Jackson Hole Airport

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Jackson Hole Airport
Jackson Hole Airport Logo.png
Jackson Hole Airport as seen from the aerial tram at Jackson Hole ski resort.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerJackson Hole Airport Board
ServesJackson Hole
Elevation AMSL6,451 ft / 1,966 m
Coordinates43°36′26″N 110°44′16″W / 43.60722°N 110.73778°W / 43.60722; -110.73778Coordinates: 43°36′26″N 110°44′16″W / 43.60722°N 110.73778°W / 43.60722; -110.73778
Websitewww.JacksonHoleAirport.com
Map
JAC is located in Wyoming
JAC
JAC
Location of airport in Wyoming / United States
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
1/19 6,300 1,920 Asphalt
Statistics (2017)
Aircraft operations28,989
Based aircraft21
Sources: airport web site[1] and Federal Aviation Administration[2]

Jackson Hole Airport (IATA: JAC, ICAO: KJAC, FAA LID: JAC) is a United States public airport located seven miles (11 km) north of Jackson, in Teton County, Wyoming. In 2019, it was the busiest airport in Wyoming by passenger traffic with 455,000 passengers.[3] During peak seasons of Summer and winter, Jackson Hole has nonstop airline service from up to 21 destinations throughout the United States. The airport is served year-round by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines and served seasonally by Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, Frontier Airlines and Sun Country Airlines.

Jackson Hole Airport is the only commercial airport in the United States located inside a national park, in this case Grand Teton.[4] (The Provincetown Municipal Airport in Massachusetts is on land leased from the National Park Service, but it is not in a national park.)

On November 6th, 2020, the airport announced it will close from April 11, 2022 until June 27, 2022 for runway reconstruction.[5]

History[]

The airport was created in the 1930s as the best place to put an airport in Teton County. The airport was declared a national monument in 1943 and merged with Grand Teton National Park in 1950. The runway was extended to its current length in 1959. President John F. Kennedy landed in an Army helicopter here on September 25, 1963. In the 1960s and 1970s a runway extension to 8,000 feet (2,400 m) to allow jets was considered; the National Park Service successfully opposed it. In the late 1970s jets began using the existing runway. The area is noise sensitive and the airport allows no jets louder than stage III. The airport is a popular mating ground for the rare sage grouse.[6]

The original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986) was the first carrier to serve Jackson Hole, which began in 1959 with routes to Denver, Salt Lake City, and Billings using Douglas DC-3s, Convair 340s, and the Convair-580. This was later upgraded to the Boeing 737-200 series aircraft shorty before shutting down in 1986 due to the Airline Deregulation Act. Other than some commuter airlines that briefly served the airport, Frontier had the only service until Western Airlines began flights to Salt Lake City in 1983 using Boeing 737-200s. Since then the airport really took off and has also seen service by Continental Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Horizon Air, Big Sky Airlines, and Southwest Airlines in the past as well as many other commuter carriers.[7]

Facilities[]

Ramp at Jackson Hole Airport

Jackson Hole Airport covers 533 acres (216 ha); its one runway, 1/19, is 6,300 x 155 ft (1,920 x 47.2 m) asphalt.[2] Jackson Hole Airport is noise sensitive and bans older, noisier aircraft with stage-II engines.

Terminal History[]

The airport once had an unusual terminal resembling a pioneer log cabin. The terminal was completely rebuilt between 2009 and 2014. The new terminal, designed by Gensler,[8] still blends with the unique surroundings of the national park with exposed wood, fireplaces, and nature photography throughout. The park limited the height of the terminal building to 18 feet.[9] The terminal design received an American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 2014.

Current airport services[]

The airport currently has eleven hard stand gates and three baggage carousels. Jackson Hole Airport does not have jet bridges so passengers board aircraft via ramps. The airport terminal has a restaurant and gift shop post security as well as a cafe by the baggage claim area. The airport is served by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and National rental car companies. Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty offer shuttle service from the airport to in-town rental cars.

TSA[]

Jackson Hole Airport is one of 16 airports that employs its security screeners under contract with the Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program. Screeners are employed by the Jackson Hole Airport Board rather than TSA.

