# What cities have airports within the city? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 19, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985 "2011-04-19T18:52:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/21 "2011-04-19T19:36:09Z")
DIA is in the Denver city limits, but the land was annexed from a neighboring county. The city limits of Denver are roughly a square, with a narrow corridor on the northeast corner connecting to another suare which is DIA. [http://www.denverrelocation.com/images/image\_map\_011.gif](http://www.denverrelocation.com/images/image_map_011.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/22 "2011-04-19T19:47:59Z")
In some cases the airport is in a different state. Cincinnati’s airport is in northern Kentucky, and of the three airports serving Washington DC, two are in Virginia and one is in Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/23 "2011-04-19T19:52:02Z")
Portage Wisconsin ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/24 "2011-04-19T19:54:20Z")
Calgary’s airport is within the city of Calgary. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/25 "2011-04-19T19:59:14Z")
[Nashville](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville_International_Airport) ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/26 "2011-04-19T20:07:28Z")
In Australia, the third busiest airport is within the city it serves (Brisbane), but the first two (Sydney and Melbourne) are not. That’s as a result of the cities of Sydney and Melbourne being small in area, and Brisbane being quite large. The fourth largest international airport ([Gold Coast](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Coast_Airport)) is only partly in the city of the Gold Coast, Queensland. The southern end is in Tweed Shire, New South Wales, so that in summer the airport is two time zones as well as in two states: you should change your watch one hour backwards or forwards as you go down the runway. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/27 "2011-04-19T20:11:16Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > In some cases the airport is in a different state. Cincinnati’s airport is in northern Kentucky, and of the three airports serving Washington DC, two are in Virginia and one is in Maryland. But the land that Reagan airport is on used to be part of DC. One might say that the airport was within DC city limits up until the mid-1800s. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/28 "2011-04-19T20:17:03Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Midway, on the other hand, has residential City of Chicago housing literally across the street on all four sides. And a proper, standalone Giordano’s [pretty close](http://goo.gl/maps/9gf0) too. Good information to have, depending on the length of your layover. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/29 "2011-04-19T20:25:31Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > But the land that Reagan airport is on used to be part of DC. One might say that the airport was within DC city limits up until the mid-1800s. > > 😉 Well, not the airport (since it was before airports were invented), but the site of the airport was in DC – but not in the then city of Washington. It was in Alexandria County. outside the city of Alexandria. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/30 "2011-04-19T20:36:54Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Well, not the airport (since it was before airports were invented)… That’s what I meant the 😉 to convey. Dumb joke on my part. ---
**Author:** ![SirRay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@SirRay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SirRay)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/31 "2011-04-19T20:40:44Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > JFK is in… New Jersey? Well, it’s already been pointed out that both NYC airports are indeed in NYC (Queens), but Newark (Liberty) International Airport is in Newark NJ…and Elizabeth NJ (roughly split in the middle, North in Newark, South in Elizabeth), so perhaps that counts. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/32 "2011-04-19T20:41:10Z")
Some cities that cover unusually large areas almost need to have their airports within the city limits to avoid being extremely inconvenient. Examples include Louisville KY (399 sq. mi.), Anchorage AK (1961 sq mi), Juneau AK (3255 sq mi), and Oklahoma City, OK (621 sq mi). ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/33 "2011-04-19T20:55:13Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’ve heard that Alaskan cities tend to be built around airports the way that cities in the lower 48 are built around highways, rivers, or railroads. I think that’s part of the reason why so many cities have their seaports or train stations convenient to old-town or downtown. The only city/town that I know of whose train station is outside the city is the smallish city of Fairfax, Virginia, and that’s because the town was already there when the railroads came and decided to pass it by :(, so they built a train station on the line and ran stagecoaches, then busses between it and downtown (on what is now Ox Road in Virginia). ---
