To facilitate an anticipated passenger increase, the current terminal capacity will be maximized to extend its life until a new facility is constructed. These improvements include expanding security checkpoints, adding restrooms, enhancing the current baggage handling system, adding concessions, and revamping the International Gateway interchange. Capacity improvements are ongoing, beginning in 2005 and scheduled to be completed by 2012.

With the movement of International Gateway and other airport improvements, another taxiway will be built to provide more efficient airfield movement for airfield vehicles between the north and south runways. This taxiway will be built on the west side of where the runways currently sit, and follows the same timeline as the International Gateway project.

In order to provide better traffic flow for an expected increase in passengers, transportation improvements will be made including a grade separation of International Gateway and Stelzer Road, eliminating two of the traffic lights that currently lie along International Gateway, and shifting International Gateway to the north. This final transportation improvement is also designed to allow room for the new terminal to be built in the future. Construction began in 2005 and is expected to finish in 2008.

Currently, the rental car facility is located within the passenger parking structure attached to the terminal. The airport is beginning to outgrow the current facility, and moving rental cars to a dedicated facility will allow for use of the current structure until a new one is built. This facility will be built on the west side of the airport, and will help to reduce traffic and serve both the current and planned new terminal. The facility is currently planned to be complete by 2012.

To support simultaneous arrivals and departures on both runways and make room for a planned new terminal, the 10,125-foot (3,086 m) southern runway will be removed, and an identical runway will be constructed 700 feet (210 m) south of its current location. When completed in 2012, the current runway will be converted into a taxiway.

A large new terminal, in conjunction with the existing terminal, is in the planning stages. The new facility will be constructed gradually to accommodate demand. Phase 1 will include an 8-10 gate terminal that will function in unison with the existing terminal. In addition, a new parking structure will be built to add parking spaces for passengers, which will eventually replace the old structure. This four-year project is largest element planned for Port Columbus, but will be the last to break ground. Construction is not expected to begin until 2014. The new terminal will gradually replace the existing terminal and will ultimately consist of 75 gates once passenger numbers reach 20 million, projected to be sometime in the 2030s decade.

The first major airline to fly into Port Columbus was TWA, and it kept a presence at Columbus over the next seventy years during the era of airline regulation. TWA offered a club for exclusive passengers up until 2000 when America West took over a gate held by TWA and the club itself due to financial problems.

Port Columbus International Airport was formerly a hub of America West Airlines in the 1990s, but the company closed the hub in 2003. America West eliminated the Columbus hub as result of financial losses at the hub, overall financial losses at the airline, and a weak airline market after September 11, 2001.

The airport was the home base of short-lived Skybus Airlines, who began operations from Port Columbus on May 22, 2007. The airline is self touted themselves as the cheapest airline in the United States, offering a minimum of ten seats for $10 on every flight. Skybus ceased operations April 4, 2008.

Port Columbus has 3 concourses containing a total of 44 gates.

Attached to the terminal is a six-level parking garage that is suitable for both short-term and long-term parking needs. A Terminal Walkway leads visitors to the center of the terminal in just a few minutes. There are elevators and stairs on the east and west sides of the parking area.

Levels one and two are for rental cars only. The rental car counters are located nearby and easy to reach.

P4 and P5 adjacent areas are reserved for short-term parking at $2 per hour or $25 maximum per day.

There is also a passenger drop-off and pickup area outside of the terminal. South of the Skycap is a free bicycle parking area.

You can view the map of all parking areas and their proximity to the terminal at the following link

Long Term Parking Levels three through six of the parking deck are for long-term parking at $2 per hour or $15 maximum per day.

Long-term parking includes additional nearby green and red lots at affordable rates of $2 for the first hour, $1 per hour thereafter, to a maximum of $6 per 24 hours. The blue long-term parking lot offers direct shuttle drop-off at your vehicle. The rates for an uncovered spot are $2 for the first hour, $1 per hour thereafter, and $7 maximum per day (24 hours). Covered spots are $3 for the first hour, $2 per hour thereafter, and $9 per day.

