With up to 10 daily passenger flights offered by Delta Connection and U.S. Airways Express, the Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (CCRA) provides the closest commercial airline coverage to anyone needing to travel to Cherry Point's MCAS. CCRA lies 18.0 miles northeast of Cherry Point, along Route 70, in the city of New Bern. All CCRA flights are small, holding up to 50 seats. They fly directly to Atlanta, Georgia, or Charlotte, North Carolina, and can connect to over 300 destinations around the world. CCRA offers short-term and long-term parking. Travelers can take advantage of the terminal building's free wireless Internet access or rent a car from Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz or National. The airport deli has coffee, salad and sandwiches for sale every day from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CCRA is also available for pilots of private planes of all sizes to land and refuel.
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport
200 Terminal Drive
New Bern, NC 28562
252-638-8591
newbernairport.com
Named in memory of the commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger, a native of Beaufort, North Carolina, the Michael J. Smith Airport offers full aviation services and fueling for private planes. With an FAA-certified mechanic on staff, the Smith Airport can perform annual inspections, treat corrosion, perform engine repairs and wash and wax any aircraft. Located 22.9 miles southeast of Cherry Point and near Atlantic Beach, one of the central attractions of the southern Outer Banks, the Smith Airport also hosts pilot training courses with FAA-certified instructors. Those who do not own an aircraft can rent by the hour or for the day. For first-time fliers, there is a specially priced Discovery Flight Lesson course. The Smith airport also offers two air tours of the Southern Outer Banks: the Cape Lookout Tour, which circles the lighthouse and covers Atlantic Beach and Harker's Island, and the longer Beaches and Banks Tour, which also includes the Pine Knoll Shores and Drum Inlet.
Michael J. Smith Airport
150 Airport Rd.
Beaufort, NC 28516
252-728-2323
beaufortairport.com
Bell Strip Airport hosts air charter and charter flight services exclusively run by Private Jets Charter. A small one-runway airport in Pollocksville, which borders the Croatan National Forest, Bell Strip offers little more than a landing strip; but airport amenities are not Bell Strip's selling point. Landing there in a chartered plane as opposed to in a commercial flight at CCRA offers many more freedoms, including unrestricted baggage allowance and safer travel for pets within the air-pressured cabin of the plane. Flight amenities through Private Jets Charter can be tailored to each traveler's needs. Travelers also have aircraft options, including four kinds of jets, a turbo prop plane and a helicopter. Bell Strip Airport lies to the northwest of Cherry Point, 33.1 miles away via Route 70 and Route 17.
Bell Strip Airport
Pollocksville, NC 28573
252-224-6376
