Phoenix Cheap Flights - PHX

Sky Harbor International Airport, or PHX, is located only three miles to the east of the city’s central business district. It handles over 40 million flights a year, and it is a major hub for US Airways, Great Lakes Airlines and Southwest Airlines and also handles international flights for airlines such as Air Canada and British Airways, the latter offering the only flights to Phoenix from outside North America. There are three terminals at Sky Harbor. Terminal 1 was demolished in 1990 so Terminals 2, 3 and 4 remain operational today.

There are several options for getting from the airport into the city. You can rent a car, but should note that very heavy surcharges are imposed in order to pay for the modern car rental building. Apart from the usual car rental or taxi options, there are three public bus routes and a Metro Light Rail stop nearby, which connects to the airport with a free shuttle service. Some hotels offer free airport pick-up. The Greyhound Bus terminal is located very close to the airport if you are heading out by coach.

Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, the smaller of the two Phoenix airports, is known as a reliever airport, designed to relieve congestion at a larger airport, in this case Sky Harbor. With the rapid growth of Sky Harbor in the 1990s, this airport, formerly known as Williams Gateway Airport, was expanded and designated as the city’s second airport. Budget flights to Phoenix operate through Phoenix-Mesa, such as Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air, the budget airline that is the major commercial airline here. It operates flights from Phoenix to regional airports in the west and central US. Vision Air also offers some budget flights to Phoenix. Phoenix-Mesa Airport is expanding and the intention is for it to become a major regional airport.

There are many hotels in the vicinity of Sky Harbor and, to a lesser degree, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway. Naturally, these cater mainly to short-term business travelers. Given that Sky Harbor is so close to the city, you might as well travel into town and have your pick of hotels there unless there is a good reason to stay right near the airport.