Michigan Airports: Complete 2024 Guide

Location: Pellston, Emmet County (1 mile northwest of downtown)

Primary commercial airport for northern tip of Michigan's Lower Peninsula, serving Petoskey, Cheboygan, Mackinaw City, and Mackinac Island area. Handles 25,464 annual passengers.

• Airline: SkyWest (Delta Connection)
• Service: 3 daily departures/arrivals to Detroit
• Facilities: 2 runways (14/32: 6,513x150 ft, 5/23: 5,401x150 ft)
• Coverage: 1,675 acres
• Classification: Non-hub primary commercial service
• Partnerships: Tag flights Detroit-Pellston-Alpena route

Location: Alpena (6 nautical miles west of downtown)

County-owned joint civil-military airport serving northeast Michigan. Hosts National Guard Combat Readiness Training Center (one of only four in U.S.). Handles 11,614 annual passengers.

• Essential Air Service: SkyWest (Delta) contract provides 12 round trips/week to Detroit
• 2024 Update: EAS contract expired Sept 30, 2024; U.S. DOT released RFP for new air service provider
• Facilities: 2 concrete runways (1/19: 9,001x150 ft, 7/25: 5,028x100 ft)
• Coverage: 3,084 acres at 690 ft elevation
• Military: One of four National Guard Combat Readiness Training Centers nationwide

Location: Gwinn (serving Marquette and central Upper Peninsula)

Upper Peninsula's largest airport providing essential air link to Michigan's remote northern region. Serves 53,588 annual passengers with year-round connections to Detroit and Chicago hubs.

• Coverage: 2,100 acres
• Service Area: Marquette, picturesque Upper Peninsula region
• Hub Connections: Links to Detroit and Chicago for nationwide access
• Airlines: Delta Connection (SkyWest), American Eagle (Envoy Air)
• Role: Essential air link for remote UP communities and tourism

Location: Escanaba (2 nautical miles southwest of downtown)

Delta County-owned airport with limited commercial service subsidized by Essential Air Service program. Gateway to Upper Peninsula's small-town charm and natural beauty. Handles 18,474 annual passengers.

• Airline: SkyWest (Delta Connection)
• Destinations: Daily service to Detroit and Minneapolis
• Facilities: 2 asphalt runways (10/28: 6,498x150 ft, 1/19: 5,016x100 ft)
• Coverage: 944 acres at 609 ft elevation
• Area Features: Small-town charm, natural beauty, outdoor recreation
• On-Time Performance: 83.33% arrival, 83.04% departure

Location: Ironwood (7 miles from downtown)

Michigan's smallest commercial airport by passenger count (7,091 enplanements in 2024), providing essential service to western Upper Peninsula. Single runway operation with seasonal route to Minneapolis.

• 2024 Passengers: 7,091 enplanements
• Airline: Contour Airlines
• Destination: Minneapolis (MSP) via Essential Air Service
• Runway: Single 5,000-foot runway
• Location: 8 miles northwest of Ironwood city center
• Alternate: Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (RHI) Wisconsin, 79 miles away

Location: Sault Ste. Marie (1 mile southeast of downtown)

Eastern Upper Peninsula airport serving Canadian border region with excellent on-time performance. Handles 23,324 annual passengers connecting to Detroit and Chicago hubs.

• Performance: 82.76% on-time arrivals, 86.63% on-time departures
• Service: Year-round connections to Detroit and Chicago hubs
• Location: Near Canadian border, International Falls proximity
• Airlines: Delta Connection, American Eagle
• Manager: Tami L. Beseau, (906) 322-3651

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Michigan's largest and busiest airport, serving 33 million passengers in 2024. Located in Romulus, 20 miles southwest of downtown Detroit, DTW ranks as the 8th busiest U.S. megahub and serves as Delta Air Lines' 3rd largest hub by passenger count. The airport offers nonstop service to 91 domestic destinations and 15 international destinations across Europe and Asia, making it the primary gateway for Midwestern and Northeastern U.S. travelers accessing international markets.

Michigan has 18 commercial service airports providing passenger air service, with 14 classified as primary commercial service airports (10,000+ annual enplanements). The state's commercial airports recorded approximately 19.4 million enplanements collectively in 2024. Beyond commercial service, Michigan is home to 215 total airports including 47 with IATA/ICAO codes, 221 public airports, 129 private airports, 126 heliports, and 7 seaplane bases. The commercial airports range from Detroit's international hub with 33 million passengers to small regional airports like Ironwood with 7,091 enplanements serving remote Upper Peninsula communities via Essential Air Service subsidies.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) is Michigan's primary international gateway, offering nonstop service to 15 international destinations including Amsterdam, Paris, Rome, Munich, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Tokyo-Haneda, Seoul, and Shanghai. Delta Air Lines is the only carrier at DTW with nonstop service to Asia. In 2024, DTW added new international routes including Tulum (Mexico), increased Munich service to daily flights, and launched 4x weekly Dublin service. The airport also operates the largest trans-Atlantic summer schedule in its history with new routes to Catania, Naples, Milan, and Barcelona. Grand Rapids Airport (GRR) is launching international service to Montreal and Toronto in June 2024, marking the second Michigan airport with scheduled international flights.

