With convenient flights to and from many major US cities, Port Columbus International Airport is the main aerial gateway to Columbus and destinations in central Ohio. It’s the second busiest in the state and is a minor hub for American Eagle and Southwest Airlines. Port Columbus International Airport is located 10 kilometres north-east of downtown Columbus and 20 kilometres south of Westerville. The airport has recently been renamed John Glenn Columbus International Airport, in honour of a Columbus astronaut and senator. The name Port Columbus International Airport remains in use.
All passengers depart and arrive through a single terminal which has three concourses. Southwest Airlines flights leave from Concourse A while Concourse C is used for all international flights. These are mostly seasonal flights to destinations in Mexico and Canada.
A dedicated airport bus service transports passengers from Port Columbus International Airport to downtown Columbus, terminating at Greater Columbus Convention Centre. There are additional bus services to Athens, Ohio State University and Columbus’northeastern suburbs. A taxi rank is located immediately outside the arrivals hall and is clearly signposted. Car rental agents can be found at the arrivals terminal.
Port Columbus International Airport once served as a terminus for the air and rail route between New York and Los Angeles. Back in the late 1920s, passengers would take an overnight train from New York to Columbus, then board a plane to Oklahoma, before completing the journey with another train and flight.