Corpus Christi International Airport
Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox airport
Corpus Christi International Airport Template:Airport codes is Template:Convert west of Corpus Christi, in Nueces County, Texas.<ref name=FAA /> It opened in 1960, replacing Cliff Maus airport at Template:Coord, where the Lozano Golf Center is now located.
The airport's six-gate Template:Convert Hayden Wilson Head Terminal, designed by Gensler, opened on November 3, 2002, with a theme of "When the Sun Meets the Sea."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Corpus Christi International Airport has tried to attract airline service from Mexico. In 1974, Texas International Airlines was flying Douglas DC-9-10s between Corpus Christi and Mexico City via McAllen, TX, and DC-9s twice a week to Tampico and Veracruz via McAllen in 1975.<ref name="timetableimages.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1967, Mexicana de Aviacion Douglas DC-6s flew direct to Mexico City via Monterrey three days a week.<ref name="autogenerated1967">Template:Cite web</ref>
With the arrival of the Chautauqua Airlines operating United Express flights with Canadair CRJ200 regional jets via a code sharing agreement with United Airlines (with Chautauqua operating a number of United Express flights into the airport at the time), the airline established a crew base with about 75 pilots and flight attendants in Corpus Christi. However, Chautauqua then closed this crew base in November 2008 with the airline ceasing to operate United Express flights from Corpus Christi. In May 2016, all United Express flights at Corpus Christi were being operated by Mesa Airlines with Embraer ERJ-175 regional jets or by ExpressJet with Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets.<ref>http://www.united.com, May 2, 2016, Flight Status</ref>
The Dallas Love Field-Corpus Christi nonstop route operated by Southwest Airlines began on August 10, 2019, with one daily round-trip flight between the cities each Saturday. Southwest last flew the route nonstop in 1986, until 2024, when the flight was reinstated seasonally from June 8, 2024, to August 3, 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Corpus Christi International Airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023-2027, in which it is categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility.<ref name="NPIAS Airports">Template:Cite web</ref>
Facilities
The Corpus Christi International Airport covers Template:Convert at an elevation of Template:Convert. It has two asphalt runways: 13/31 is Template:Convert and 18/36 is Template:Convert.<ref name=FAA /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2017, the airport had 97,012 aircraft operations, an average of 266 per day: 66% military, 18% general aviation, 8% air taxi, and 8% commercial airline. In April 2020, there were 65 aircraft based at this airport: 28 single-engine, 24 multi-engine, 9 jets, 3 helicopters, and 1 glider.<ref name="FAA" />
Airlines and destinations
Corpus Christi International Airport has six gates, two of which (Gates 4 and 6) have direct access to the U.S. Customs office. The airport has five jetways with the sixth gate using stairs to reach the aircraft parking ramp.
Passenger
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Cargo
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| Destinations map |
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Top destinations
| Rank | Airports | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dallas/Ft Worth, Texas | 151,840 | American |
| 2 | Houston–Intercontinental, Texas | 111,400 | United |
| 3 | Houston–Hobby, Texas | 94,500 | Southwest |
| 4 | Dallas–Love Field, Texas | 8,440 | Southwest |
American Airlines currently operates all flights to Corpus Christi on Envoy Air Embraer E-175 regional jets.<ref>http://www.aa.com, American Airlines schedules</ref>
All Southwest Airlines flights at Corpus Christi are flown with various Boeing 737 models; Southwest is the only airline to serve Corpus Christi with year-round mainline jet service.
United Express flights to Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport are operated by Mesa Airlines Embraer ERJ-175s, CommuteAir Embraer ERJ-145 or SkyWest Airlines Bombardier CRJ-200s.<ref>http://www.united.com, United Airlines Flight Status listings</ref>
Past airline service
Braniff International Airways, Eastern Air Lines, Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) and Trans-Texas Airways (predecessor of Texas International Airlines) all served Corpus Christi's old and new airports over the years.
