| Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| IATA: CAK – ICAO: KCAK – FAA LID: CAK | |||
| Summary | |||
| Airport type | Public | ||
| Operator | Akron Canton Regional Airport Authority | ||
| Serves | Akron, Ohio, Canton, Ohio, Massillon, Ohio | ||
| Location | Green, Ohio | ||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,228 ft / 374 m | ||
| Website | |||
| Runways | |||
| Direction | Length | Surface | |
| ft | m | ||
| 1/19 | 7,601 | 2,317 | Asphalt |
| 5/23 | 8,204 | 2,500 | Asphalt |
| Statistics (2004) | |||
| Aircraft operations | 122,803 | ||
| Based aircraft | 155 | ||
| Sources: airport website[1] and FAA[2] | |||
Akron-Canton Regional Airport (IATA: CAK, ICAO: KCAK, FAA LID: CAK) is a commercial Class C airport located in the city of Green, in southern Summit County, Ohio (a very small portion of both runways extend into Stark County,) roughly 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Akron, 10 nautical miles (19 km) northwest of Canton, and 10 nautical miles (19 km) northeast of Massillon. The airport is jointly operated by Summit County and Stark County.
Money for the airport was initially allocated during World War II for defense purposes, but the construction stalled over a controversy relating to whether public funding of airport construction would be appropriate. As a result, private funding was essential to the initial construction of the airport, particularly in purchasing the land. The airport was dedicated on October 13, 1946 as the Akron-Canton-Massillon Airport. The name was later changed to the Akron-Canton Regional Airport. The first passenger air service began in 1948 when American, United, Capital and Eastern airlines moved their service from the Akron Municipal Airport. A permanent terminal was built in 1955 and expanded in 1962.
The airport has two runways - 7,601, and 8,205 feet (2,317 and 2,501 m) long, both 150 feet (46 m) wide.
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In 2005, 1.43 million passengers flew through Akron-Canton,[3] three times the number ten years earlier. It is one of the fastest-growing airports in the Midwest, and attracts passengers from the Akron/Canton area and Cleveland metropolitan area. The number of passengers who use the airport has grown every year since 1995 except 2001 (because of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks which slowed air travel nationwide).
The airport markets itself as "A better way to go", noting the ease of the Akron-Canton Airport in comparison to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport some 40 miles (64 km) north. The airport essentially serves as a secondary "reliever" airport for Northeast Ohio. Although much of the growth is commercial, over 75% of traffic is general aviation, which is all but nonexistent at nearby Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport.
CAK doubled passenger ridership from 2000–2006, with new flights added by AirTran Airways and Frontier Airlines. CAK represents 20% of all air travel growth in the state of Ohio. Other airlines include Delta Connection, US Airways Express, and United Express.
The airport experienced its best year ever in 2011 when 1,564,000 customers traveled to and from CAK beating the old record set in 2008 by more than 94,800 people – a 6.4 percent increase.
The airport kicked off CAK 2018, its 10-year, $110-million Capital Improvement Plan in March 2008. The plan is the most ambitious capital improvement plan in Akron-Canton Airport’s history and calls for 10 projects in the next 10 years. One of those projects, a runway expansion, has already been completed. Runway 5/23 was extended from 7,600 ft (2,300 m). to 8,200 ft (2,500 m). The runways will allow aircraft to fly farther – non-stop to anywhere in the U.S. and throughout Mexico and Canada.
Other projects includes expanding aircraft parking and general aviation area, replacing aircraft rescue and fire fighting maintenance facility, a new customs and border patrol facility, expand auto parking lots, a widened entrance road, expanded ticket wing and TSA screening area, expanded upper level concourse and the construction of Port Green Industrial Park, 213 acres (0.86 km2) will be developed into 10-12 business sites bringing up to 1,000 high paying jobs to northeast Ohio. Once completed, Akron-Canton will offer international flights in and out of the country.
In 2006, the airport completed a major expansion and renovation of the terminal, including the addition of a new terminal wing off the main concourse. It brings the number of gates to 11 (from 9), and provides new baggage areas, a food court, and improved aesthetics. The new wing of the terminal opened to passengers in May, 2006 and is home to AirTran Airways and Frontier Airlines.
In 2011, the expanded TSA screening area was completed. It has four lanes open for screening with the ability to open two more. Along with the expanded screening area, Advanced Imaging Devices were installed.
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| AirTran Airways | Atlanta, Boston, Denver [begins June 3, 2012], New York–LaGuardia, Milwaukee, Orlando, Tampa Seasonal: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta |
| Delta Connection operated by ExpressJet | Atlanta, Detroit |
| Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines | Detroit |
| Frontier Airlines | Denver |
| United Express operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare |
| United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines | Chicago-O'Hare |
| US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin | Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan |
| US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines | Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan |
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atlanta, GA | 246,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 2 | Charlotte, NC | 81,000 | US Airways |
| 3 | Denver, CO | 79,000 | Frontier |
| 4 | New York, NY (LaGuardia) | 72,000 | AirTran |
| 5 | Orlando, FL | 63,000 | AirTran |
| 6 | Detroit, MI | 47,000 | Delta |
| 7 | Boston, MA | 40,000 | AirTran |
| 8 | Tampa, FL | 39,000 | AirTran |
| 9 | Chicago, IL (O'Hare) | 35,000 | United |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | 25,000 | US Airways |
Akron-Canton Airport is served by a number of taxicab and shuttle services.[5]
It is also served regularly by one route from each of the region's two public transit providers, Akron Metro Regional Transit route 110, and Canton-based Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) route 81.
The SARTA route provides service every hour for most of the day Monday through Friday, and serves both Canton and Akron via Interstate 77, including transit centers in both downtown Canton and downtown Akron.
The Akron Metro route is a 5 times-per-day local route through Southern Summit County, but does also serve the downtown Akron Transit Center.