Discover the 10 Smallest Airports in the United States, Ranked

Even the smallest airport in the United States covers dozens of acres. Airplanes, even little ones, need a lot of room to take off and land safely. In fact, airplanes that take off and land at small airports have weight restrictions due to the relatively short length of the runways. This article describes the 10 smallest commercial airports in the U.S., from the smallest to the less small. Commercial airports differ from private airports in that they are used by airlines, even tiny and obscure airlines. They also need to have at least 2,500 passenger boardings every year.

1. Friday Harbor Airport

This little airport is found off the coast of Washington State on San Juan Island. It covers 145 acres, and its one runway is 75 feet wide and 3,402 feet long. It is served by two passenger airlines, Kenome Air and San Juan Airlines. FedEx also flies cargo out of this airport to Seattle/Tacoma Airport. Friday Harbor Airport also features in Microsoft’s Flight Simulator X.

2. Hilton Head Airport

Found off the coast of South Carolina on Hilton Head Island, this 180-acre airport is used by United, Delta, and American Airlines to reach their hubs in Washington D.C., Atlanta, and Chicago. Planes also fly out of this airport to La Guardia Airport in New York City and Charlotte Airport in North Carolina. It has one runway that’s 5,000 feet long and 100 feet wide, and its terminal building has four gates. It’s the only airport on Hilton Head Island.

3. Charlevoix Municipal Airport

You’ll find this 185-acre airport about a mile southwest of Charlevoix, Michigan. The two airlines it serves are Fresh Air Aviation and Island Airways, which both take passengers to nearby Beaver Island. This airport is roomy enough to have two runways. The longest is 4,550 feet long and 75 feet wide, while the smallest runway is 200 feet wide, 1,280 feet long, and covered in turf.

4. Molokai Airport

Though this Hawaiian airport covers only 288 acres, at least one runway is big enough to accommodate a Boeing 737-200 jet. Its longest runway, 5/23, stretches for 4,494 feet and is 100 feet wide. The smaller runway, 17/35, is 3,118 feet long and also 100 feet wide. This airport serves military as well as civilian flights. However, its only airline is Mokulele Airlines, which takes passengers back and forth to Honolulu, Lanai, Kalaupapa, and Kahului.

5. L.M. Clayton Airport

Found at an elevation of 1,989 feet near Wolf Point, Montana, this airport’s only airline is Cape Air. The airline takes passengers to and from the Montana cities of Billings and Sidney. The airport also services military aircraft. The 290-acre airport’s one runway, 11/29, is 5,091 feet long and 100 feet wide. Though it’s not the smallest commercial airport listed, it’s the smallest one that has regularly scheduled service.

6. Provincetown Municipal Airport

Found right at the end of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this 310-acre airport takes passengers to and from Boston’s Logan International Airport via Cape Air, which takes only 25 minutes one way. Another airline, Tailwind Air, is seasonal and takes passengers to and from Boston and New York City’s Skyport. Its single runway, 7/25, is 3,502 feet long and 100 feet wide.

7. Westerly State Airport

This 326-acre airport is 2.3 miles southeast of Westerly, Rhode Island. The airport was established in the 1920s and by the 1940s was the second airport in the United States to be state-owned. During World War II, it was a Naval base due to its position between New York City and Boston. Its two asphalt paved runways are 7/25, which is 4,010 feet long and 100 feet wide and 14/32, which is 3,960 feet long and 75 feet wide. It is served by New England Airlines, which takes passengers to and from Block Island.

8. Key West International Airport

Originally called Key West Municipal Airport, this 334-acre airport began service to Miami, Florida in 1944 using small propeller airplanes. Nowadays, the airport services at least eight airlines, including Delta and JetBlue. It can also accommodate Boeing 737-700 jets. Besides Miami, planes fly to and from other cities such as New York, Orlando, and New Orleans. Key West International has only one runway, which is 5,076 feet long and 100 feet wide.

9. Tweed-New Haven Airport

Another small airport in the United States, Tweed Haven is located partially in the city of New Haven and partially in the town of East Haven, Connecticut. At 394 acres, Tweed-New Haven Airport was established in 1929 as New Haven Municipal Airport and began operations in 1933. It is served by Avelo Airlines, which takes passengers to and from cities such as Baltimore, Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Charleston, and South Carolina. There’s also seasonal service to Chicago-Midway. Tweed-New Haven used to have two runways, but now only runway 2/20 is operational. It is 5,600 feet long and 150 feet wide, big enough to accommodate a 737-700 jet.

10. Dawson Community Airport

Found five miles from Glendive, Montana, this 413-acre airport was named for Dawson County. It has two runways, the 5,704-foot long and 100-foot wide 12/30 and the 3,002-foot long, 60-foot wide 2/20. Cape Air is the only airline that services this airport. The airline operates to and from Billings Logan International Airport near Billings, Montana.

Summary of the 10 Smallest Airports in the United States

Here are the 10 Smallest Airports in the United States:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Out and Aloft/Shutterstock.com