In 1935, Braniff Lockheed Model 10 Electras flew Brownsville - Corpus Christi - San Antonio - Austin - Waco - Fort Worth - Dallas Love Field.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, April 22, 1935 Braniff timetable</ref> In 1940, a Braniff Douglas DC-3 flew Brownsville - Corpus Christi - San Antonio - Austin - Fort Worth - Dallas Love Field - Oklahoma City - Ponca City, OK - Wichita - Kansas City - Chicago.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, November 1, 1940 Braniff timetable</ref>
Eastern arrived at Corpus Christi in April 1939 with direct DC-3 flights from New York Newark Airport via a number of enroute stops with this service connecting to Pan Am's flight to Mexico City.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1939 Eastern timetable</ref><ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1941 Eastern timetable</ref> In 1958, Eastern Convair 440s flew Brownsville - Corpus Christi - Houston Hobby - Beaumont/Port Arthur - Lake Charles - Lafayette - Baton Rouge - New Orleans - Mobile - Pensacola - Montgomery - Birmingham - Atlanta.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, December 1, 1958 Eastern timetable</ref>
Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) was flying Douglas DC-3s between Houston and Mexico City via Corpus Christi in 1947 with a daily roundtrip routing of Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) - Corpus Christi - Brownsville - Tampico - Mexico City with the airline having a name for this international service, being the "Sun Ray Clipper".<ref name="ReferenceB">Template:Cite web</ref> According to the November 1, 1947 Pan Am system timetable, the southbound "Sun Ray Clipper" flight overnighted in Mexico City and then operated continuing service the next day on a southbound routing of Mexico City - Guatemala City, Guatemala - Managua, Nicaragua - San Jose, Costa Rica - Balboa, Panama with return northbound service from Balboa to Houston via Corpus Christi being operated on the same routing in reverse with an overnight stop being made in Mexico City as well.<ref name="ReferenceB"/> However, Pan Am was no longer serving Corpus Christi by 1950 although the airline would return to the airport with jet service by the mid-1980s.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) arrived in 1950; in 1952, its Douglas DC-3s flew a multi-stop routing of Brownsville - Harlingen - McAllen - Alice - Corpus Christi - Beeville - Victoria - Houston.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, January 1, 1952 Trans-Texas timetable</ref> By 1963, most TTa flights to the airport were operated with Convair 240s direct to Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Harlingen, McAllen, and Victoria; TTa DC-3s also flew a routing of Corpus Christi - San Antonio - San Angelo - Midland/Odessa - Pecos - El Paso.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, March 1, 1963 Trans-Texas timetable</ref> By 1969, TTa had changed its name to Texas International Airlines, which continued to serve Corpus Christi with McDonnell Douglas DC-9 jet service
Scheduled jets arrived in the spring of 1965: Eastern Boeing 727-100s nonstop to Houston Hobby Airport and Braniff International BAC One-Elevens nonstop to both Houston Hobby Airport and San Antonio with the Braniff jet service continuing on to Dallas.<ref name="60sairlineantiques.net">http://www.60sairlineantiques.net Template:Webarchive, June 1, 1965 Eastern timetable</ref><ref name="ReferenceA">http://www.timetableimages.com, April 24, 1966 Braniff timetable</ref> In 1965, the primary runway was just 5600 feet long. In 1966, Braniff was operating Lockheed L-188 Electra propjets on a routing of Corpus Christi - Houston Hobby Airport - Dallas Love Field - Oklahoma City - Wichita - Kansas City - Chicago O'Hare Airport.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Also in 1966, Trans-Texas Airways introduced nonstop Douglas DC-9-10 jet service to Houston Hobby Airport in addition to Convair 600 turboprop flights nonstop to Houston, San Antonio, and Harlingen.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, October 30, 1966 Trans-Texas timetable</ref> In 1968, TTa was operating nonstop DC-9 jet service to both Harlingen and Houston Hobby Airport.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, August 1968 Trans-Texas timetable</ref>
In 1966-67 Mexicana de Aviacion, a Mexican-based air carrier, was operating Douglas DC-6 propliners on nonstop international service to Monterrey, Mexico three days a week with this flight then continuing on to Mexico City.<ref name="autogenerated1967"/>
Following its name change from Trans-Texas Airways (TTa), in 1974 Texas International Airlines was operating daily DC-9 jet service between Corpus Christi and Mexico City via McAllen as well as direct DC-9 flights to Denver and Salt Lake City via Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) or San Antonio.<ref name="timetableimages.com"/> Also in 1974, three airlines were operating nonstop jet service to Houston (IAH): Braniff Boeing 727-100s and 727-200s, Eastern Boeing 727-200s, and Texas International Douglas DC-9-10s<ref name="autogenerated1974">http://www.departedflights.com, April 1, 1974 Official Airline Guide</ref> with Braniff 727s also flying nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).<ref name="autogenerated1974"/>
The February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide (OAG)<ref>February 1, 1976 Official Airline Guide</ref> lists Eastern Boeing 727-200s from Corpus Christi nonstop to New Orleans and also nonstop to Houston with both flights continuing on to Atlanta. Also in 1976, Braniff was operating three direct Boeing 727 flights a day to Chicago O'Hare, all via Dallas/Fort Worth. The same year, Texas International DC-9s flew direct to Los Angeles (LAX) via stops in Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Midland/Odessa, Roswell, NM, and Albuquerque.
