Norfolk International Airport

"Norfolk Airport" redirects here. For airports in the English county of Norfolk, see List of Norfolk airfields. For the airport in Massachusetts, see Henan-Menon Memorial Airport.

Norfolk International Airport
The Main Departures Building at ORF
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorNorfolk Airport Authority
ServesHampton Roads, Northeast North Carolina
LocationNorfolk, Virginia, U.S.
Opened1938
Operating base forBreeze Airways
Time zoneEastern Time Zone (UTC−05:00)
Elevation AMSL26 ft / 8 m
Coordinates36°53′41″N 076°12′04″W / 36.89472°N 76.20111°W / 36.89472; -76.20111
WebsiteNorfolkAirport.com
Maps

Diagram
Interactive map of Norfolk International Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
05/23 9,001 2,744 Asphalt/concrete
14/32 [CLOSED] 4,875 1,486 Asphalt
Statistics (2024)
Total passengers4,864,752
Cargo (lbs.)45,338,511
Source: Norfolk Airport Authority and Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Norfolk International Airport (IATA: ORF[2], ICAO: KORF, FAA LID: ORF), is a regional commercial and cargo airport located seven miles (11 km) northeast of downtown Norfolk, Virginia.[1] It is owned and operated by the Norfolk Airport Authority: a bureau under the municipal government. The airport serves the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of southeast Virginia (along with Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News) as well as northeast North Carolina.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) 2025 categorized it as a small hub airport, which serves both commercial and cargo operations.[3][4]

In 2024, Norfolk International Airport was the 65th most busy airport in the United States with a passenger count of 2,444,897 people. This is a 5.34% increase from 2023. It's the third-busiest airport in Virginia in terms of passengers served annually, behind Dulles International Airport and Reagan National Airport, but just ahead of Richmond International.[5]

History

1920s

In 1926, Norfolk citizens experienced their first commercial flights on the Mitten Line, operated by Philadelphia Rapid Transit Air Service, Inc. The service offered round-trip flights to Washington and Philadelphia for a brief period before high costs led to its discontinuation. In 1929, Ben Epstein, a World War I veteran pilot, established an air taxi service between Norfolk and Richmond from his airfield on Granby Street. The Ludington Line commenced the first daily scheduled service from Epstein's field to Washington, D.C. During this era, air travel was a special occasion marked by families dressing in their finest attire to board the 10-passenger Fokker Trimotor.[6]

1930s

Commercial air travel faced challenges in 1932 when the Navy objected to the expansion of the Granby Street field due to its proximity to Norfolk Naval Air Station. Operations moved to Glenrock Airport, but the Great Depression caused all commercial flights to be suspended indefinitely, grounding Norfolk for five years. In 1938, Norfolk Municipal Airport was established on the site of the former Truxton Manor Golf Course, featuring a 3,500-foot runway and a passenger terminal, which was completed in 1940.[6]

1940s

During World War II, Norfolk Municipal Airport played a crucial role in the war effort. The Army Air Corps took over operations from 1942 to 1947, expanding the runway and adding two more to accommodate increased flights. After the war, the airport returned to city control, and commercial travel resumed with the introduction of new airlines. In 1948, Piedmont Airlines began operations, coinciding with the groundbreaking for a modern terminal building.[6]

1950s

By the early 1950s, Norfolk had more daily flights than New York's La Guardia Airport. In 1950, the Norfolk Port and Industrial Authority (NPIA) took over airport management, boasting Norfolk Municipal Airport as one of the nation's finest and busiest. The new terminal was officially dedicated in 1951.[6]

1960s

The 1960s witnessed the transition from propeller-driven aircraft to jets. Norfolk Municipal Airport easily adapted to the demands for longer runways and taxiways, with jetliners becoming the norm. In 1968, the airport was officially recognized as the air transportation center for the entire region and was renamed Norfolk Regional Airport.[6]

