Erie International Airport

For the airport in Erie, Colorado, see Erie Municipal Airport.

Erie International Airport
Tom Ridge Field
View of the airport from 1000 ft above ground level
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerErie Regional Airport Authority
ServesErie, Pennsylvania
LocationMillcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States
Elevation AMSL732 ft / 223 m
Coordinates42°4′59″N 80°10′55″W / 42.08306°N 80.18194°W / 42.08306; -80.18194
Websitewww.erieairport.org
Maps

FAA airport diagram
Interactive map of Erie International Airport
Tom Ridge Field
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
2/20 3,508 1,069 Asphalt
6/24 8,420 2,566 Asphalt / concrete
Statistics
Total Passengers (2024)93,312
Operations (2024)31,256
Source: Erie Regional Airport Authority[1]

Erie International Airport Tom Ridge Field (IATA: ERI, ICAO: KERI, FAA LID: ERI) is a public airport five miles (8.0 km) southwest of Erie, in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Airline service at Erie faces stiff competition from the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto airports, all within three hours of Erie by car. In 2004, Erie was the third-fastest-growing airport in the United States, and the fastest-growing airport in Pennsylvania.[2] It is 128 miles (206 km) from Pittsburgh, 111 miles (179 km) from the Canada–U.S. border, 95 miles (153 km) from Cleveland, Ohio and 105 miles (169 km) from Buffalo, New York.

The airport is named for former Pennsylvania governor, former Secretary of United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and Erie native Tom Ridge.

History

History

In 1924, Roger Griswold purchased 22.12 acres (9.0 ha) of land 6 miles (10 km) west of Erie at the intersection of West Lake and Asbury Roads for use as an airfield.[3] Soon after, a flight training school was based at the field. In 1927, as part of a nationwide tour by Charles Lindbergh after his transatlantic flight, Erie was selected as one of the cities where Lindbergh would make a brief stopover.[4] Griswold Field proved inadequate for the larger Spirit of St. Louis and an alternative site could not be located, so a flyover by Lindbergh had to suffice.

This showed the need for a proper airport and prompted the Erie City Council to consider establishing a municipal airport.[5] City Council was, initially, favoring a site 1⁄2-mile (0.8 km) east of Wesleyville for a municipal airport, but Lieutenant Jimmy Doolittle commented on the distance between it and the city; Doolittle noted that "you might as well take 40 minutes more and go on to Cleveland."[6] After recommendations made by Lindbergh to a Congressional committee that no airport less than 1 square mile (2.6 km2) be approved, the planning commission for Erie's airport began to reevaluate the site.[6]

Griswold Field officially closed in 1929 when Griswold moved to Long Island, but aircraft and the flight school continued to use it. That year two airfields were established: one on land next to the former Griswold Field, and another in Kearsarge that is now the site of the Millcreek Mall.

American Airlines[7] began the airport's airline service June 15, 1938; American remained until 1953 when Allegheny replaced it. Pennsylvania-Central Airlines (later Capital) began service July 5, 1940.[8] Mohawk arrived on December 1, 1956 and Lake Central on January 1, 1957; Capital Airlines flights ended in January 1961.

Prior to September 11, 2001, the airport was at its height with US Airways mainline jets to Pittsburgh and international service to Toronto.[9][10] After 9/11 US Airways replaced 737s and DC-9s with regional jets.[11] As air service rebounded in the mid-2000s, US Airways Express flew to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Charlotte; Northwest Airlink to Detroit; Continental Connection to Cleveland; and Delta Connection to Cincinnati and Atlanta. US Airways discontinued Charlotte flights in 2006. Delta Air Lines discontinued Atlanta flights on September 6, 2007. In early 2008 US Airways discontinued Pittsburgh flights.

On August 22, 2018, Derek Martin was named Executive Director of the airport.[12]

On February 24, 2020, non-stop service to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) on United Express was announced.[13] The service was made possible by a $292,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Development Program.

