Lancaster Airport (Pennsylvania)
Airport in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lancaster Airport (IATA: LNS[2], FAA LID: KLNS, TC LID: LNS) is a public use airport four nautical miles (5 mi, 7 km) north of the central business district of Lancaster, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Lancaster Airport Authority.[1] It is served by one commuter airline subsidized by the Essential Air Service program and one charter airline.
Lancaster Airport | |||||||||||||||
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 Aerial view | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Lancaster Airport Authority | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 403 ft (123 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 40°07′20″N 076°17′40″W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | lancasterairport.com | ||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||
 FAA airport diagram as of January 2021 | |||||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Lancaster Airport | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics | |||||||||||||||
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| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||||||||||||||
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025 categorized it as a general aviation airport based on enplanements in 2008 (less than 2,500 per year);[3] however, it qualifies as a non-primary commercial service airport based on yearly enplanements in later years.
History
The Lancaster Airport was formed over 75 years ago as a private airport. In 1933 the Lancaster Joint Aviation Committee was formed and the decision was made to operate a municipal airport. Using war relief funds and knowing that the airport would benefit local unemployed constructors, the Lancaster Joint Aviation Committee moved forward on modernizing the airport. They purchased 180 acres of farmland in southern Lititz and constructed the airport.
In 1936 Lancaster became the second airport in Pennsylvania with two hard surface runways, and was certified for both night and daytime operations.
After World War II the airport was becoming obsolete, so using government funds the airport was expanded and modernized, with 22% of the funds needed for the update being raised by the community.
On June 18, 1949 the airport was dedicated after upgrades were completed.
Over the years the airport continued to improve; the terminal was renovated and expanded in the mid-1990s. Most recently, runway 8/26 was expanded in length, bringing it to 6,934 feet long and 150 feet wide.[4]
Facilities and aircraft
Lancaster Airport covers an area of 850 acres (344 ha) at an elevation of 403 feet (123 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 8/26 is 6,933 by 150 feet (2,113 x 46 m) and 13/31 is 4,102 by 100 feet (1,250 x 30 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 73,087 aircraft operations, an average of 200 per day: 91% general aviation, 6% air taxi and 3% military. In April 2022, there were 120 aircraft based at this airport: 99 single-engine, 9 multi-engine, 6 jet, 5 helicopter and 1 glider.[1]
In addition to hosting general aviation aircraft, Lancaster Airport is host to a variety of businesses: flight schools, planes for charter, aircraft rides, helicopter rides, hot air balloon rides, aircraft maintenance shops, a restaurant and a gift shop. It serves the pilots who call Lancaster their home airport and the community.
Flight schools
Charters
Commercial Aviation
- Breeze Airways (four flights per week to Orlando (MCO))
Essential Air Service
Skywest D.B.A UnitedExpress daily flights to ORD
Aircraft maintenance
- Henry Weber Aircraft Dist.
- Lancaster Avionics, Inc.
- Sensenich Propeller Service
- AeroTech Services
Miscellaneous operations
- Fiorentino's Bar & Grill - restaurant with a runway and ramp view
- Rental cars - Avis, Budget, Enterprise and National
Airlines and destinations
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Breeze Airways | Orlando[9] |
| United Express | Chicago–O'Hare[10] |
Statistics
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carrier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Orlando, Florida |
13,740 | Breeze |
| 2 |  Washington-Dulles, Virginia |
2,740 | Southern |
| 3 |  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
2,090 | Southern |
| Rank | Carrier | Passengers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Breeze Airways | 27,380 | 73.57% |
| 2 | Southern Airways Express | 9,840 | 26.43% |
Accidents & incidents
- On July 20, 2025, a Piper PA-46 Malibu crashed just after departing the Lancaster Airport. The sole pilot onboard was killed. The crash is under investigation.[12]