Southwest Airlines began serving Corpus Christi on March 1, 1977, as an intrastate airline<ref>http://www.southwest.com, Press Room, Our History</ref> and in 1979 was operating six Boeing 737-200s a day nonstop to Houston Hobby Airport (HOU); it also flew nonstop to Dallas Love Field on weekends.<ref name="autogenerated1979">http://www.departedflights.com, November 15, 1979 Official Airline Guide</ref> In 1979, Braniff had ended nonstop service to Houston but was flying four nonstop 727s a day to Dallas/Fort Worth while Eastern 727s and Texas International DC-9s still flew nonstop to Houston Intercontinental (IAH).<ref name="autogenerated1979"/> In 1981, Eastern McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s flew nonstop to Atlanta.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, April 1, 1981 Official Airline Guide</ref>
In 1982, Braniff International went out of business while Texas International was merged into Continental Airlines. American Airlines arrived in 1981; in 1983, American Boeing 727-100s and 727-200s flew nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) with a total of three flights a day with an American 727-200 also flying to DFW via a stop in Austin.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, July 1, 1983 Official Airline Guide</ref> Continental had four daily 727 and DC-9 nonstops to Houston Intercontinental (IAH) while Pan Am Express operated by Emerald Air via a code sharing agreement with Pan Am operated three Douglas DC-9-10s a day to IAH. By 1984, Austin-based Emerald Air was operating as an independent carrier with up to ten DC-9 jet and Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprop departures a day nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (IAH), and McAllen.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, March 1, 1984 Emerald Air timetable</ref>
United Airlines arrived in 1984 but then pulled out in 1987; in 1985, United was operating two direct flights a day to Denver with both services making a stop in Austin with Boeing 727-100s and 727-200s being flown on the route.<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, February 15, 1985 Official Airline Guide</ref> United would return to Corpus Christi following its merger with Continental Airlines.
Pan Am returned to Corpus Christi in 1985 but then discontinued its flights in 1986; its Boeing 727-200s first operated Corpus Christi - Dallas/Fort Worth - New York Kennedy Airport (JFK) service with the airline subsequently operating Corpus Christi - Houston Intercontinental - Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) flights. Also in 1985, Eastern was operating a daily Boeing 727-200 service on a routing of Corpus Christi - San Antonio - Atlanta - New York LaGuardia Airport - Montreal;<ref>Feb. 1, 1985 Official Airline Guide (OAG), North American Edition, Corpus Christi to Montreal flight schedule & Flight Itineraries section, routing for Eastern flt. no. 106</ref> however, Eastern had pulled out of Corpus Christi by 1987.
In 1989, American Airlines had five daily McDonnell Douglas MD-80 nonstops to Dallas/Fort Worth while Continental and Continental Express were operating a total of six nonstops a day to Houston Intercontinental (Continental with Boeing 727-100s, 727-200s and Douglas DC-9-10s, and Continental Express with Britt Airways ATR 42s) while Southwest was flying eight nonstops a day to Houston Hobby with Boeing 737-200s and 737-300s.<ref name="departedflights.com">http://www.departedflights.com, December 15, 1989 Official Airline Guide (OAG), Corpus Christi schedules</ref>
Delta Air Lines arrived in 1990. In 1991, Delta had three Boeing 737-200s a day nonstop to its Dallas/Fort Worth hub, while American, and American Eagle had a total of seven nonstops a day to DFW, American with MD-80s and American Eagle with Saab 340s.<ref>http://www.timetableimages.com, October 1, 1991 Official Airline Guide</ref> In 1993, Delta turned its Corpus Christi-Dallas/Fort Worth service over to Delta Connection flown by Atlantic Southeast Airlines ATR 72s and Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprops operated via a code sharing agreement with Delta while American was operating Fokker 100 jets to DFW until 1995-96 when American Eagle ATR 72 turboprops took over.<ref>September 15, 1994 Official Airline Guide</ref> In 1999, Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines Canadair CRJ-200 regional jets were flying nonstop to Atlanta.<ref name="autogenerated1999">http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide</ref> Also in 1999, Continental was operating one mainline jet flight a day to Houston Intercontinental (IAH) while Continental Express flying nine nonstops a day to Houston (IAH) with Embraer ERJ-145 regional jets and ATR 42 turboprops.<ref name="autogenerated1999"/> In 2010 Continental merged with United Airlines and the Continental Express service from Corpus Christi then began to be operated as United Express.
In 1970, Rio Airways, which was operating as an independent commuter air carrier at the time, was based in Corpus Christi where it operated a hub with nonstop service to the Texas cities of Austin, Brownsville, Houston, Laredo, McAllen and San Antonio flown with Beechcraft 99 turboprops.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Several other independent commuter airlines served Corpus Christi from the 1970s to the 1990s with small turboprop and prop aircraft, including<ref>http://www.departedflights.com, Official Airline Guide editions: November 15, 1979; April 1, 1981; July 1, 1983; February 15, 1985; December 15, 1989; April 2, 1995; June 1, 1999</ref>
- Austin Express operating Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners
- Conquest Airlines operating Beechcraft 1900Cs and Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners
- Metro Airlines operating Short 330s
- Tejas Airlines operating Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners and Piper Navajos
- Texas National Airlines operating Piper Navajos
See also
References
External links
- Template:Official website
- Airport Technology Article on CCIA – New Terminal Construction
- Template:FAA-diagram
- Template:FAA-procedures
Template:US-airport Template:Corpus Christi Template:Authority control