The airport is the fifth-largest hub forAmerican Airlines and serves as American Airlines' primary hub in theNortheastern United States and its primary European and transatlantic gateway. The airport is also a regional cargo hub forUPS Airlines and a focus city forFrontier Airlines. The airport has service to cities in the United States,Canada,Mexico, theCaribbean,Europe, and theMiddle East. As of 2019, the airport offers flights to 140 destinations, 102 of which are domestic and 38 of which international.
Much of the airport property is in the city of Philadelphia.[4] Terminal A, the internationalterminal, and the western and southern ends of theairfield[5] are inTinicum Township, Delaware County.[6] PHL covers 2,302 acres (932 ha) and has four runways.[2][7]
Philadelphia International Airport is an important component of the economies of thePhiladelphia metropolitan area, and Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth's Aviation Bureau reported in its Pennsylvania Air Service Monitor that the total economic impact made by the state's airports in 2004 was $22 billion. In 2017, the airport commissioned a new economic impact report, which found that it accounted for $15.4 billion in economic activity, $5.4 billion in total earnings, and over 96,000direct and indirect jobs.[8] In October 2022, the airport gained a direct connection to aColonial Pipeline fuel supply.[9]
The air traffic control tower at Philadelphia International Airport
In 1947 and 1950, the airport had runways 4, 9, 12 and 17, all 5,400 feet (1,600 m) or less. In 1956 runway 9 was 7,284 feet (2,220 m); in 1959 it was 9,499 feet (2,895 m) and runway 12 was closed. Not much changed until the early 1970s, when runway 4 was closed and 9R opened with 10,500 feet (3,200 m).
Beginning in 1940, Rising Sun School of Aeronautics ofCoatesville performed primary flight training at the airport under contract to the Air Corps. After thePearl Harbor Attack, theI Fighter CommandPhiladelphia Fighter Wing provided air defense of theDelaware Valley area from the airport. Throughout the war, various fighter and bomber groups were organized and trained at Philadelphia airport and assigned to the Philadelphia Fighter Wing before being sent to advanced training airfields or being deployed overseas. Known units assigned were the33d,58th,355th and358th Fighter Groups.
In June 1943, I Fighter Command transferred jurisdiction of the airport to theAir Technical Service Command (ATSC). ATSC established a sub-depot of theMiddletown Air Depot at the airport. The 855th Army Air Forces Specialized Depot unit repaired and overhauled aircraft and returned them to active service, and theArmy Air Forces Training Command established the Philco Training School on January 1, 1943, which trained personnel in radio repair and operations.
In 1945, the Air Force reduced its use of the airport and it was returned to civil control that September.
Philadelphia Municipal became Philadelphia International Airport in 1945, whenAmerican Overseas Airlines began direct flights to Europe. A new terminal opened in December 1953; the oldest parts of the present terminal complex (B and C) were built in the late 1950s.
As of April 1957, the airport was providing 30 weekday departures on Eastern, 24 on TWA, 24 on United, 18 on American, 16 on National, 14 on Capital, six on Allegheny, and three on Delta. To Europe, five Pan Am DC-6Bs a week via Idlewild and Boston and two TWA749As a week via Idlewild; one TWA flight continued to Ceylon. Eastern and National had nonstops to Miami, but the TWA1049G to LAX that started in 1956 was the only nonstop beyond Chicago. The first scheduled jets were TWA 707s in the summer of 1959.[14]
Terminal B/C modernization was completed in 1970, Terminal D opened in 1973 and Terminal E in 1977; the $300 million expansion[15] was designed by Arnold Thompson Associates, Inc. andVincent G. Kling & Associates.[16]
In the 1980s, the airport hosted several hubs. TheAirline Deregulation Act of 1978 allowed regional carrierAltair Airlines to create a small hub at PHL usingFokker F-28s. Altair began in 1967 with flights to cities such asRochester, New York,Hartford, Connecticut and to Florida until it ceased operations in November 1982. In the mid-1980sEastern Air Lines opened a hub in Concourse C. The airline declined in the late 1980s and sold aircraft and gate leases to Chicago-basedMidway Airlines. Midway operated its Philadelphia hub until it ceased operation in 1991. During the 1980sUS Airways (then called USAir) built a hub at PHL.
