Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport- IATA: AVP, ICAO: KAVP, FAA LID: AVP, is a public airport located between two counties: Lackawanna County and Luzerne County. The airport is 8 miles from Wilkes-Barre and 7 miles from Scranton. AVP is generally found in Pittston Township, in Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is called the gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains. AVP is the fifth-largest airport in this area.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport

General Information

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport- IATA: AVP, ICAO: KAVP, FAA LID: AVP, is a public airport located between two counties: Lackawanna County and Luzerne County. The airport is 8 miles from Wilkes-Barre and 7 miles from Scranton. AVP is generally found in Pittston Township, in Pennsylvania. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is called the gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains. AVP is the fifth-largest airport in this area.

History

In the 1930s, in Northeast Pennsylvania, cities faced the need for an airport. Because of the failing mining industry, and depression, it became apparent that the region needed a modern airport for economic survival. Two counties Luzerne and Lackawanna, gathered the money for starting a building process.

In 1941, president of the Heidelberg Coal Company John B. McDade donated 122 acres of land for the airport site. Four years later, Luzerne and Lackawanna made a legal agreement to co-sponsor the airport. The name Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport was given to the facility because the Luzerne County had the largest population from these two counties. The construction of AVP took place from 1945 to 1947.

The first airlines at the airport were American Airlines and Colonial Airlines. Later in 1948, Transcontinental & Western Air, and All American Airways started operating at the airport.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport became international from 1975 when the cargo flight to and from Canada began.

Capacity

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport covers 910 acres, approximately 368 HA, and the airport has two asphalt runways. One of them, 4/22, is 7,501 feet long, and the other one, 10/28, is 4,300 in length.

According to the statistics provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, in 2017, there were 45 based aircraft at the airport. The total number of passengers that used Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is 531,854. Airlines operating at the airport include American Eagle, Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, and United Express.