdly, the ownership and management of airports can also influence how they are counted. Airports may be publicly or privately owned, and some cities may have a mix of public and private airports. Additionally, the age and historical development of an airport can play a role in how it is counted. For example, LaGuardia Airport in New York City originally started as a private airfield in 1929 before becoming a commercial airport in 1939. Over time, an airport's ownership, management, and purpose may evolve, potentially impacting how it is categorized within a city's airport system.
Lastly, the methodology used to collect and analyze data on airports can vary, leading to different counts. Different sources may use distinct criteria for including or excluding airports associated with a particular city. Factors such as the distance from the city centre, the number of scheduled flights, and the volume of passenger traffic can all influence how airports are counted and compared across different studies or rankings. Therefore, it is essential to consider the specific context, criteria, and objectives when interpreting data on the number of airports serving a city.
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Airports are built to cater to demand, different airlines, or city districts
Airports are built to meet demand, cater to different airlines, or serve different city districts. London and New York City are the only two cities in the world with six commercial airports each. London Heathrow and Gatwick are London's largest airports, with Heathrow being the largest of the six. London also has London City Airport, which is centrally located, as well as London Stansted, Luton, and Southend airports, which are lower-cost alternatives.
New York City's three main airports are Newark-Liberty, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy International. In addition, Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Westchester County Airport are smaller airports within a reasonable distance of the city that offer scheduled flights.
The demand for air travel is ever-increasing, with a record-breaking number of passengers flying with US airlines or through US airports in 2018. This has led to airlines adding extra seats to their cabins to accommodate more customers. As a result, airports have been expanded to cater to this growing demand, and new airports have been constructed.
However, not all cities have equal access to airports. Some cities, like Warner Robins, Georgia, are quite remote from airport services, and their closest airport may only be served by a single airline. Similarly, in Indiana, five cities with populations of over 50,000 residents were at least 51 miles away from an airport. On the other hand, some cities have multiple major airports at their disposal.
The number of airports serving a city can also depend on how you define the city's boundaries and whether you include airports outside those boundaries that offer regular scheduled flights to the city. For example, St. Louis, Missouri, has two airports: MidAmerica St. Louis Airport and St. Louis Lambert International Airport. However, if we consider the broader metropolitan area of St. Louis, which includes Belleville, Illinois, the number of airports serving the region increases.
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New York's LaGuardia opened as a private airfield in 1929
New York is one of the two cities in the US with six commercial airports. The three main airports are Newark-Liberty, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. The other three are Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Westchester County Airport.
New York's LaGuardia Airport was first established as a private airfield in 1929. The ground that LaGuardia Airport stands on was initially used for the Gala Amusement Park, run by the Steinway family, the founders of the piano company Steinway and Sons. The park was torn down in 1929, and the space was converted into an airfield. The private airport was originally named the Glenn H. Curtiss Airport, honouring the American aviation pioneer.
The airport was renamed North Beach Airport in 1935. Soon after, New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia pushed for the transformation of North Beach Airport into an airport for commercial flights. La Guardia was a long-time aviation advocate, and he criticised both the federal and state governments' slow progress in establishing municipal airports in the city.
The New York Municipal Airport-LaGuardia Field was dedicated on 15 October 1939 and officially opened on 2 December 1939. The airport was initially known as LaGuardia Field and New York Municipal Airport until the city worked out a lease to switch to control by the Port of New York Authority in 1947.
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Frequently asked questions
New York City has 6 airports. The three main airports are Newark-Liberty, LaGuardia, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. The three smaller, more distant airports are Long Island MacArthur Airport, New York Stewart International Airport, and Westchester County Airport.
There are various reasons for a city to have more than one airport, including catering to expansions in demand for aviation, serving different airlines or city districts, and historical and functional reasons.
London has 6 commercial airports: Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, Luton, and Southend. Heathrow is the largest of the airports, with origins dating back to 1930 when the private Great West Aerodrome opened for flight testing.
No other cities in the world have 6 or more airports. However, London and New York City top the list of cities with the most commercial airports, with 6 each.
