Loading AI tools
Toledo Express Airport
Airport in Lucas County, Ohio From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Toledo Express Airport, officially Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (IATA: TOL, ICAO: KTOL, FAA LID: TOL), is a civil-military airport in Swanton and Monclova townships 10 mi (16 km) west of Toledo in western Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It opened in 1954–55 as a replacement to the Toledo Municipal Airport (now Toledo Executive Airport) southeast of Toledo. Toledo Express is near the crossing of State Route 2 and the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80/Interstate 90, exit 52).
Toledo Express Airport | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||||||||||
 Terminal entrance with control tower | |||||||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Toledo–Lucas County Port Authority | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Toledo, Ohio and Detroit, Michigan | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Swanton / Monclova townships, Lucas County, Ohio, United States | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 684 ft / 208 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 41°35′15″N 83°48′45″W | ||||||||||||||
| Website | www | ||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||
 FAA diagram | |||||||||||||||
 | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
| Statistics (2022) | |||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||
TOL is used by passenger and cargo airlines, general aviation, and is home to the Ohio Air National Guard's 180th Fighter Wing. The airport is a secondary airport for Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) and the surrounding region, including as a primary diversion point for DTW. The airport is operated by the Toledo–Lucas County Port Authority on a lease agreement from the City of Toledo. The airport also serves as headquarters and ground cargo hub for BX Solutions.
Through the 1980s and 1990s the airport saw considerable airline service with as many as seven airlines at any given time operating over 40 flights per day to fourteen destinations. Traffic peaked in 1997 then began a downfall as many passengers began driving to nearby Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a major hub airport. By 2011 all but two airlines had discontinued service. Traffic bottomed out in 2012 then began a slow growth. In 2015 Toledo Express recorded its third straight year of passenger growth, reaching 179,911.[2]
In 2018, buoyed by growing service to and from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, air travel through Toledo Express Airport increased by more than 22 percent for its sixth straight year of growth. Total passenger service reached 241,299 passengers in 2018.
The airport was officially renamed to honor retired NASA flight director and Toledo native Gene Kranz in September 2020.[3]
Efforts to build a modern airport started shortly after World War II, when civic leaders realized that Toledo Municipal Airport (today's Toledo Executive Airport) was inadequate. A number of locations were proposed and discarded until 1952, when a consortium of six major Toledo companies – Libbey-Owens-Ford, Owens-Illinois, Owens-Corning Fiberglas, Champion Spark Plug, Electric Auto-Lite, and Willys-Overland – acquired the site of Toledo Express Airport west of Toledo and sold the land to the city at cost.[4]
The airport received nearly $3 million from the federal CARES Act during the covid-19 pandemic. The money went to helping the airport upgrade facilities and continue normal operation during the pandemic's travel downturn.[5]
The airport received another safety grant in 2023, when it received nearly $5 million to enhance its safety and operations.[6]
The airlines moved to the new airport around the beginning of 1955; the April 1957 Official Airline Guide (OAG) lists thirteen weekday United Airlines departures, six Trans World Airlines (TWA), six Delta Air Lines flights, four Eastern Air Lines flights and four Capital Airlines services. The November 1979 OAG shows jets on seven airlines.[7] Nonstop flights flew from Toledo to:
