Pennsylvania Airports: Complete Guide to PA Airports 2024

Location: Erie, PA | Code: ERI

Airlines: American Airlines (89% of departures), Breeze Airways

Destinations: Charlotte (American), Orlando and Tampa (Breeze)

Annual Passengers: Approximately 500,000

Parking: First 20 minutes free, $3 first hour, $2 each additional hour, $15/day max

Phone: (814) 833-4258

Note: United and Delta suspended operations in late 2024. Breeze Airways launched Orlando service November 2024.

Location: Latrobe, PA (Westmoreland County) | Code: LBE

Named After: Golf legend Arnold Palmer, who learned to fly at this airport

Airline: Spirit Airlines (primary carrier)

Destinations: Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Myrtle Beach, Tampa

Passenger Growth: Jumped from 10,000 passengers (2010) to 310,000 passengers (2019) - a 3000% increase after Spirit began service in 2011

Size: 750 acres in Unity Township, operated by Westmoreland County Airport Authority

Phone: (724) 539-8100

Distance from Pittsburgh: 33 miles southeast

Location: Lancaster, PA | Code: LNS

Classification: Nonprimary commercial service airport with general aviation focus

Size: 850 acres at 403 feet elevation

Runways: Two asphalt runways - 8/26 (6,933 x 150 ft) and 13/31 (4,102 x 100 ft)

Operations: 73,087 aircraft operations annually (200 per day) - 91% general aviation, 6% air taxi, 3% military

Based Aircraft: 120 aircraft (99 single-engine, 9 multi-engine, 6 jet, 5 helicopter, 1 glider)

2024 Events: Inaugural Aviation Career Day "FlightPath" (Feb 29), Lancaster Airshow (Sept 7-8)

Recent Service: Breeze Airways expansion in 2024

Location: Reading, PA (3 miles northwest) | Code: RDG

Classification: General aviation airport and full-service transportation center

Economic Impact: Top regional airport in Pennsylvania for economic impact and operations

Services: General aviation, air taxi, cargo operations

Region: Serves southeastern Pennsylvania

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is the largest and busiest airport in Pennsylvania, serving 30.9 million passengers in 2024 with over 3.8 million traveling internationally. PHL ranks as the 21st-busiest airport in the United States and serves as American Airlines' primary hub in the Northeastern United States. The airport operates 7 terminal buildings with 126 boarding gates, 22 airlines, and nearly 500 daily departures to more than 130 destinations worldwide. American Airlines accounts for approximately 45% of PHL's market share, transporting nearly 20 million passengers annually and operating as the airline's number one hub for European flights with 14 nonstop European destinations.

Philadelphia International Airport offers nonstop flights to 14 European destinations on American Airlines, making it the airline's primary transatlantic gateway. Year-round daily service operates to Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin, Lisbon, London (with two flights daily), Madrid, Paris, Rome, and Zurich. Seasonal service includes Athens, Copenhagen, Naples, Nice, and Venice. Barcelona and Lisbon became year-round destinations from Philadelphia for the first time in 2024. In summer 2024, American Airlines added three new European routes: Nice, France (daily May 6-Oct 5), Naples, Italy (daily June 5-Oct 25), and Copenhagen, Denmark (daily June 6-Oct 5). Over 3.8 million passengers traveled to and from international destinations through PHL in 2024.

Pittsburgh International Airport opened its transformative new $1.7 billion landside terminal on November 18, 2024, marking the culmination of over four years of construction and a decade of planning. The 1.1 million square foot facility features a consolidated security checkpoint with 12 TSA lanes (up from 7), connected to the airside terminal via a covered Skybridge. Key improvements include baggage delivery times cut in half through an upgraded 3-mile belt system, 6,000 new parking spaces including 2,300 covered spaces, and 20 new dining options. The project was funded entirely without local or state taxpayer dollars through long-term bonds from operating revenue and $28.8 million in federal grants under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This new terminal transforms PIT from its former US Airways hub design (which ended in 2015) to a modern origin-destination airport better suited for today's passenger needs.

Five major Pennsylvania airports offer TSA PreCheck expedited security screening: Philadelphia International (PHL) has 7 PreCheck locations across all terminals including A-West, A-East, B, C, D/E, and F checkpoints. Pittsburgh International (PIT) offers PreCheck at the Main Checkpoint, International Checkpoint, and Alternate Checkpoint in the new terminal. Harrisburg International (MDT), Lehigh Valley International (ABE), and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International (AVP) each have PreCheck at their main terminals. Smaller regional airports like Erie, State College, Arnold Palmer Regional, Lancaster, Reading Regional, and others do not currently offer TSA PreCheck lanes. To enroll in TSA PreCheck, pre-register online at TSA.gov/precheck and schedule an appointment at one of Pennsylvania's enrollment locations including Telos centers at Office Depot/OfficeMax stores, AAA locations, or the Global Entry center at PHL Terminal A West. The program costs $85 for five years.