US Airways became the dominant carrier at the airport in the 1980s and 1990s and shifted most of its hub operations fromPittsburgh to Philadelphia in 2003. As of 2013, the airport was US Airways' largest international hub and its second-largest hub overall behindCharlotte.[17] PHL became anAmerican Airlines hub after it completed its merger with US Airways in 2015 and remains one of the airline's biggest hubs, offering an average of 420 departing flights per day to over 100 destinations. In recent years, American has opted to continue expanding at PHL while downsizing its hub at JFK in New York due to greater slot availability, lower operation costs in Philadelphia, and its greater network of connecting flights.
In 2002 construction on the controversial new entrance ramps went forward. The new ramps eliminated the traffic signal and stop intersections previously encountered by northbound I-95 motorists who had to useRoute 291 to the airport. The project consisted of six new bridges, more than 4,300 linear feet of retaining walls, and 7.7 lane miles of new pavement. The project also included new highway lighting, overhead sign structures, landscaping and the paving of Bartram Avenue. Also under the project, PennDOT resurfaced I-95 betweenRoute 420 and Island Avenue and built a truck enforcement andpark-and-ride facility.[20] In 2003 Terminal A-West opened, with a 1,500-space parking garage. Construction of the terminal was funded by airport revenue bonds sold by the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development.[21]
By 2005 two studies dealt with expanding runway capacity at PHL: the Runway 17–35 Extension Project EIS[citation needed] and the PHL Capacity Enhancement Program EIS.[22] Completed in May 2009,[23] the Runway 17-35 Extension Project extended runway 17–35 to a length of 6,500 ft (2,000 m), extending it at both ends and incorporating the properrunway safety areas. Other changes made with the Runway 17–35 Extension Project included additionaltaxiways andaprons, relocation of perimeter service roads, and modifications to nearby public roads.
The status of Philadelphia as an international gateway and major hub for American Airlines and the growth of Southwest Airlines and other low-cost carriers have increased passenger traffic to record levels in the mid-2000s; in 2004 28,507,420 passengers flew through Philadelphia, up 15.5% over 2003.[24] In 2005, 31,502,855 passengers flew through PHL, marking a 10% increase since 2004.[25] In 2006, 31,768,272 passengers travelled through PHL, a 0.9% increase.[26] US Airways commenced a nonstop flight to Tel Aviv in July 2009. It operated an Airbus A330 on the route.[27]
In 2011, a nearly 85,000-square-foot mural was completed along the sides of the airport parking garages that face I-95. The design includes images taken from photographs of Philadelphians dancing by local photographer JJ Tiziou. More than 800 people painted the mural over four months.[28][29][30]
On November 14, 2019, after a five-year project, extended Runway 27L was dedicated and opened for operations. The runway was extended 1,500 feet to 12,000 feet with several new taxiways to accommodate the newest fleet of large aircraft that are popular on many long-haul flights.[31] Runway 9R/27L, at 12,000 feet is the longest civil runway in all of Pennsylvania.[32]
In 2023, the airport began a $15 million multi-year project to renovate and expand the airport's restroom facilities, funded by a FAA Airport Terminal Program grant included in the federalInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that was signed into law by PresidentJoe Biden. The project will construct two new restrooms, five lactation suites, four service animal relief areas, 49 gender neutral restrooms, three adult assisted care restrooms, and upgrade 30 existing restrooms to be compliant with theAmericans with Disabilities Act.[33] In 2024, the airport received $20.4 million in federal funds allocated from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to perform HVAC and electrical system repairs at several terminals, baggage claims and ticket areas, and pedestrian bridges.[34]
Philadelphia International Airport has six terminals with a total of 126 gates.[35] Non pre-cleared international arrivals are processed in Terminal A. American operatesAdmirals Clubs in Terminal A, the B/C connector and Terminal F.[36] Terminal A also contains a British Airways Galleries Lounge as well as aAmerican Express Centurion Lounge.[37] Terminal D contains aUnited Club as well as aDelta Sky Club.[37] AUSO lounge is located in Terminal E.[37]
Terminal A is divided into two sections, east and west. Terminal A West has 13 gates, while Terminal A East has 11 gates. The 800,000 sqft Terminal A West has a modern and innovative design, made byKohn Pedersen Fox, Pierce Goodwin Alexander & Linville and Kelly/Maiello.[38] Opened in 2003 as the new international terminal, it is now home toAmerican (domestic and international),British Airways, andDiscover Airlines. Terminal A-West's check-in lobby is located on the first floor, and it has over 60 counters. The ceiling of the check-in lobby extends to the second floor. Terminal A-West offers a variety of international dining options. Passenger Transfer Vehicles (PTVs), also known asMobile Lounges or "Plane Mates" remain in use to support international flights in A-East and A-West during peak times, when no regular gates are available.[39]
Terminal A East, originally the airport's international terminal, is now used byAer Lingus,Aeroméxico, andAmerican domestic and international flights as well as international arrivals forFrontier Airlines andSpirit Airlines. A-East is well maintained and received an upgrade to its baggage claim facilities. Most of the gates in this terminal are equipped to handle international arrivals and the passengers are led to the customs facility in Terminal A West. It opened in 1990. The security entrance was significantly enlarged in 2012.