1970s

In 1974, Norfolk Regional Airport dedicated its new terminal, expanding further with additional land acquisition and the addition of Federal Customs facilities in 1976. New facilities for the fire station, maintenance depot, and air traffic control tower were also planned and completed as needed. The airport's name was also changed from Norfolk Regional Airport to the modern name, Norfolk International Airport.[6]

1980s

The 1980s saw significant developments, including the opening of a new general aviation facility and air cargo terminal, along with expanded parking facilities. In 1988, the supervising body Norfolk Port and Industrial Authority was renamed to Norfolk Airport Authority.[6]

1990s

Norfolk International Airport continued to grow in the 1990s, expanding its air cargo terminal, parking facilities, and passenger terminal. In 1991, a new concourse extension with 10 additional gates was completed, along with a modern fire station and FAA air traffic control tower. The airport also embraced the digital age by launching its first website and installing internet access booths for travelers.[6]

21st century

Starting in 2018, the Norfolk Airport Authority has undertaken a multi-phase plan to improve airport terminals, concourses, the general aviation terminal, dining and retail facilities, in-airport advertising, and customer service known as Transform ORF.[7] Renovations and improvements to enhance the passenger experience are ongoing, with over $1Bn allocated for capital development projects planned for 2024 and beyond. These developments include the rehabilitation of main Runway 05/23, a new moving walkway for the Sky Bridge, renovations for the arrivals terminal, addition of a rental car facility, a new unified ticketing hall and baggage area, expansions for Concourse A, a new international Processing Facility for Customs and Border Patrol, and a Courtyard By Marriott Airport Hotel; additionally, this plan will also reserve space for a possible future Concourse C.[7][8] On August 25, 2025, it was announced that Norfolk International Airport would be closing Runway 14/32 to make room for additional developments; these include a new de-icing facility and the straightening of Robin Hood Road, one of the main entrances to the airport.[9][7]

On January 10, 2026, Norfolk International Airport will start its first commercial international flight since 2001 when Breeze Airways will offer direct flights to Cancun International Airport.[10][11]

Facilities

The airport covers 1,300 acres (530 hectares) at an elevation of 27 feet (8.2 m). Its main runway, 5–23, is 9,001 by 150 feet (2,744 by 46 m), and crosswind runway 14–32 is 4,875 by 150 feet (1,486 by 46 m).[1][12]

General aviation services, or fixed-base operations, are provided by Signature Flight Support with full-service facilities for maintaining and housing private and corporate aircraft. The modern 54,000-square-foot (5,000 m2) terminal facility offers everything from aircraft rental to sightseeing flights and aircraft repair.

FAA control tower

Built in 1995, the FAA Norfolk Air Traffic Control Tower stands 134 feet (41 m) high. Operated and managed by the Federal Aviation Administration, the Norfolk Tower handles about 1,100 aircraft per day, 24 hours per day and 365 days per year. Radar coverage is provided by the ASR-9 terminal system with a six-level weather detection capability. Also available for use is an Enhanced Target Generator (ETG) lab with two radar scopes to accomplish training objectives, as well as the IDS4 system, a specialized microcomputer network system designed to distribute and display both static and real-time data regarding weather and other rapidly changing critical information to air traffic controllers.

Concourses

Norfolk International Airport has two passenger concourses:

Concourse A (gates 1-9) are used by American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, while Concourse B (gates 16-30) are used by Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United Airlines. International flights will be handled at gate A1, which Breeze Airways will begin to utilize on January 10, 2026 with its international flights from Cancun International Airport.[13][14]

Cargo

About 70 million pounds of air cargo are shipped in and out of Norfolk International Airport each year.[15] NIA houses one of the most modern and efficient air cargo facilities in the state. Its two modern air cargo terminals have 88,000 square feet (8,200 m2) of space. A ramp provides direct access from the plane to the warehouse.