The SEPTA Airport Line provides direct train service to Philadelphia International Airport with trains running every 30 minutes from 4am to midnight. The line includes stations at all terminals (E/F, C/D, B, and A-East) plus stops at Eastwick, Penn Medicine, 30th Street Station, Suburban Station, Jefferson Station, and Temple University. All stations are wheelchair accessible. Fares are $6.75 with a SEPTA Key card or $8 when paying on board with cash. SEPTA Key cards can be purchased at kiosks at the airport or any Center City train station, accepting cash, credit, debit, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. Three SEPTA bus routes also serve the airport at Zone 1 of the Arrivals Road outside baggage claim: Route 37 (South Philadelphia to Chester), Route 108 (airport to 69th Street Transportation Center), and Route 115 (airport to Delaware County Community College). Bus fares are $2.50 cash (exact change) or $2 with SEPTA Key card.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) launched innovative airside-to-airside luxury motorcoach service to Philadelphia International Airport in August 2024, operated by American Airlines through their bus service partner Landline. This unique service is ticketed and operated as an airline flight but uses luxury motorcoaches given Philadelphia's proximity to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The key advantage is that passengers screen once at AVP through TSA security and then board the motorcoach, which transports them directly to a gate inside Philadelphia International Airport's secure area without requiring re-screening at PHL. This seamless connection allows travelers from northeastern Pennsylvania to easily access American Airlines' extensive network of connections at their major PHL hub, including the airline's extensive European service. The service is available only to screened passengers who have booked seats on the connecting route.

Pittsburgh International Airport has a balanced airline market with no carrier holding more than 30% market share, a significant change from when US Airways operated 90% of flights during its hub days. As of 2024, Southwest Airlines leads with 26.6% market share, followed by American Airlines at 22.2%, Delta Air Lines at 16.9%, and United Airlines at 14.8%. Ultra-low-cost carriers including Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines collectively represent 15.3% of total passengers, up from 14.3% in 2023. This diverse airline mix provides PIT passengers with 62 nonstop destinations across 159 peak-day departures, with competitive pricing and service options. The airport's transformation from a connecting hub to an origin-destination airport has attracted this variety of carriers, contributing to PIT's record 9.95 million passengers in 2024.

Parking rates vary across Pennsylvania's major airports. Philadelphia International (PHL) charges $4 for the first 30 minutes in short-term parking, then $2 per 30 minutes up to a $44 daily maximum; long-term parking costs $24 per day, while the Economy Lot costs $11 per day with free shuttle service. Pittsburgh International (PIT) offers short-term parking at $2 for the first hour and $4 per hour thereafter up to $26 per day, long-term parking at $16 per day, and extended-stay lots at $8 per day. Harrisburg International (MDT) provides 10 minutes free parking, then $2 per hour for short-term and $14 per day for long-term adjacent to the terminal. Lehigh Valley and State College offer more affordable rates, with State College providing the first 30 minutes free, then $1 per hour up to a $12 daily maximum. Off-site parking providers near major airports often offer cheaper rates starting at $3-4 per day with free shuttle service.

Low-cost carriers serve multiple Pennsylvania airports with extensive leisure destination networks. Allegiant Air serves Lehigh Valley (ABE) with flights to Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Melbourne, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Orlando, Punta Gorda, Sarasota/Bradenton, and Tampa; Harrisburg receives Allegiant service to Jacksonville, Sarasota, and Punta Gorda with seasonal expansions. Spirit Airlines operates from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE) in Latrobe with service to Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Myrtle Beach, and Tampa, contributing to the airport's 3000% passenger growth since 2011. Breeze Airways launched new service in 2024 at Erie International (Orlando and Tampa) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Orlando), driving significant passenger increases. At Pittsburgh International, the combined ultra-low-cost carrier group (Allegiant, Frontier, Spirit, Sun Country) represents 15.3% of total passengers. These carriers provide Pennsylvania travelers with affordable nonstop access to popular Florida destinations, beach resorts, and warm-weather vacation spots.

Pennsylvania ranks 17th in the United States with 121 public-use airports, heliports, and seaplane bases as of January 2024, plus 229 private-use airports and 278 private-use heliports. The state's aviation infrastructure includes 6 major commercial service airports, multiple nonprimary commercial service airports with limited scheduled service, numerous general aviation airports, 8 seaplane bases, 3 gliderports, and 15 ultralight facilities totaling over 750 aviation facilities statewide. General aviation alone contributes over $1.7 billion in annual economic output across Pennsylvania. The six major commercial airports handle over 40 million passengers annually, with Philadelphia International serving 30.9 million (2024), Pittsburgh International 9.95 million, Harrisburg International 1.45 million, and smaller commercial airports including Lehigh Valley, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and State College serving hundreds of thousands more. Pennsylvania's aviation system supports employment, tourism, business travel, cargo operations, medical transport, flight training, and recreational flying throughout the Commonwealth.