According to the National Park Service, Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona draws more than 5 million visitors each year. The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is open throughout the year, but the harsh winters at the North Rim, where the elevation is 1,000 feet higher, closes the North Rim to visitors from late October through mid-May. Airports that serve private and commercial aircraft can provide access to the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon National Park Airport is located two miles south of the park entrance in Tusayan, Arizona, a small town of less than 1,000 residents. The airport has only one runway and does not serve commercial airlines, but is open to private and chartered aircraft. The airlines offering chartered flights to the Grand Canyon National Park Airport are Vision Air, from North Las Vegas, Nevada, Maverick Airlines, from Henderson, Nevada and Grand Canyon Airlines, based in Boulder City, Nevada.
Located approximately 80 miles south of the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport is open to private aircraft, including chartered flights from Grand Canyon Airlines, and is serviced daily by U.S. Airways Express, which offers commercial flights between Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport and Flagstaff. Phoenix is approximately 150 miles south of Flagstaff. The airport offers free parking, free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal and the Pine Mountain Cafe in the airport, which has a full bar, is open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day. Car rental agencies are also available in the airport terminal.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is approximately 230 miles south of the Grand Canyon and is the closest international airport to the park's entrance at the South Rim. Sky Harbor Airport is serviced by all major commercial airlines, is one of the 10 busiest airports in the United States and ranks among the 20 busiest airports in the world. All major car rental agencies are available at the airport, as are limousine rental services and taxis, and several hotels and motels are within five miles. There are three terminals at Sky Harbor and free Wi-Fi is available near all retail shops and gates. All of the terminals also have many restaurants, bars and cafes.
