An Introduction to Tri-State Airport in Huntington, West Virginia

From my new home, I can hear the planes departing and arriving periodically throughout the day. While the air traffic seems to be light compared to what it would be in a bigger city, Huntington Tri-State Airport, just outside Huntington, West Virginia, offers flights to several U.S. cities on three different carriers.

Unless you live in the Huntington area, you have probably never heard of this airport, though it is possible with the recent media coverage of the 1970 Marshall University Plane crash portrayed in the movie We Are Marshall. Today this airport located 9 miles outside of Huntington serves those living in Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia.

This small airport is owned by a fifteen member group known as the Tri-State Airport Authority with members of this group living in Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. The history of this airport goes back as far as 1922 with it's original location being in Ohio. Tri-state airport was relocated to Kenova, West Virginia, in 1952. Over the past 50 years the original runway has been lengthened and an additional runway has been added to accommodate additional air traffic traveling through Huntington.

Tri-state airport is services by three carriers: Allegiant Air, Comair a division of Delta Airlines, and US Airways Express. These three carriers offer 7 flights regularly Monday through Friday with additional flights periodically throughout the week and on the weekends. Destinations serviced by Huntington Tri-State Airport include Charlotte, Cincinnati, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. Huntington Tri-State Airport also offers weekly flights to destinations including Atlanta, New York, and Las Vegas.

Those visiting Huntington Tri-State Airport can dine in the airports café and shop at the gift shop while they await boarding of their plane through one of the airports three gates. The airport also offers car rental services from Enterprise, Hertz, and Avis. In addition to car rental services, patrons can arrive to the airport using one of the three available shuttles leaving Huntington Area Motels.

Ticket prices vary depending on the date purchased. Tickets purchased further away from the departure date are less expensive than those purchased last minute. Some rates for tickets purchased at least 21 days before departure from Huntington Tri-State Airport include Atlanta $380, Charlotte $298, Las Vegas $455, and Miami $301

Reservations can be made through Huntington Tri-State Airport's website at www.tristateairport.com. Finding the airport is easy. From US 64 take the Ceredo/Kenova Exit (number 1) from the exit the airport is less than one mile away on the left.

Sources:
Huntington Tri-State Airport History: http://www.tristateairport.com/airporthistory.html
Arrivals: http://www.tristateairport.com/arrivalsnextmonth.html
Departures: http://www.tristateairport.com/departuresnextmonth.html
Ground Transportation: http://www.tristateairport.com/groundtransportation.html
Fares: http://www.tristateairport.com/lowfares.shtml