Yes, Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) serves as Delta Air Lines' 3rd largest hub by passenger count and 2nd largest hub overall. Delta oversees 74% of all flights at DTW, operating 123 routes with direct flights to 100+ frequencies per month to almost 50 destinations. DTW functions as Delta's primary gateway to Asia for the Eastern United States and its 3rd busiest gateway to Europe. The airport is also Delta's only carrier with nonstop service to Asia from Michigan. Additionally, DTW serves as a base for Spirit Airlines, which operates significant budget carrier operations. The airport features 5 Delta Sky Clubs and recently became the first Michigan airport to facilitate delivery of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for Delta flights in 2024.

Six commercial airports serve Michigan's Upper Peninsula: Sawyer International (MQT) in Marquette is the largest with 53,588 passengers; Delta County Airport (ESC) in Escanaba offers daily SkyWest service to Detroit and Minneapolis with 18,474 passengers; Chippewa County International (CIU) in Sault Ste. Marie serves 23,324 passengers with excellent on-time performance; Houghton County Memorial (CMX) in Hancock serves Copper Country with 24,041 passengers; Ford Airport (IMT) in Iron Mountain handles 19,552 passengers; and Gogebic-Iron County (IWD) in Ironwood is Michigan's smallest commercial airport with 7,091 enplanements. Most UP airports operate under Essential Air Service subsidies, providing vital connections to Detroit and Chicago hubs for these remote communities. Pellston Regional (PLN) serves as the gateway to the northern Lower Peninsula and Mackinac Island area with 25,464 passengers.

Traverse City's Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) was named the #1 airport for growth in summer 2024, setting records with 787,114 passengers including its busiest month ever (124,000 in July). Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) in Grand Rapids achieved record-breaking growth with 4 million passengers in 2024, representing a 12.4% increase over 2023 and marking the second consecutive record year. MBS International Airport (Saginaw) saw an 18.5% increase with 110,822 enplanements in 2024 compared to 93,545 in 2023. Interestingly, TVC's growth is driven by business travel rather than tourism, with new routes to Charlotte's technology/financial sector and Houston's oil and gas industry. GRR's expansion includes $600 million in infrastructure upgrades and added Sun Country Airlines service in 2024, along with new international routes to Montreal and Toronto launching June 2024.

Parking rates vary significantly by airport and lot type. At Detroit DTW, on-site short-term parking costs $6/hour with a $42 daily maximum, while long-term parking ranges from $20/day (Green Lots) to $32/day (standard long-term). Off-site DTW parking facilities offer more affordable rates from $4.99-$14/day with free shuttle service. DTW also provides free EV charging in long-term sections and a free cell phone lot (must remain with vehicle). Grand Rapids GRR transitioned short-term lots to hourly-only rates (no daily max) effective January 1, 2024, intended for pickup only, with three long-term options for multi-day parking. Regional airports generally offer free or low-cost parking close to terminals, with MBS Saginaw providing free passenger parking. Most Michigan airports offer complimentary shuttle service between parking lots and terminals.

Several low-cost carriers serve Michigan airports. Spirit Airlines operates base operations at Detroit DTW with extensive budget domestic routes. Allegiant Air serves Flint (FNT) as the largest carrier with 20+ weekly departures to leisure destinations including Las Vegas, Phoenix, and seven Florida cities, plus new 2024 routes to Destin and Newark (starting May 2025 from $49). Grand Rapids (GRR) is served by Allegiant, Frontier, and new entrant Avelo Airlines (Raleigh-Durham, Lakeland FL routes). Sun Country Airlines began service at GRR in June 2024 and also operates seasonal flights from FNT to Laughlin/Bullhead City AZ. Breeze Airways launched Michigan's first service in winter 2024-25 at Lansing (LAN) with flights to Orlando and Ft. Myers. However, Avelo departed from Lansing and Kalamazoo after initial service periods. TUI Airways offers seasonal charter flights from FNT to Cancun and Punta Cana.

Yes, Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) offers extensive direct service to Europe and Asia. European destinations include year-round flights to Frankfurt (Delta, Lufthansa), London Heathrow (Delta), Paris CDG (Delta, Air France), and Amsterdam (Delta), with seasonal service to Munich, Reykjavik, Dublin, Rome Fiumicino, and new 2024 routes to Catania, Naples, Milan, and Barcelona. For Asia, Delta operates as the only carrier with nonstop service from DTW, flying year-round to Seoul Incheon (15h 20m), Shanghai Pudong (16h 15m), and Tokyo Haneda. These Asian routes position DTW as Delta's primary gateway to Asia for the Eastern United States. The longest flights from DTW are to Shanghai at around 16 hours 15 minutes and Seoul at 15 hours 20 minutes. No other Michigan airports currently offer direct transatlantic or transpacific service, though connections are available through DTW and other major U.S. hubs.

Essential Air Service (EAS) is a U.S. government subsidy program that guarantees small communities access to commercial air service by compensating airlines for operating routes that might otherwise be unprofitable. Several Michigan Upper Peninsula airports rely on EAS: Alpena County Regional (APN) has an EAS contract providing 12 round trips per week to Detroit via SkyWest/Delta (contract expired September 30, 2024, with new RFP released); Escanaba's Delta County Airport (ESC) operates under EAS with daily SkyWest service to Detroit and Minneapolis; Ironwood's Gogebic-Iron County (IWD) receives EAS funding for Contour Airlines service to Minneapolis; and Manistee County Blacker (MBL) utilizes EAS for seasonal flights to Chicago and Detroit via Contour and Southern Airways. These subsidies are critical for maintaining air connectivity to Michigan's remote Upper Peninsula communities, supporting economic development, healthcare access, and tourism in regions where commercial service would otherwise be economically unviable.