In 1979, the OAG shows Air Wisconsin and Comair at Toledo as independent commuter airlines, Air Wisconsin flying Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners nonstop to Chicago O'Hare and Detroit (DTW) while Comair Piper Navajos flew nonstop to Cincinnati. In February 1985, Piedmont Airlines (1948–1989) Boeing 727-200s flew to San Francisco (SFO) via Dayton, Ohio.[8]
On January 8, 1989, American Eagle Airlines, operating for American Airlines, began nonstop service to Chicago O'Hare with four daily flights. By December 1989, American Eagle had five nonstop weekday ATR-42s between Chicago and Toledo, while United Express, operated by Air Wisconsin, had four weekday round trips between Chicago and Toledo, three with Fokker F27s and one with a BAe 146-200.[9]
The OAG shows other airlines at Toledo at the end of 1989 including:[9]
After 1997, traffic began declining and airlines began suspending all service as a general trend in passenger traffic chose to drive to nearby Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a major hub airport.[12]
On March 14, 2011, Delta Connection discontinued all service, leaving Toledo with only two airlines providing scheduled service: American Eagle with four flights per day to Chicago O'Hare and Allegiant Air with two flights per week to both Orlando and St. Petersburg, Florida. This was an historic low point for Toledo air service, and since then the airport has only seen Allegiant add two flights per week to Punta Gorda Airport (Florida) in 2013 and American Eagle added two daily flights to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in 2017. American did, however, drop its one daily flight to Chicago. On March 13, 2012, Charter carrier Direct Air suspended operations from the airport.[13] The charter carrier was subject to Chapter 7 liquidation on April 12, 2012.[14]
On December 5, 2012, Allegiant Air announced new twice-weekly service from Toledo Express and Punta Gorda, FL, replacing previous suspended service by Direct Air.[15]
On December 12, 2012, Sierra West Airlines, a cargo air carrier, signed a 30-year lease to open a new aircraft and crew base at Toledo. The airline announced it would lease a 17,555 sq. ft. hangar formerly used by BD Aeroworks.[16]
On September 6, 2022, American Airlines' (Envoy Air) Embraer 145 flew out for the last time to Chicago O'Hare, marking the end of legacy airline passenger service at the airport.
Toledo Express served as the main North American hub for DB Schenker, which acquired BAX Global, an international air cargo company, from 1993 until September 2011. DB Schenker leased a 300,000-square-foot (30,000 m2) warehouse facility with direct access to the runways at Toledo Express. They operated approximately 20 flights on average (with a peak of 42) per night from across the United States. Toledo Express was the 22nd busiest cargo hub in North America in 2009 with 241,472 tons handled.[17] The facility is now home to the headquarters of BX Solutions, a ground logistics and shipping company started up by former BAX Global employees with plans to re-establish the former domestic BAX Global ground and eventually air networks.[18]
Airline service before 1955 operated from present-day Toledo Executive Airport, formerly known as Toledo Municipal Airport and Toledo Metcalf Airport.[19]
| Airline | Destination(s) | Aircraft scheduled | Service date(s) | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Florida | New York JFK, Tampa, Washington National | Boeing 737-200, DC-9-10 | JFK: 6/14/79-9/5/79, DCA: 10/26/79-9/30/1982, TPA: 02/1980-9/30/1982 | [20] |
| AirTran Airways | Atlanta, Dayton, Orlando | Boeing 737-200, DC-9-30, Boeing 717-200 | 11/14/1996-2/28/1998, 10/3/2000-4/29/2002 | |
| Air Wisconsin | Akron-Canton, Chicago O'Hare, Cleveland, Columbus, Flint, Fort Wayne, Kalamazoo, Pittsburgh, South Bend | BAe 146, BAe ATP, Dash 8-300, Dash 7, Metro III | ?-02/03/1993 | Operating independently and later as United Express. |
| Allegiant Air* | Las Vegas, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Phoenix/Mesa | MD-80 | LAS:12/15/2005-4/24/2006 | |
| America West Express | Columbus, Flint | Beech 1900 | Operated by Mesa dba Superior Airlines | |
| American Eagle | Chicago O'Hare, Charlotte | ERJ-145 | Service ended September 2021 | Operated by Simmons Airlines (later American Eagle Airlines and now Envoy) and Chautauqua Airlines (dba American Connection until name change to American Eagle) |
| Atlantic Coast Airlines | Cincinnati | Dornier 328JET | dba Delta Connection | |