Aircraft Information and restrictions[]

Due to a short runway at high altitude, the largest aircraft seen regularly at the Jackson Hole Airport is the Boeing 757-200 operated by Delta Air Lines on flights to Detroit Metropolitan Airport and Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Other aircraft typically seen include the Airbus A319, Embraer 175, and the Bombardier CRJ-700. Due to these conditions, Jackson Hole Airport does not typically see stretched versions of aircraft such as the Airbus A321 or Boeing 737-900, as they become weight restricted when taking off.

Airlines and destinations[]

AirlinesDestinations
Alaska Airlines Seattle/Tacoma
Seasonal: , [[San Diego International Airport|San Diego
American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Boston, Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, New York–LaGuardia
American EagleSeasonal: Los Angeles, Phoenix–Sky Harbor
Delta Air Lines Salt Lake City
Seasonal: Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul
Delta Connection Seasonal: Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma
Frontier Airlines Seasonal: Denver
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul
United Airlines Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco
United Express Denver

Statistics[]

In the year ending December 31, 2018 the airport had 27,221 aircraft operations, average 75 per day: 42% general aviation, 30% air taxi, 27% airline and 1% military.[2] 21 aircraft at the time were based at the airport: 17 single-engine, 2 multi-engine, and 2 jet.[2]

Plane flies past Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in its descent into Jackson Hole Airport

Top destinations[]

Busiest domestic routes from KJAC
(April 2020 - March 2021)[10]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Denver, Colorado 67,600 Frontier, United
2 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 62,530 American
3 Salt Lake City, Utah 58,860 Delta
4 Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 42,130 American, United
5 Atlanta, Georgia 10,110 Delta
6 Los Angeles, California 9,390 American, Delta, United
7 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 5,940 Delta, Sun Country
8 San Francisco, California 5,280 Alaska, United
9 Houston-Intercontinental, Texas 3,030 United
10 Newark, New Jersey 2,960 United

Accidents and incidents[]

  • On August 17, 1996, a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft assigned to the 317th Airlift Group at Dyess AFB, Texas was unable to clear Sheep Mountain, crashing into it and killing all nine aboard. The aircraft was supporting the United States Secret Service as part of a POTUS visit to the area.[11]
  • On December 20, 2000, actress and resident Sandra Bullock survived the crash of a chartered business jet at Jackson Hole Airport. The aircraft hit a snowbank instead of the runway, shearing off the nose gear and nose cone and damaging the wings.[12]
  • On June 27, 2005, John T. Walton died when his CGS Hawk Arrow homebuilt aircraft (registered as an "experimental aircraft" under FAA regulations) that he was piloting crashed in Jackson, Wyoming. Walton's plane crashed at 12:20 p.m. local time (1820 GMT) shortly after taking off from Jackson Hole Airport.[13]
  • On December 29, 2010, An American Airlines Boeing 757 Flight 2253 from Chicago–O'Hare overran the runway. There were no injuries.[14]

Gallery[]

  • Aerial photo of airport

  • Map showing the airport

  • Closeup of airport map

  • View of the Tetons from the ramp

  • An American A319 approaching the airport with the Teton range in view


References[]

  1. ^ Jackson Hole Airport, official web site
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for JAC PDF, effective 2010-11-18
  3. ^ "After another record year, airport forecasts slower growth". Jackson Hole News & Guide.
  4. ^ Jackson Hole Airport web site. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  5. ^ "JH Airport Press Release - JH Airport Board Announces Runway Reconstruction and Related Projects for the Spring of 2022". 6 November 2020.
  6. ^ "Airport Administration - Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Jackson Hole, Wyoming".
  7. ^ Official Airline guide
  8. ^ "Jackson Hole Airport Terminal Expansion / Gensler". Architecture Lab. Archived from the original on 2011-10-01.
  9. ^ "Jackson Hole Airport". APA – The Engineered Wood Association. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  10. ^ http://www.transtats.bts.gov/airports.asp?pn=1&Airport=JAC&Airport_Name=Jackson, WY: Jackson Hole&carrier=FACTS
  11. ^ Jones II, Roy A. (18 August 1996). "Dyess C-130 crashes; no survivors". Abilene Reporter-News. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  12. ^ "Plane Crash Involving Actress Sandra Bullock". AirSafe.com. 16 November 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  13. ^ "DEN05FA100". NTSB. 31 October 2006. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
  14. ^ "American Airlines Flight 2253". Aviation Week. 6 June 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.

External links[]

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