Port Columbus International Airport

Port Columbus International Airport (IATA: CMH, ICAO: KCMH, FAA LID: CMH), commonly shortened to Port Columbus, is an international airport located 6 miles (10 kilometers) east of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority which also oversees operations at Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field. The airport code 'CMH' stands for "Columbus Municipal Hangar" though that name is no longer used today.[3]

Port Columbus is primarily a passenger airport, providing over 190 non-stop flights to 44 airports via 15 airlines daily.[4] Traffic reached 7,719,340 passengers in 2007, a 14.6% increase over the previous year.[2] Due to an increase in flights by established carriers as well as the addition of JetBlue as well as Skybus Airlines (which ceased operations in April 2008), however, the airport has seen a 13.4% increase in traffic the first seven months of 2007 and a 23% increase in passengers for the month of July.[5] Port Columbus expected to top 8 million travellers by the end of 2007.[6][7] In addition, the airport also handles freight and US mail, with 10,411,920 units of freight and 8,537,279 units of mail passing through in 2006.[2]

Today, Port Columbus provides commercial air service to most all major airport hubs across the United States. The airport is the largest passenger airport in the central Ohio region, and is the second busiest in the state after Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.[8] Port Columbus was also the 52nd busiest airport in the United States in 2006.[8]

Accessing Port Columbus by road is possible by either of two bordering interstate highways: I-270 to the northeast and I-670 to the west. The main airport roadway, International Gateway, connects directly to I-670, making navigating to the airport relatively simple from anywhere in the area.[9]

Port Columbus is also known for displaying a large amount of community artwork, including children's drawings, a photographic timeline, and other donated items. Most recognized is Brushstrokes in Flight, a sculpture located directly in front of the Concourse B security checkpoint and designed by Roy Lichtenstein.

Early History

The airport opened July 8, 1929, on a site originally selected by Charles Lindbergh, as the eastern air terminus of the Transcontinental Air Transport air-rail New York to Los Angeles intercontinental route. Passengers traveled overnight on the Pennsylvania Railroad's luxury Airway Limited from New York to Columbus; by air from Columbus to Waynoka, Oklahoma; by rail again from Waynoka to Clovis, New Mexico; and finally by air from Clovis to Los Angeles. The original terminal building and hangars still exist, and are in use; the former terminal has been restored and is used for rental office space, while the original hangars are still used for airport operations.[11]

By 1939, Port Columbus was handling fourteen flights per day. Ten of these flights were Transcontinental and Western Airlines (predecessor of Trans World Airlines), while the other four were American Airlines. TWA averaged twenty-one passengers per day at this time.[11]

Recent improvements

A $70 million renovation of airport facilities was completed in 1979 for the airport's 50th anniversary. This upgraded the airport's capacity to 250 flights per day, and added fully enclosed jetways at every gate. Ten years later in 1989, a second, $15.5 million, seven-gate concourse was dedicated. The concourse was used exclusively by US Airways at the time. A third concourse was completed in 1995, which is now Concourse C.[11]

Between 1998 and 2000 numerous airport expansion and renovation projects were completed, including a $25 million terminal renovation in 1998 which included additional retail shops, new flight information displays, enhanced lighting, upgraded flooring, and a new food court. Also new hangars and office spaces were completed for NetJets in 1999, as well as a $92 million parking garage including an underground terminal entrance, new rental car facilities, dedicated ground transportation area, improved eight-lane terminal access on two levels, and a new atrium and entrances in 2000.[11]

On April 25, 2004, a new 195-foot (59 m) control tower directed its first aircraft, ushering in the beginning of several major facility enhancements to be constructed through 2025.

On-site facilities

Port Columbus International Airport has two fixed-based operators on-site, Lane Aviation[12] and Million Air[13]. In 2001, Executive Jet Aviation (now known as NetJets Inc.) opened up a 200,000 square foot (18,580 m²) operational headquarters at Port Columbus International Airport.[14]

In November 2006, Skybus Airlines began leasing 100,000 square feet (9,290 m²) of office and hangar facilities at the Columbus International AirCenter adjacent to Port Columbus.[15]

Airfield

The original 1929 layout for the airport covered 524 acres (212 ha), with two runways extending 2,500 feet (760 m) and 3,500 feet (1,070 m) in length.[16] Since then, the runways have been expanded significantly. In 1952 the current south runway was lengthened to 8,000 feet (2,400 m), making it the longest runway in the midwest at the time.[11] The north runway was also extended to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) in 1997,[11] though the south runway has since been extended to 10,125 feet (3,086 m).[1]

Port Columbus international Airport covers 2,185 acres (884 ha) and has two runways:[1]

Runway 10R/28L: 10,125 x 150 ft. (3,086 x 46 m), air carrier runway, ILS equipped. Runway 10L/28R: 8,000 x 150 ft. (2,438 x 46 m), air carrier runway, ILS equipped. Runway 10L/28R lies immediately north of the 40th Parallel North and the line of latitude also goes through the northern edge of the terminal building.

Aircraft

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2005, the airport had 216,724 aircraft operations, an average of 593 per day: 46% air taxi, 29% general aviation, 24% scheduled commercial and 1% military. There are 93 aircraft based at this airport: 46% single engine, 16% multi-engine, 37% jet aircraft and 1% helicopters