On June 5, 2020, Delta announced that it would indefinitely suspend service starting July 8 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

Current operations

As of December 2025, Delta has suspended all operations at ERI. American Eagle offers three times daily service onboard ERJ-145 aircraft operated by Piedmont Airlines to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Breeze Airways offers twice weekly service to Orlando, Florida and twice weekly seasonal flights to Tampa, Florida.[15]

American Eagle will begin once daily service to Chicago in May 2026 onboard Bombardier CRJ-700 aircraft operated by PSA Airlines.[16]

United Airlines will return to Erie in June 2026 will three daily flights to Chicago onboard CRJ-550 aircraft operated by SkyWest Airlines.[17]

Runway extension

The 1,920-foot (590 m) extension of runway 6/24 was opened on November 8, 2012.[18] The total cost of the project was $80.5 million, or approximately $5 million under budget.[19] Owing to a mild winter in 2011–2012 that did not hinder construction work, the extension was also completed two years ahead of schedule.[18]

Facilities

Erie International/Tom Ridge Field covers 450 acres (182 ha) and has two runways:

  • Runway 2/20: 3,508 ft × 150 ft (1,069 m × 46 m), surface: asphalt
  • Runway 6/24: 8,420 ft × 150 ft (2,566 m × 46 m), surface: asphalt/concrete

The airport has a passenger terminal building that opened in 1958 and has had several expansions and upgrades since its construction. The 1970s saw expansions to baggage claim facilities and later an office expansion for FAA office facilities on the second floor. A ticketing area on the western end of the terminal building was added in 1990. Upgrades to the lobby area and boarding gates and passenger boarding bridges followed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The first floor of the passenger terminal building, which houses the baggage claim, check in desks, rental car counters, cafe, TSA checkpoint, and boarding gate areas occupies approximately 43,200 square feet.[20]

In August 2019, the public waiting area and in-terminal restaurant were renovated. The entrance to the restaurant was reconfigured to provide airside access from the secure side of the terminal.[21]

The terminal has seven gates, four with jetbridges for regional aircraft. Gate 5 was previously used by Delta Connection, and gates 1 and 3 were previously used by United Express, but both services have been suspended. Current regularly occupied gates are:

  • Gate 5 & 7 - American Eagle

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare (begins May 22, 2026)[22]
Breeze Airways Orlando[23]
Seasonal: Tampa[24]
United Express Chicago–O'Hare (resumes June 1, 2026)[25]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Feeder Cleveland

Statistics

Airline market share

Busiest airlines serving ERI (June 2024 – May 2025)[26]
Rank Carrier Passengers Share
1 Piedmont Airlines (as American Eagle) 96,140 82.43%
2 Breeze Airways 20,490 17.57%

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from ERI (October 2024 - September 2025)[27]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Charlotte, North Carolina 47,870 American
2 Orlando, Florida 10,310 Breeze
3 Tampa, Florida 3,680 Breeze

Annual traffic

Annual enplanements per year[28][29]
Year Passengers
2024 93,000
2023 93,670
2022 122,380
2021 138,000
2020 43,354
2019 106,720
2018 95,136
2017 85,580
2016 87,568
2015 88,953
2014 97,063
2013 109,520
2012 109,185
2011 112,749
2010 127,184
2009 121,164
2008 124,667
2007 142,365
2006 161,087
2005 187,997
2004 176,112
2003 138,256
2002 130,244
2001 127,900
2000 155,618
1999 167,507

Ground transportation

Bus

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority's Route 31 includes a stop at the airport.[30]

Car rental

Avis Rent a Car System, Budget Rent a Car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, The Hertz Corporation, and National Car Rental have counters at the airport.[31]

Shuttle/limousine

Various local hotels, along with the locally owned Hansen's Errand Service and Rupp Limousine, provide shuttle services to and from the airport.[32]

Rideshare

Local drivers for Uber and Lyft provide ridesharing services to and from the airport and throughout the Erie area.[32]