Terminal upgrade

The terminal began major upgrades in 2024, scheduled to be finished by 2025. The moving walkway on the Sky Bridge between Arrivals and Departures will be reinstalled, a new Customs and Border Patrol facility will be constructed, the checking bags area will be consolidated, an expansion for Concourse A with additional departures, and a Courtyard by Mariott hotel will be built on the airport's grounds, which has already been approved. Two new destinations were also announced, with both Breeze Airways and Spirit Airlines flying to Southwest Florida International Airport, and Spirit Airlines flying to Tampa International Airport.[16][17] In 2025, multiple other improvement projects will begin, including a new Departures Terminal with a modern glass facade and a unified ticketing area and baggage deposit, a rental car facility, more meal options, and updated lounges.[8] There is expected to be $2 cost increase in fares and other expenses to cover this extensive renovation, and the end goal is to make Norfolk International Airport a Skytrax 5-star rated airport.

Closure of Runway 14/32

[8] On August 25, 2025, it was announced that Norfolk International Airport would be closing the crosswind Runway 14/32, effective immediately. 14/32 had been built in 1943 by the U.S. Government to support World War II and ran perpendicular to the main runway, however, by the 2020s, it's 4875-foot length was too short to accommodate most aircraft types operational at ORF. According to ORF's Vice President of Capital Projects, Jeff Bass, the runway only carried approximately 1% of annual operations. Closing the runway will make room for additional improvements in the airport's capital projects, these include a new de-icing facility and the expansion of cargo operations. The closure of 14/32 will also allow for the straightening of Robin Hood Road, one of the main entrances to the airport, anticipating future increases in vehicles. It will also reduce airspace conflicts with NAS Oceana.[9][7]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
American Airlines Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami [18]
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Washington–National
Seasonal: Miami 		[18]
Breeze Airways Charleston (SC), Hartford, Jacksonville (FL), Las Vegas, Long Island/Islip, New Haven,[19] New Orleans, Orlando,[20] Providence, San Diego,[21] Tampa, West Palm Beach[22]
Seasonal: Akron/Canton, Cancún (begins January 10, 2026),[23] Columbus–Glenn, Fort Myers, Los Angeles, Phoenix–Sky Harbor,[24] Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Syracuse		[25][26]
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Seasonal: Detroit 		[27]
Delta Connection Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul,[28] New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia [27]
Frontier Airlines Atlanta,[29] Dallas/Fort Worth,[30] Orlando
Seasonal: Tampa (begins April 3, 2026) [31] 		[32]
JetBlue Fort Lauderdale [33], San Juan (begins March 27, 2026)[34]
Seasonal: Boston[35] 		[36]
Southwest Airlines Baltimore, Chicago–Midway, Nashville, Orlando
Seasonal: Dallas–Love, Denver, Kansas City (begins June 4, 2026),[37] St. Louis[38] 		[39]
Spirit Airlines Detroit,[40] Fort Lauderdale,[41] Orlando
[42]
United Airlines Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, Washington–Dulles [43]
United Express Newark, Washington–Dulles
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare 		[43]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinations
FedEx Express Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Manteo, Memphis, Newark, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond
UPS Airlines Columbia (SC), Louisville, Richmond, Roanoke

Statistics

Airline market share

Top airlines serving ORF (January 2024 – December 2024)[44]
Rank Airline Passenger Market share
1 Delta Air Lines 834,000 17.09%
2 Southwest Airlines 776,000 15.91%
3 American Airlines 769,000 15.76%
4 United Airlines 524,000 10.73%
5 Breeze Airways 384,000 7.86%
Other 1,593,000 32.64%

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from ORF
(January 2024 – December 2024)[45]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Atlanta, Georgia 427,730 Delta, Frontier
2 Charlotte, North Carolina 268,480 American
3 Baltimore, Maryland 181,930 Southwest
4 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 139,100 American, Frontier
5 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 116,250 American, United
6 Washington–Dulles, D.C. 102,120 United
7 New York–LaGuardia, New York 96,200 American, Delta
8 Orlando, Florida 95,740 Breeze, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit
9 New York–JFK, New York 84,400 American, Delta
10 Denver, Colorado 79,980 Southwest, United

