Top 6 busiest airports in New England
New England is a unique region in the United States, consisting of six small states that are culturally and politically connected. The New England aviation industry faces fierce competition from rail and road transportation.
There is virtually no air service between the New England states, and public transportation is dominated by high-speed rail, subways, and intercity buses. Aviation in the region connects New England with the rest of the world, Simple Flying writes.
Boston's Logan Airport dominates international transportation. It is the only true global hub in the region. However, other regional airports in New England offer popular routes to different parts of the country, as well as international flights to Canada and the Caribbean. Here are six of the busiest airports in New England.
Boston Logan International Airport
This is the busiest airport in New England. It serves 36 million passengers and 138 destinations per year and has 4 terminals.
The airport in Boston has existed since 1923. It was named after General Edward Lawrence Logan. Direct flights to destinations around the world are available from the airport, and it also hosts flights from several local airlines, including Delta Air Lines, which has its hub here.
With four terminals and six runways, the airport is as large as any major US airport. In addition, the facility is well integrated with the city of Boston, with efficient public transportation and major roads leading to Logan.
Bradley International Airport
The airport is located in Windsor Locks, Connecticut. In 2022, approximately 2.8 million passengers passed through its doors.
The airport is located about halfway between the cities of Hartford, Connecticut, and Springfield, Massachusetts. The airport is one of the smallest airports in the United States with scheduled transatlantic commercial service. Indeed, the Irish airline Aer Lingus operates a direct flight from Bradley Airport to its hub at Dublin Airport. Most major U.S. carriers serve Bradley to varying degrees from their hub airports, making it a convenient gateway for passengers from Connecticut and Western Massachusetts.
Rhode Island T.F. Greene International Airport
The airport is positioned as an alternative to Boston Logan and has convenient connections to Providence and Boston. It is the second largest airport in the greater Boston area and, according to data published by the airport, handled 1.5 million passengers in a year.
The airport is efficiently connected to downtown Providence and even to greater Boston by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail system. Some low-cost airlines, such as Breeze Airways, are trying to position Rhode Island's airport as an alternative to the hustle and bustle of Logan.
Portland International Airport
Another important facility in Portland is the Portland International Airport, which serves most of Portland. The airport is also called the gateway to Acadia National Park. Portland Airport receives more than 1.9 million passengers a year.
The facility is served by all major US carriers. There are also flights from low-cost airlines. The farthest non-stop routes from the airport are operated by United to Denver and American to Dallas/Fort Worth.
Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
This is the third airport, also located in the large Boston metropolitan area. It is actually located on the other side of the state border in Manchester, New Hampshire, and is one of the most convenient for those arriving and departing from Northern New England. According to airport statistics, in 2022, it welcomed nearly 1.3 million passengers.
Six different carriers regularly fly to the airport, the vast majority of which are low-cost airlines such as Spirit, Southwest, and Avelo. American Airlines is the only legacy carrier that serves Manchester-Boston Airport in full. The airport also offers flights from American Eagle and United Express.
Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport
The main airport of the US state of Vermont serves 400 thousand passengers a year. It operates flights to 16 destinations, has one terminal and cooperates with 9 airlines. Vermont is located close to major airports in New York, Massachusetts and other neighbouring states, which affects the number of passengers.
Burlington's Patrick Leahy International Airport is served by United Airlines and JetBlue. It was announced recently that Breeze Airways will provide non-stop service to Tampa International Airport and Orlando International Airport.