| Atlantic Southeast Airlines | Atlanta, Cincinnati | ATR 72, CRJ-200, CRJ-700 | dba Delta Connection | |
| Beaver Aviation / BAS Airlines[21] | Beaver Falls (PA), Detroit City, Youngstown | Piper Navajo | Early 1980s | |
| Capital Airlines | Akron, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Muskegon, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia[22] | Viscount, DC-3, DC-4 | 1/8/1948-05-31-1961 | * Merged with United. * At the time, 14 flights at startup was the most ever for a new city.[23] |
| Chicago Express Airlines | Chicago Midway, South Bend | Jetstream 31, Saab 340 | 1993–1995, 6/28/2002-1/4/2005 | Operating independently and later as ATA Connection |
| Chicago and Southern Airlines | Detroit, Fort Wayne | Merged with Delta | ||
| Comair | Atlanta, Cincinnati, Columbus, Indianapolis | Piper Chieftain, Piper Navajo, EMB-110, Saab 340, EMB-120, Metro III, CRJ-100, CRJ-200, CRJ-700 | 1979, 01/03/1981-? | Operating independently and later as Delta Connection |
| Continental Express | Cleveland | EMB-120, Beech 1900, Dash-8-200 | ||
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dayton, Detroit, Fort Wayne | Convair 440, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-300, MD-88, DC-9-30 | ||
| Eastern Airlines | Columbus | Constellation L-1049G, Locheed Electra, Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200, DC-9-30, DC-9-50 | ||
| Frontier Airlines | Denver, Detroit | Boeing 737-200, MD-80 | ||
| Liberty Airlines | Chicago Midway & O'Hare | Convair 440 | 02/1982-5/16/1983 | Plans for CMH, CLE, STL, BUF, & EWR scrapped.[24] Also flew CAK-ORD |
| Midway Connection | Chicago Midway | EMB-120, Dornier 228 | ||
| Mesaba Aviation | Detroit, Youngstown | Dash 8-200, Fokker 27, Metro III, Saab 340 | Original and dba Northwest Airlink | |
| Piedmont Airlines | Dayton | Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-200 | Merged with USAir | |
| TransMeridian Airlines | Las Vegas, Sanford/Orlando | Boeing 757-200, Boeing 727-200, MD-80 | Filed for Bankruptcy | |
| Trans Midwest Airlines[21] | Columbus,[25] Dayton, Detroit Metro, Lima | Piper Navajo | 1983–1985 | |
| Trans World Airlines | Detroit, Dayton, Columbus, St. Louis, Cleveland, New York JFK | Martin 404, Boeing 727-100/200, DC-9 | 1941-1960, 1979-1989 | |
| United Airlines | Chicago O'Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Fort Wayne, Newark, Peoria, Saginaw, Washington National, Youngstown | DC-8 series 21, Boeing 727-122, 727-222, Boeing 737-222, Caravelle, Boeing 720, Convair 340, DC-6B | ||
| US Airways (USAir/Allegheny) | Pittsburgh | Convair 580, Boeing 727-200, MD-80, Boeing 737-200/300/400, DC-9-30, BAC One-Eleven, Fokker 100, Fokker 28 | ||
| US Airways Express | Dayton, Indianapolis, Pittsburgh | Metro III, Jetstream 31, Saab 340, Dash 8-100/200, ERJ 145, Dornier 328 | Operated by Trans States Airlines, Jetstream Int'l / PSA Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, Chautauqua Airlines, Shuttle America | |
| Vision Airlines | Myrtle Beach | Boeing 737-400 | 6/1 – June 29, 2012 |
* Carrier continues to serve other destinations.
.jpg)
Toledo Express Airport covers 2,345 acres (949 ha) and has two runways:[1][26]
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 34,313 aircraft operations, or roughly 94 per day. This included 60% general aviation, 18% air taxi, 11% military, and 12% commercial. For the same time period, there were 80 aircraft based on the field: 27 single-engine, 10 multi-engine airplanes, 21 military aircraft, 19 jets, and 3 helicopters.[26]
Toledo Express has one passenger terminal with nine gates, of which three (Gates 3, 4, and 5) in the central part of the terminal are primarily used on a weekly basis. The terminal features an east wing that comprises one upper-level gate (Gate 2) and two lower level gates (Gates 1 and 1A). The ground level gates are capable of supporting up to five total aircraft at once combined. The oldest part of the terminal is the western wing, which comprises Gates 6 through 8 (originally 5 through 7); these are rarely used. During the terminal upgrades that introduced a new gate area for Gate 4 and a brand new Gate 5, the original Gate 5 was renumbered to Gate 6. Previous Gate 6 (now 7) is inoperative and no longer has a jetbridge attached to it; previous Gate 7 (now 8) remains a stairwell to ramp-level boarding.