Annual traffic

PassengersYear2,700,0003,000,0003,300,0003,600,0003,900,0004,200,0004,500,0004,800,000200720102013201620192022PassengersAnnual passenger traffic
Annual passenger traffic
(enplaned/deplaned) at ORF
2002 through present[4][46]
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
2002 3,464,246 2012 3,299,712 2022 4,115,537
2003 3,436,391 2013 3,112,355 2023 4,552,582
2004 3,778,216 2014 2,965,306 2024 4,864,752
2005 3,884,422 2015 3,034,407
2006 3,703,664 2016 3,209,185
2007 3,714,323 2017 3,380,902
2008 3,549,204 2018 3,663,996
2009 3,409,456 2019 3,981,139
2010 3,332,466 2020 1,785,135
2011 3,193,388 2021 3,311,121

Ground transportation

There are no bus or shuttle services to and from Norfolk International Airport. The nearest bus (HRT Route 15) connection is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) away at the intersection of Military Highway (Route 165) and Norview Avenue (Route 247).[47]

All ground transportation services are located in the arrivals terminal. There are several on-site rental car companies, an authorized shuttle service providing door-to-door service to the entire Hampton Roads area, and taxis available through several companies. Both Uber and Lyft service the airport through an agreement with the airport authority.

Parking

A nine-level parking garage adjacent to the new arrivals terminal opened in July 2002. It provides 2,800 covered spaces for short-term, long-term, and rental parking. Overall, NIA parking facilities can accommodate 7,000 vehicles.[48] In February 2019, the airport announced it would begin construction of a brand new 1.09 million square foot parking garage. Construction started in July 2019. This new parking garage will consolidate all parking lots at ORF. It will also replace the employee shuttle that costs over $600,000 a year to operate.[49]

