Name these US Airports from above

[Stlin]

This one is probably going to be pretty easy, but there's a lack of high quality aerial imagery. As such, I've chosen a slightly edited photo to remove a glaringly obvious clue. The majority of flights here are on United mainline 737s, which are the only domestic carrier that serves this airport on regular milk runs to support this unique operation in the United network. Despite that, you'll often see widebody international visitors to this destination, where the first flights in the continental network depart each day.

Spoiler: Fun fact

This is the furthest you can get on a domestic itinerary - I once had a friend fly here from Orlando and back in 72 hours... because that was the commute they were considering.

 

[RandomWalk]

Won Pat International Airport is a regular stop on the former Continental Air Mike circuit.

 

[Stlin]

Won Pat International Airport is a regular stop on the former Continental Air Mike circuit.

Good shout - I was hoping I struck the right balance with the clues. The United guam based 737 operation, including its NRT 5th freedom sub-hub, is the quirkiest thing in the mainline US air travel network.

 

[markhb]

This international airport is served by two carriers (albeit one seasonally), lies roughly 2.5 miles from the city center, and was widely discussed for a time in the 2010's.

 

[Portlander]

Ketchikan International Airport. Thanks Mark, that's a half hour of my life I'll never get back especially seeing that it has no actual international flights. Anytime the photo has only one or zero jetways I know it's going to be a challenge!

 

[markhb]

Yes, congrats! The part about the 2010's related to the "Bridge to Nowhere" that was widely discussed during the 2012 presidential campaign; it would have connected the island this airport sits on to Ketchikan itself (there's a ferry between them now).

 

[Portlander]

I was aware of that effort and the crazy cost back then to connect the "airport to nowhere" with the mainland.

 

[Stlin]

This uniquely laid out regional airport terminal was built during an era where smaller communities like this one were common focus cities for major carriers operating stopping routes; while this terminal postdates the heyday of the king, this now struggling riverfront entertainment city once hosted one of the most famous radio stages in American music history.

 

[Portlander]

Great choice with Shreveport and you are correct with its bizarre terminal layout. Delta used to dominate at this airport in the 80's and now their service is down to a few daily regional flights to ATL.

 

[Portlander]

This mid sized city is currently building a new eight gate terminal next to the outdated blue terminal which was commercially active until this past January. But it gets more interesting, the "other" airport the region has been using for decades is going to be shuttered because this new one is closer to downtown and has longer runways.

 

[RandomWalk]

Brookley Field in Mobile, which also has Airbus’ large US final assembly line. The aging concrete tarmac was the telltale for me.

 

[Portlander]

Nice and it will now be known as Mobile International Airport and the current airport to the northwest of downtown will remain Mobile Regional Airport until commercial service ends once the new terminal (below) opens.

Photo I took in 2020 of the current terminal which was actually in decent condition at the time.

 

[Stlin]

I'm going to try something new - instead of a full terminal, just this snippet. These uniquely laid out, relatively newly installed jetbridges are some of the longest in North America, ans were installed as an enabling project at this global airport, and may not yet be visible on Google Maps.

 

[RandomWalk]

Gate C4-C8 at O’Hare.

 

[Stlin]

This international arrivals only terminal is possibly one of the least adequate FIS facilities in the US that serves daily intercontinental flights at this airport receiving service from no fewer than 4 foreign carriers. Despite the lack of apparent modern touches like jetbridges, this terminal is actually quite new, having only opened in the 1990s and currently operates with 6 gates.

Spoiler: Additional clue / comments

The other airport in this metro area has a international terminal and FIS station built in the 2010s that never seen an international flight. Its commercial domestic terminal went over a decade before recently receiving its first airline service.

(it was a tossup for which one of these was thr right choice so why not both?)

 

[RandomWalk]

Ontario and San Bernardino. It’s honestly surprising how many of the LA metro airports get commercial passenger service. Most of the airports seem to be freight stations for FedEx, UPS, DHL, Prime, etc.

 

[Portlander]

This airport's terminal is served by two airlines and was built in 2012. The first letter of the three cities the airport serves is part of the its FAA identifier. Should be much easier to figure out than Stlin's last entry which caused me to question my choice of hobbies!

 

[RandomWalk]

Midland-Bay City-Saginaw. I guess I am bored during the holidays. The next one I’ll skip…

 

[Portlander]

Excellent and no need to skip, just add a few airports of your own. Was MBS challenging for you or were the clues too easy? Still don't know how you figured out Gates C4-8 at ORD from Stiln's photo!

 

[TC_zoid]

This could be a stumper. Yes, that is the "terminal." All commercial pilots going to and coming from the west coast will know it. (I edited a book for a commercial pilot once and he told me about it.)