Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Name	Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Iata	AVP
Icao	KAVP
Type	Public
Owner	Luzerne County
City-served	Wilkes-Barre, Scranton
Location	Pittston Township, Pennsylvania
Elevation-f	783
Runways	1 (9/27)
Website	Official site

Contents

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is a public airport serving the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area in northeastern Pennsylvania near Pittston Township, Pennsylvania, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and Scranton, Pennsylvania. The airport connects the region to national hubs and offers commercial service alongside general aviation and cargo operations, linking to cities such as Charlotte, North Carolina, Philadelphia, Newark, New Jersey, Chicago, and seasonal destinations. Its role in regional transportation mirrors the relationships seen at airports like Harrisburg International Airport, Lehigh Valley International Airport, and Albany International Airport in serving mid-sized metropolitan areas.

History

The airport opened in the mid-20th century amid postwar expansion similar to developments at LaGuardia Airport, O'Hare International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Early scheduled carriers included predecessors to American Airlines, United Airlines, and TWA which mirrored national route structures established after the Civil Aeronautics Board era. Through the jet age and deregulation following the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, the airport saw changing service patterns like those at Pittsburgh International Airport and Buffalo Niagara International Airport. Infrastructure projects during the 1990s and 2000s echoed grant-supported work by the Federal Aviation Administration and followed policies related to the Airport Improvement Program. More recent developments reflect trends in regional airport management comparable to Rochester International Airport and Birmingham–Shuttlesworth International Airport.

Facilities include a single primary runway equipped with instrument landing systems used by aircraft types from regional jets like the Embraer E-Jet family and Bombardier CRJ series to smaller turboprops such as the De Havilland Canada Dash 8. The passenger terminal contains gates, security checkpoints consistent with Transportation Security Administration procedures, and support facilities comparable to those at Bradley International Airport and Portland International Jetport. Ground services include fixed-base operators similar to Atlantic Aviation and Signature Flight Support operations found at other regional airports. On-site emergency services coordinate with Pennsylvania State Police and local fire departments, and navigational aids are maintained under standards from the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Airlines serving the airport have included major network carriers and regional affiliates of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, as well as low-cost and leisure operators resembling Allegiant Air and Frontier Airlines in market approach. Destinations often connect via airline hubs such as Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport, enabling onward connections to global gateways like London Heathrow Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and Frankfurt Airport through partner networks. Seasonal charters and cargo services reflect patterns like those at Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport.

Ground access includes connections to regional highways such as Interstate 81, Interstate 476, and U.S. Route 11, paralleling surface access strategies at airports like Tucson International Airport and Boise Airport. Surface transportation options include rental car providers similar to Enterprise Rent-A-Car, shuttle services comparable to Supershuttle, and regional bus links that coordinate with transit agencies akin to Luzerne County Transportation Authority and commuter services modeled after New Jersey Transit and SEPTA. Parking facilities support both long-term and short-term needs as seen at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Operational metrics include annual enplanements, aircraft operations, and cargo throughput tracked under reporting practices used by the Federal Aviation Administration and comparable to statistics published for Buffalo Niagara International Airport and Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The airport handles a mix of commercial passenger flights, air taxi operations, and general aviation similar to activity profiles at Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton-sized markets like Bellingham International Airport and Reno–Tahoe International Airport. Seasonal fluctuations in throughput mirror patterns at Myrtle Beach International Airport and Bradenton Airport, influenced by leisure travel trends and hub airline scheduling.

The airport is owned and overseen by local authorities in a governance model akin to county-owned airports such as Erie International Airport and operates with funding mechanisms paralleling revenue streams from the Airport Improvement Program, passenger facility charges noted at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, and state aviation grants. Its economic role extends to supporting regional employers, freight logistics comparable to operations at Lehigh Valley International Airport, and tourism economic activity similar to that driven by Lancaster Airport and Wilkes-Barre Township attractions. Governance involves coordination with entities such as the Federal Aviation Administration, state aviation offices, and local elected bodies, reflecting models used at Dayton International Airport and Rochester International Airport.