Accidents and incidents

  • On February 21, 1986, USAir Flight 499, a scheduled domestic passenger flight operated by a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-31, aircraft registration N961VJ, overran the runway after the pilots broke off an approach to runway 6 due to poor visibility and landed in the opposite direction on runway 24 due to more favorable visibility minimums, despite a resulting tailwind. One passenger suffered minor injuries, while the other 17 passengers and 5 crew were uninjured. The aircraft was badly damaged and was written off. Challenging weather conditions were a factor; it was snowing and foggy, and snow covered the runway. The accident was attributed to poor judgment by the pilots; tailwind landings on runway 24 were not authorized in slippery conditions, but the pilots disregarded the prohibition, touched down past the normal landing zone at an excessive airspeed rather than performing a go-around, and failed to promptly deploy the spoilers manually, a standard DC-9 precautionary procedure on a slippery runway where the nosewheel may not spin up quickly enough to trigger the automatic spoiler system to slow the aircraft.[32][33]
  • June 8, 2000: A Beechcraft BE-55 Baron, registration number N777K, lost engine power on approach after the pilot realized the left-hand tank was empty and attempted to cross-feed the left-hand engine from the right-hand fuel tank. The aircraft was destroyed in the subsequent crash and post-crash fire; the pilot, who was the sole aircraft occupant, suffered minor injuries. The accident was attributed to fuel starvation caused by fuel system mismanagement and inadequate preflight planning.[34]
  • August 13, 2005: A Piper PA-28-180, registration number N7534W, lost engine power on approach and struck trees during an attempted forced landing about 1 mile (1.6 km) short of runway 24, killing the pilot and two passengers; another passenger suffered serious injuries. The accident was attributed to fuel starvation caused by inadequate preflight planning.[35]

See also

References

  1. ^ [1], Erie Regional Airport Authority
  2. ^ Erie Times Article, Fastest Growing
  3. ^ Freeman 2014, p. 1.
  4. ^ Freeman 2014, p. 6.
  5. ^ Freeman 2014, p. 9.
  6. ^ a b Freeman 2014, p. 11.
  7. ^ Federal Writers' Project 1938, p. 103.
  8. ^ The Daily Republican 7/5/40 p4
  9. ^ Canadian 737 Parked at Terminal. Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  10. ^ NTSB Accident Report involving a scheduled USAir flight from Toronto.
  11. ^ US Airways 737 at terminal. Archived October 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ "Erie International Airport welcomes its new Executive Director Derek Martin". WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. August 22, 2018.
  13. ^ "Erie Airport to Offer Direct Flights to Washington Dulles Airport".
  14. ^ "Delta to suspend flying in select U.S. Cities". Delta News Hub.
  15. ^ "Breeze Announces New Service from Erie to Tampa from $69* One Way".
  16. ^ "Westward ho! Erie-Chicago air service on horizon for 2026".
  17. ^ "United Airlines returns to Erie International Airport".
  18. ^ a b McCormick 2013.
  19. ^ Myers, Valerie (November 19, 2015). "Final Erie runway extension cost: $80.5 million". Erie Times-News. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  20. ^ "Master Plan Update: Inventory" (PDF). Erie International Airport.
  21. ^ Martin, Jim. "New restaurant opens at Erie International Airport".
  22. ^ https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/12/18/american-adds-15-domestic-routes/. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  23. ^ "Breeze Airways to Offer Twice-Weekly Service Between Erie, Orlando". Erie News Now. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  24. ^ "Breeze Airways adds new service to Florida from Erie airport". YourErie.com. October 2024. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  25. ^ "United takes aim at American with new routes". Airline geeks.com. December 2025. Retrieved December 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Erie, PA: Erie International/Tom Ridge Field (ERI)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved October 25, 2020.
  27. ^ "RITA - BTS - Transtats".
  28. ^ "Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports - Previous Years".
  29. ^ "ERAA Documents".
  30. ^ "Routes". Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  31. ^ "Car Rentals". Erie International Airport. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  32. ^ a b c "Taxis and Shuttles". Erie International Airport. Retrieved September 11, 2020. Cite error: The named reference ":0" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  33. ^ National Transportation Safety Board. "AAR87-02S.pdf" (PDF). AAR87-02S.pdf. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  34. ^ "NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report IAD00LA049". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
  35. ^ "NTSB Aviation Accident Final Report NYC05LA134". National Transportation Safety Board. Retrieved July 1, 2020.

Sources

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