Airports are either the bane of one’s existence or magical places that capture the imagination. Or both.
Large commercial airports feature lines snaking through the TSA, long lines at the snack bar, and a John Muir Trail-length hike to baggage claim.
Smaller airports can still provide the magic of a large airport — the excitement of heading to some exotic destination, watching the planes take off and land, and going to the gift shop (if there is one) — without the headaches.
Airports come in all sizes, from the sprawling and crowded JFK in New York to more laid-back vibe airports like Hilton Head/Savannah’s airport.
According to FAA data, which tracks “enplanements” (passenger boardings), the nation’s busiest airport is Atlanta’s Hartsfield/Jackson International, with 50,950,068 enplanements. That’s roughly the entire population of Spain (48.3 million).
Meanwhile, some of the smallest commercial airports in the USA (ones that receive regular commercial, not charter, service) can see as few as 5,000 passengers come through annually.
Using FAA data, we’ve selected some of the smallest.
If you want an easy-to-access car rental counter and an airport restaurant, you’ll be out of luck here.
However, if you don’t like waiting through long, anxiety-inducing TSA lines, this airport is for you. TSA wait times are usually less than a minute because there are so few passengers. According to the FAA, there were only 4,330 passengers through GDV between March 2021 and February 2022.
Cape Air is the only carrier that serves the airport, with two daily flights to Billings Logan International Airport (BIL) that cost $52 round-trip.
You’ll have to venture into the nearby town of Glendive for other amenities.
The Havre City-County Airport is so small that they don’t have photos of it on their website. Or anywhere else.
Havre’s airport is served by Cape Air also and averages less than 6,000 passengers a year.
But Havre Airport services include aviation fuel, aircraft parking (ramp or tie down), pilot supplies, courtesy cars (free for pilots to use in the local area), and restrooms. You won’t find a restaurant or rental car counter, but you will breeze through TSA in minutes.
A study by the Montana Department of Transportation in 2016 put the airport’s economic impact at close to $1.2 million.
With only about 6000 passengers annually, this small airport serves — as the name implies — southeast Iowa.
The airport says of its vibe:
Passengers tell us that the laid back, inviting atmosphere at our Airport reminds them of the Wings TV show. We take that reference to our friendly facility as a compliment.
There are three flights daily, two to Chicago and one to St. Louis. And on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays there is an evening flight to St. Louis.
While the terminal doesn’t have a restaurant, there is an Avis (CAR) car rental counter on site.
Serving about 50,000 passengers a year, this is still one of the smaller commercial airports.
Imagine, though, being able to park right outside the terminal (see photo above), breeze through TSA, and be at your gate in minutes. That is what you get at the Garden City Regional Airport.
The airport has two flights a day to Dallas on American Eagle (AAL), the commuter subsidiary of American Airlines.
The airport features three rental car counters and a restaurant, Milk & Honey.
A sample round-trip airfare from Garden City to Dallas will cost you about $360.
You won’t chase your luggage over a miles long conveyor belt at this airport. Just one single loop to grab your bag and go.
This airport based in Scottsbluff, Nebraska serves under 10,000 passengers annually.
The airport features easy parking, a Hertz (HTZ) rental car counter, an Italian restaurant and plenty of room to lounge around.
According to the airport, the facility covers 1,806 acres, has two runways, and thousands of flights every year. They just aren’t very full.
You won’t find a restaurant or fancy lounge at Devil’s Lake Regional Airport. But you will find one flight a day to Denver, Colorado, and Jamestown, North Dakota.
The airport recently opened a new 5,200 square-foot terminal addition. While the airport records less than 10,000 passengers daily, traffic is growing.
The new terminal features more vending machines for its commercial travelers, as well as an ATM and changing room for mothers and their infants. The airport also has added a jetway so passengers don’t have to disembark in a harsh North Dakota winter.
In 2023, Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion, Illinois, experienced 10,558 enplanements.
This tiny southern Illinois airport offers four flights most days to Chicago airports: two to Midway, and two to O’Hare.
While you won’t find a restaurant in the terminal, you will find a rental car counter and a motel on the grounds.
According to local media reports, large glass windows throughout the building let in natural light. The lobby has a check-in counter and lounge area. To the left is a baggage claim and secure waiting area. To the right of the main lobby is a charter flight lounge that can also be used for events.
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