Accidents and incidents

  • On January 19, 1967, a United Airlines Vickers 754D Viscount collided with a snow plow that had entered the runway in the path of the United plane upon landing. All 50 passengers and crew on board the aircraft survived; the aircraft suffered major damage to its airframe and was written off.[50]
  • On September 1, 1974, a Martin 4-0-4 which was sitting empty on the ramp caught fire, damaging the airframe beyond repair. The cause of the fire was never determined.[51]
  • On March 4, 2015, three people were killed when a Mooney M20F crashed in the Norfolk Botanical Gardens while attempting to land on Norfolk's Runway 23 in foggy and turbulent weather.[52]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c FAA Airport Form 5010 for ORF PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 23, 2025.
  2. ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (ORF: Norfolk / International)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  3. ^ "CY 2022 Commercial Service Airports, Rank Order" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. September 16, 2022. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports – Airports 2015". www.faa.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  5. ^ "Cy2024 Enplanements at All Commercial Service Airports (by Rank)" (PDF). www.faa.gov. CY2024 ACAIS. September 15, 2025. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h "Mission & History". Norfolk International Airport. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  7. ^ a b c d Staff (August 15, 2025). "Runway 14/32 closes to make room for development". Airport Improvement. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Sabella, Anthony (January 19, 2024). "'4 major projects' could break ground at Norfolk International Airport in 2024: CEO". News 3 WTKR Norfolk. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Sabella, Anthony (August 15, 2025). "Norfolk International Airport closes little-used, historic runway to make room for capital projects". News 3 WTKR Norfolk. Retrieved August 16, 2025.
  10. ^ WYDaily Staff (September 26, 2025). "Breeze Airways to Begin Offering Seasonal Flights from Norfolk to Cancún in January". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. Williamsburg Yorktown Daily. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  11. ^ Collette, Christopher; Harrison, Emily; Batey, Germyah (September 25, 2025). "Breeze Airways announces Norfolk to Cancun flight". 13newsnow.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  12. ^ "ORF airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. FAA data effective January 23, 2025.
  13. ^ Hall, Brett (September 25, 2025). "International flights returning to Norfolk International Airport with service to Cancun". wavy.com. Norfolk, Virginia: Nexstar Media Inc. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  14. ^ "FAQ". Norfolk International Airport. Norfolk, Virginia: Norfolk International Airport. 2025. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  15. ^ "Press Room". Norfolk International Airport. Archived from the original on January 17, 2012.
  16. ^ "Norfolk International Airport Set to Undergo Major Renovations". wydaily.com. October 22, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  17. ^ "New design for Norfolk Airport terminal revealed, as well as 2 new destinations". wydaily.com. October 6, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Flight schedules and notifications". Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  19. ^ "Breeze Airways to begin flying from Tweed-New Haven Airport". NBC Connecticut. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
  20. ^ "Breeze Adds Two New Nonstop Routes, Bringing Back Another". Airline Geeks. July 8, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  21. ^ Weisberg, Lori (January 9, 2024). "A new low-cost airline is coming to San Diego and with it five new nonstop destinations". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  22. ^ "Breeze Airways Expands New Haven Service in NW24". Aeroroutes. Retrieved August 21, 2024.
  23. ^ "Breeze to offer direct flights to Cancun from Norfolk International Airport". WTKR. September 25, 2025. Retrieved September 25, 2025.
  24. ^ "Low-cost carrier Breeze Airways to launch new service between Phoenix and Norfolk, Virginia". KTAR News. March 26, 2024. Retrieved March 26, 2024.
  25. ^ "Breeze Home Page". Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  26. ^ "Breeze Airways adds seasonal and new routes from Fort Myers". FOX 4 Southwest Florida. July 18, 2023. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  27. ^ a b "FLIGHT SCHEDULES". Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  28. ^ "Delta to resume flights from Norfolk to Minneapolis-St. Paul". wavy.com. October 31, 2023. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  29. ^ "Frontier Airlines Announces 17 New Routes Across Multiple Airports, Spanning the U.S. and Caribbean".
  30. ^ "Frontier Adds 14 Routes, Returns to Two Airports | AirlineGeeks.com". airlinegeeks.com. Retrieved August 30, 2025.
  31. ^ https://news.flyfrontier.com/frontier-airlines-announces-23-new-routes-set-to-launch-late-winter-and-early-spring-increasing-affordable-travel-options-across-the-us-and-to-mexico/
  32. ^ "Frontier". Frontier Airlines. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  33. ^ "JetBlue Strengthens Fort Lauderdale Focus with New Flights". January 2025.
  34. ^ "JetBlue Adds Five New Routes". AirlineGeeks. December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  35. ^ "JetBlue Enhances Summer Travel with New Routes and Destinations, Strengthening its East Coast Network". Business Wire. January 15, 2025.
  36. ^ "JetBlue Airlines Timetable". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2018.
  37. ^ https://fox4kc.com/news/__trashed-46/
  38. ^ "Southwest Airlines to add West Coast stop from Lambert airport, more flights". October 26, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  39. ^ "Check Flight Schedules". Retrieved January 7, 2017.
  40. ^ "Spirit launching 15 new & resuming routes this June from Detroit Metro Airport". March 26, 2025.
  41. ^ "Spirit Airlines NS25 Network Additions – 09MAR25". Aeroroutes. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  42. ^ "New Spirit Service". Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  43. ^ a b "Timetable". Archived from the original on January 28, 2017. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  44. ^ "RITA | Transtats". Transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  45. ^ "Norfolk, VA: Norfolk International (ORF)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. March 14, 2025.
  46. ^ "Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports - Previous Years – Airports Previous Years". www.faa.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2017.
  47. ^ "Distance from airport to intersection of Route 165 & Route 247". Google Maps.
  48. ^ "Norfolk Airport, ACS and MasterCard Worldwide Introduce Contactless Payments to Airport Parking". MasterCard.com. June 8, 2009.
  49. ^ "New Parking Garage coming to Norfolk International". WKTR. March 7, 2019.
  50. ^ Accident description for N7431 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on November 19, 2018.
  51. ^ Accident description for N40427 at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on November 19, 2018.
  52. ^ Ranter, Harro. "Accident Mooney M20F Executive 21 N66BB, Wednesday 4 March 2015". asn.flightsafety.org. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
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