Kentucky is a state in the United States surrounded by Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri. The state holds major cities including Louisville, Lexington, and Covington. Louisville is the capital city of Kentucky state.
Kentucky is famous for horse racing, the automobile manufacturing industry, bluegrass music, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), college basketball and much more attractions. Tourism is one of the economic sources as the state attracts tourists to visit lakes and parks.
Especially talking about the transportation facilities, Kentucky features highways, railways, airways and water transportation mediums. There are two major international airports in Kentucky and they are Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Louisville International Airport (SDF).
With that basic introduction, let’s explore the international airports in Kentucky with technical information, airlines, destinations and other various details.
Major International Airports in Kentucky
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) and Louisville International Airport (SDF) are the two major international airports in Kentucky. Major U.S carriers operate scheduled commercial flights to and from Kentucky connecting to key domestic destinations across the country.
| AIRPORT NAME | DISTANCE FROM KENTUCKY | ESTIMATED DRIVING TIME |
| Louisville International Airport (SDF) | 101 miles | 1 hour 39 minutes |
| Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) | 101 miles | 1 hour 34 minutes |
Note: The distance and driving time are taken from Google Maps including the fastest route with the usual traffic.
Now, let’s move forward to explore these two international airports in detail.
Louisville International Airport (ICAO: KSDF, IATA: SDF, FAA LID: SDF)
Louisville Int’l Airport is one of the international airports in Kentucky situated at an elevation of 501 ft (153 m) above mean sea level (AMSL). It is a primary hub for UPS Airlines and serves Louisville city in Kentucky.
The airport primarily serves cargo flights operated by UPS airlines. However, other commercial passenger airlines also operate flights to and from the airport to various domestic routes.
SDF Runway and Terminal Information
Louisville Int’l Airport is equipped with three concrete runways; Runway 17R/35L, Runway 17L/35R and Runway 11/29.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| 17R/35L | 11,887 ft (3,623 m) | Concrete |
| 17L/35R | 8,579 ft (2,615 m) | Concrete |
| 11/29 | 7,250 ft (2,210 m) | Concrete |
SDF holds a passenger terminal named ‘Jerry E. Abramson Terminal’ which is the main commercial terminal. This two-storeyed terminal is equipped with ground transportation and baggage claim area on the first floor whereas you can find ticketing service, passenger drop-off area and concourse access on the second floor.
There are two Concourses at the airport; Concourse A and Concourse B. Out of 23 total gates, Concourse A holds 12 gates and Concourse B accommodates 11 gates.
Airlines and Destinations
| AIRLINES | DESTINATIONS |
| Allegiant Air | Austin, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Punta Gorda, Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford |
| American Airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth, Charlotte |
| Breeze Airways | Tampa, San Francisco, Charleston, New Orleans |
| Frontier Airlines | Denver |
| Delta Air Lines | Detroit, Atlanta |
| Southwest Airlines | Las Vegas, Atlanta, Houston-Hobby, Baltimore, Chicago-Midway, Denver, Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Tampa |
| Spirit Airlines | Pensacola, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa |
| United Airlines | Denver |
In addition to these big airlines, regional carriers including American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express operate flights to and from the Louisville Int’l Airport.
SDF Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KSDF |
| IATA CODE | SDF |
| FAA LID | SDF |
| ELEVATION | 501 ft (153 m) |
| AREA | 1,500 acres (6.1 square kilometres) |
| RUNWAY | 17R/35L (11,887 ft long) – Concrete Surface 17L/35R (8,579 ft long) – Concrete Surface 11/29 (7,250 ft long) – Concrete Surface |
Explore More Airports in the United States Airports in Lake Tahoe Closest Airports to Destin Florida Airports in Wilmington NC International Airports in California West Yellowstone Airports Airports in Jupiter Florida Airports in Connecticut near Hartford and New Haven Airport in Lakeland Florida Airports in Tulum Mexico
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport (ICAO: KCVG, IATA: CVG, FAA LID: CVG) is another international airport in Kentucky after Louisville Int’l Airport. The airport is owned and operated by the Kenton County Airport Board.
Situated at an elevation of 896 ft (273 m) AMSL, the airport serves flights to various domestic destinations across the United States. It is also a hub for Amazon Air and DHL Aviation.
CVG Runway and Terminal Information
CVG Airport features four runways with the designation Rwy 9/27, Rwy 18C/36C, Rwy 18L/36R and Rwy 18R/36L.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| 9/27 | 12,000 ft (3,658 m) | Asphalt/Concrete |
| 18C/36C | 11,000 ft (3,353 m) | Asphalt/Concrete |
| 18L/36R | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) | Concrete |
| 18R/36L | 8,000 ft (2,438 m) | Concrete |
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport is equipped with a passenger terminal and two concourses. Out of 50 total gates, Concourse A holds 22 gates whereas the remaining 28 gates are accommodated by Concourse B.
Airlines and Destinations
| AIRLINES | DESTINATIONS |
| Air Canada | Toronto-Pearson |
| Alaska Airlines | Seattle/Tacoma |
| Allegiant Air | Major domestic routes including New Orleans, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix/Mesa, Savannah, West Palm Beach, Austin, Fort Lauderdale and much more. |
| American Airlines | Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Delta Air Lines | Salt Lake City, Tampa, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando |
| Frontier Airlines | Las Vegas, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, Tampa, Sarasota, Atlanta, Cancun, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Fort Myers |
| Southwest Airlines | Tampa, Orlando, Phoenix-Sky Harbor, Chicago-Midway, Baltimore, Denver, Houston-Hobby |
| Sun Country Airlines | Seasonal flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul |
| United Airlines | Denver, Chicago O’HareSeasonal flights to Houston-Intercontinental |
| Viva Aerobus | Seasonal flights to Cancun and San Jose del Cabo |
Besides major airlines, Apple Vacations (Operated by Frontier Airlines) and regional carriers including American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express operate commercial flights to and from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Int’l Airport.
CVG Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KCVG |
| IATA CODE | CVG |
| FAA LID | CVG |
| ELEVATION | 896 ft (273 m) |
| AREA | 7,700 acres (3,100 ha) |
| RUNWAY | 9/27 (12,000 ft) – Asphalt/Concrete 18C/36C (11,000 ft) – Asphalt/Concrete 18L/36R (10,000 ft) – Concrete 18R/36L (8,000 ft) – Concrete |
Other nearby airports in Kentucky
- Capital City Airport
- Central Kentucky Regional Airport
- Zanzibar Farm Airport
- Capital City Airport
- Stanton Airport
- Lake Cumberland Regional Airport
Conclusion
In this informative blog, we discovered two major international airports in Kentucky; Louisville International Airport (SDF) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG). We also explored technical information, runway details, terminal information, airlines and destinations.
If you are planning to visit Kentucky, you can land at one of the two international airports in Kentucky.
Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are there any major airports in Kentucky?
Yes, there are two major international airports in Kentucky and they are Louisville International Airport (SDF) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
What airlines are in Kentucky?
Major US Airlines including Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Breeze Airways, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines operate flights to and from SDF and CVG airport to various domestic routes.