The terminal is mostly original from the 1950s, but several upgrades have taken place. This includes the remodeling and construction of the east wing as well as the new central gate area.
The terminal has two levels with the passenger waiting area, beyond security, on the upper level. In that area, the passengers have access to a food court and bar on the second level. There is also a children's play area by gate 1 and 2, however this area remains inaccessible to the traveling public. There are vending machines and an ATM on the lower level. Baggage claim is on the lower level on the east side of the terminal with two baggage carousels. The rental car counters are between the arrivals waiting area and the baggage claim. Free wireless (Wi-Fi) is available terminal-wide.
The Port Authority commissioned a true market study of the Toledo catchment area to determine opportunities for air service development. The study found 510,000 people are within 30 minutes of Toledo Express. The total catchment area encompasses 981,000 residents. The actual passengers per day each way for the Toledo market is 3,241, of which TOL only captures 5.7%. Detroit Metro captures the most at 64.3%, with the remaining traveling to other airports in Cleveland and Columbus. There are also 372 international passengers per day, of which Toledo captures only 2.8%.
Delta Air Lines was the largest airline in the Toledo area, with 44% of the traffic; United Airlines was second with 12.4%, and American Airlines (the only legacy airline serving TOL directly at the time) with 10.3%.[29]
| Airlines | Destinations | Refs |
|---|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | Orlando/Sanford, Punta Gorda (FL), St. Petersburg/Clearwater | [30] |
Taxi service at the airport is currently contracted to A1 Accurate Limousine and Airport Service. While other taxi operators are available in Toledo, none are currently able to stage at the airport.
Toledo Express is currently served by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and National.
The airport offers two parking lots: short term and long term. Both are located on the north side of the airport. The parking lot is operated by Republic Parking Systems and it is also a partner of the Thanks Again rewards program.
The airport is also home to Toledo Air National Guard Base and the 180th Fighter Wing (180 FW), an Air Combat Command (ACC)-gained unit of the Ohio Air National Guard.
Toledo ANGB consists of a Federal enclave of 135.4 acres (0.548 km2) leased by the Department of Defense for the State of Ohio and the Ohio Air National Guard, housing combat-ready F-16C Fighting Falcon jet fighters and associated Air National Guard support units. Physical facilities consist of 3 administrative, 13 industrial and 7 services building (including hangar facilities), totaling nearly 322,000 square feet.
There are 21 military aircraft based at TOL, supported by 290 full-time Air Reserve Technician (ART) and Active Guard and Reserve (AGR) personnel. Over 600 additional part-time Traditional Air National Guardsmen round out the balance of the 180 FW, capable of deploying worldwide to meet Air Force and combatant commander requirements as part of the Air Reserve Component of the U.S. Air Force. Concurrently, the 180 FW also provides traditional National Guard state support roles in the event of local and state emergencies to the Governor of Ohio.
Toledo–Lucas County Port Authority:
In 2013, the Port Authority backed a plan to collect income tax from businesses and employees on property at the airport owned by the Port Authority and other entities that sign on to the agreement.[32] The income tax would be distributed to an airport fund in addition to the participating communities of the city of Toledo and Monclova and Swanton townships. The airport fund would take 55% of the first $500,000, 52.5% of the next $250,000, and declining from there. If revenues are over $1.5 million, the airport would see roughly 24.12% according to reports. A Port Authority Airport Committee meeting also stated that the City of Toledo's share would also be redirected back to the airport fund boosting revenues.[33]
The Cargo Development Zone is an area on the south side of the airport to the south of Runway 7–25, west of Runway 16–34, and north of US-20A. The site features onsite customers and a foreign trade zone. The development area will also provide access to the 78-acre air cargo ramp.
Seamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