**Author:** ![ClevelandProud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@ClevelandProud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ClevelandProud)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/34 "2011-04-19T20:56:09Z")
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE): • Cleveland Airport was opened in July 1925 and became America’s very first municipally owned airport. • In 1930 it became the first airfield to install a lighting system, and during the same year, was also the first airport in the world to have an air traffic control tower. • Hopkins Airport also initiated the very first radio communication system, passenger information boards, railway-air passenger services, air taxis and onsite paramedic unit. > **[Cleveland Hopkins Airport (CLE) Information: CLE Airport in Cleveland Area,...](http://www.cleveland-cle.airports-guides.com)** > > Dating back to 1925, the historic Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) has recently enjoyed its 80th birthday and celebrated this in style. Hopkins Airport is conveniently just 16 km / 10 miles to the southwest of downtown Cleveland and is... - Burke Lakefront Airport (BKL): • Built in 1947, Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport was the first downtown airport. • Located along the rolling shores of Lake Erie (across East 9th Street is the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame). > **[Premier Business Airport in Cleveland | Burke Lakefront Airport](https://www.burkeairport.com/about-burke)** > > Burke Lakefront Airport provides air travel for businesses and executives. Learn why Burke Lakefront is the region's premier business airport. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/35 "2011-04-19T21:05:15Z")
Cleveland (Hopkins) is inside the city limits. The Tulsa and Oklahoma City airports are both within their cities’ limits. The old Kansas City Municipal Airport (now called Wheeler) and Denver’s old Stapleton Airport were within the city limits. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/36 "2011-04-19T21:05:47Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > Well, not the airport (since it was before airports were invented), but the site of the airport was in DC – but not in the then city of Washington. It was in Alexandria County. outside the city of Alexandria. Reagan National is in Arlington county. The mailing address is Washington, DC. It is literally on the banks of the Potomac river. Swim across and you will be in DC proper. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/37 "2011-04-19T21:10:38Z")
> [@lukeinva](#): > > Reagan National is in Arlington county. The mailing address is Washington, DC. It is literally on the banks of the Potomac river. Swim across and you will be in DC proper. Yes, but when that territory was in DC (between 1791 and 1846), the part of DC taken from Virginia and later given back to Virginia was organised as Alexandria County. It was only when that territory was given back to Virginia that part of Alexandria County was organised as Arlington County, and part was organised as the independent city of Alexandria. (Virginia has “independent cities” which effectively function both as cities and as counties.) ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/38 "2011-04-19T21:18:56Z")
> [@bibliophage](#): > > Some cities that cover unusually large areas almost need to have their airports within the city limits to avoid being extremely inconvenient. Examples include Louisville KY (399 sq. mi.), Anchorage AK (1961 sq mi), Juneau AK (3255 sq mi), and Oklahoma City, OK (621 sq mi). True, but the Oklahoma City airport (Will Rogers World :rolleyes: Airport) is only about 6 miles from downtown OKC. (As the crow flies.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/39 "2011-04-19T21:25:13Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Midway, on the other hand, has residential City of Chicago housing literally across the street on all four sides. My mother was an airline stewardess in the early 1960s, and regularly flew into Midway. She said that it was her least-favorite place to land, because of the proximity of the residential areas to the airport – the planes took steep approach angles, and you were right over houses until moments before landing. Chicago also had the small, primarily general-aviation Meigs Field within the city limits (it was right on the lakefront, just east of the Museum Campus), which had commercial (commuter airline) service, at least through the 1980s. In 2003, Mayor Daley had the runway at Meigs torn up in the middle of the night (after years of threatening to replace the airport with parkland). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2011, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985/40 "2011-04-19T21:36:41Z")
Further to the San Jose situation… having it literally right downtown in such a large city (10th largest in the US) is part of what makes San Jose such a “no there, there” city. Buildings in the flight path (all of downtown, really) are restricted in height to (IIRC) 15 stories. Plus, San Jose is such a sprawling city, that it just doesn’t support much of a downtown. It’s supprising how much land within the city limits is still farmland, even today. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-cities-have-airports-within-the-city/578985.md?page=3)