A good flying experience begins before you ever board the plane. Getting through security and boarding your flight is frequently the most stressful part of flying, with increased competition between airlines at major airports attracting more passengers to already crowded terminals. But for those willing to think outside the box there is a solution. Often overlooked are the smaller international and regional airports nearby, many of which are located within an easy drive of the closest major metropolitan areas.
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These Airports Near Big Cities Are Uncrowded and Easy to Fly Out Of
While these airports may not boast a craft brewery or a suburban mall’s worth of shopping options onsite, you’ll typically breeze right through security and be on the plane without having to train it across three terminals or nudge past tourist groups and families on the moving walkway. Some even offer incredible flight deals to those willing to do a bit of research. Here are a few such airports just waiting for you to give them a try, each within two hours of a major city and offering a much more mellow flying experience than their major hub counterparts. All have flights to popular US hotspots, sometimes only requiring one layover for certain destinations.
Tips for booking flights to and from smaller airports
In order to see the full range of flights into these airports, check the websites of the airlines themselves in addition to, or instead of, doing a search through an Online Travel Agency such as Kayak or Travelocity. Another good idea is to check the airport’s website, as smaller airports are eager to attract business and will often publicize special deals. Southwest Airlines or Frontier in particular offer amazing prices consistently, especially if your travel dates are somewhat flexible and you don’t mind a stop along the way. For those collecting international airline reward miles through either Star Alliance or SkyTeam, United and Delta fly into many of these airports as well.
1. Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
Nearby city:
Los Angeles
Airlines:
Alaska, American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United
Why fly here:
For quick domestic flights into the Los Angeles area, BUR saves the hassle of navigating chaotic LAX, and the airport’s easy highway access gets you around southern California in the same amount of time. It doesn’t require multiple frantic phone calls to execute a successful passenger pick up, either.
2. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Broward County, FL (FLL)
Nearby city:
Miami
Airlines:
Air Canada, Air Transat, AirTran, Alaska, Allegiant, American, Avianca, Azul, Bahamasair, British Airways, CanJet, Caribbean, Copa, Delta, Emirates, Florida Coastal, IBC, JetBlue, Norwegian, Air Shuttle, Silver, Skybahamas, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Air, Sunwing, TAME, United, WestJet
Why fly here:
FLL doesn’t qualify as a small airport, but certainly offers a viable alternative to the hectic Miami International Airport. In addition to domestic flights, multiple airlines flying to and from the Caribbean come through, and Port Everglades is a quick Uber ride away if you’re heading out on a cruise. British Airways, Norwegian, and Air Canada fly into FLL, as well. The Tri-Rail from Fort Lauderdale down to central Miami takes 1 hour and 20 minutes.
3. Dane County Regional Airport, Madison, WI (MSN)
Nearby city:
Chicago, Milwaukee
Airlines:
American, Delta, Frontier, United
Why fly here:
Chicago’s major airports, O’Hare and Midway, almost always have big crowds no matter the time of year. MSN makes for a great alternative midwest hub, being both a short drive from both Milwaukee and Chicago. Even better, parking there is as cheap as $6 per day.
4. Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI)
Nearby city:
Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia
Airlines:
Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiant, American, Boutique Air, British Airways, Condor, Contour, Delta, Icelandair, JetBlue, Southern, Southwest, Spirit, United, Wow
Why fly here:
If you’re heading to D.C. during a busy time, odds are you’ll find much cheaper flights into BWI than into D.C. directly. The airport is serviced by Amtrak trains, which will take you directly to D.C.’s Union Station in less than a half hour. You can also train it up to Philadelphia in just over two hours and New York City in under four hours.
5. Bradley International Airport, Hartford, CT (BDL)
Nearby city:
Boston, New York
Airlines:
Aer Lingus, Air Canada, American, Delta, JetBlue, OneJet, Southwest, Spirit, United
Why fly here:
Boston-Logan International Airport is an experience, as it’s basically a city in itself, but if you want to avoid the crowds and escape to other parts of New England than BDL is a great option. Security lines are much quicker and it’s a quick walk to the gate. Passenger pick up and drop off is also a breeze compared to Boston.
6. Colorado Springs Airport, Colorado Springs, Colorado (COS)
Nearby city:
Denver, Albuquerque
Airlines:
American, Delta, Frontier, United
Why fly here:
Colorado Springs is only an hour south of Denver on I-25, but the real benefit of flying into COS is the access to mountain towns. Anything you can do to avoid I-70 from Denver into Summit County on a weekend or holiday is strongly encouraged, as the traffic can be unbelievably slow. The mountain towns and resorts south of the I-70 corridor, including Salida and Gunnison/Crested Butte, are equally beautiful and also far less crowded, often with much better prices on everything from lodging to lift tickets than their highway counterparts.
7. Louisville International Airport, Louisville, KY (SDF)
Nearby city:
Indianapolis, Cincinnati
Airlines:
Allegiant, American, Frontier, Delta, OneJet, Southwest, United
Why fly here:
Louisville offers quick interstate highway access to metro areas across the Midwest. Indianapolis and Cincinnati are the closest, but Nashville and St. Louis are in the region as well. Or you could just stay in Louisville; it’s close to the country’s best-tasting bourbon after all. At SDF, rarely will you encounter a security line longer than a few minutes. And because you can fly Southwest in and out, finding a deal is often as simple as paying attention to Southwest’s flight offers that pop up online.
8. Tucson International Airport (TUS)
Nearby city:
Phoenix
Airlines:
Alaska, American, Delta, Southwest, Sun Country, United, Via Air
Why fly here:
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is one of the world’s busiest and most stressful airports, being a major connecting hub for cross-country travelers. A quick jaunt down I-10 puts you at the far less crowded Tucson International Airport where parking is only $4.50 per day on property — a price unheard of at larger airports. Particularly if you’re coming for Spring Training in March, start your stadium tour in Tucson and work your way north and then back down, instead of the other way around.
9. Charleston International Airport, Charleston, S.C. (CHS)
Nearby city:
Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh/Durham
Airlines:
Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, United
Why fly here:
Charleston is a beautiful city worth a visit in itself, and CHS saves the lines and parking hassles of larger airports in the South without sacrificing easy access. You’ll remember a pleasant drive up I-26 instead of a sluggish security line in Atlanta, and budget flights are offered regularly through Southwest and Frontier. 