There are four lounges along the corridor between Terminal A East and A West; an American AirlinesAdmirals Club andFlagship Lounge,[40] British Airways Galleries Lounge andAmerican Express Centurion Lounge. The east terminal also contains an Admirals Club. There is also a children's play area located in the east terminal.
International Arrivals (except from locations withCustoms preclearance) arrive at gates in both Terminal A east and west and are processed at the Federal Inspection Facility at the Terminal A West 190 ft over the drop-off ramps and SEPTA tracks. The FIS features 56Customs and Border Protection inspection booths and 8 baggage carousels. After clearing customs, there is the Arrivals Hall dominated by an atrium, and a 250-ft. long display of theDeclaration of Independence, one of several symbols of Philadelphia's identity as America's birthplace.[41][42][43] In 2022, the International Arrivals Hall was renamed "Reverend Dr. Leon H. Sullivan International Arrivals Hall" in memory ofLeon Sullivan.[44]
Check-in lobby of Terminal A-West
Interior of Terminal A West (airside)
A replica of theLiberty Bell built withLEGO bricks in Terminal A West
Federal Inspection facilities for international arrival passengers
Terminals B and C have 15 and 14 gates respectively. They are the two main terminals used byAmerican. They were renovated at a cost of $135 million in 1998, which was designed by DPK&A Architects, LLP.[45] They are connected by ashopping mall andfood court named the Philadelphia Marketplace. Remodeling was done in the gate areas, although these cosmetic changes have not solved the space problems at many of the gates. They are the oldest terminals and opened in 1953. There is an American Airlines Admirals Club located in the B/C connector.
Terminal D has 16 gates; it opened in 1973. Terminal D is home toAir Canada,Delta,Spirit (check-in only with gates in Terminal E) andUnited. This terminal is connected to the shopping area of Terminals B/C through a post-security walkway. The terminal contains aUnited Club and aDelta Sky Club (recently announced to soon be remodeled and expanded).
Terminal E has 17 gates. It is home toAlaska Airlines (check-in only, departures from D6),Frontier,JetBlue (check-in only as of 2022),Southwest, andSun Country Airlines (check-in only, departures from Terminal D). It opened in 1977, a fan-shaped extension at the end of the concourse was constructed along with the Connector Project in 2008. Terminal E houses aUSO lounge available for all members of the military and their families.
The two terminals were connected in late 2008 with a new concourse while providing joint security, a variety of shops and restaurants and a link to Baggage Claims D and E. This is the inverse of the connector between Terminals B and C, which comprises a combined ticket hall but separate security facilities.[46]
A new Chase Sapphire Lounge by The Club opened in the Terminal D/E connector concourse with a 20,000-square-foot (1,858 m2) facility, one of the largest in its collection.[47]
The shuttle stop at Terminal F, pictured in August 2022
Terminal F has 38 gates. The terminal is a regional terminal used byAmerican Eagle flights. It includes special jet bridges that allow passengers to board regional jets without walking on the apron. Opened in 2001, Terminal F is the second newest terminal building at PHL. It was designed byOdell Associates, Inc. and The Sheward Partnership.[48] An American Airlines Admirals Club is located above the central food court area of Terminal F.
When Terminal F opened in 2001, it had 10,000 sq ft (929 m2) of space for concessions.[49]
The Overseas Terminal housed all the international airlines at Philadelphia. It was opened in 1973 and the building was a converted hangar. It was replaced by Terminal A in 1991.
Philadelphia International Airport has road access from an interchange withI-95 (exit 12 northbound and exit 12A southbound), which heads north toward Center City Philadelphia and south intoDelaware County.PA 291 heads northeast from the airport area and provides access to and fromI-76.[52] Rental cars are available through a number of companies; each operates a shuttle bus between its facility and the terminals. As part of the airport's expansion plan, the airport plans to construct aconsolidated rental car facility. Taxis and ride-sharing services both serve the airport.[53][54]
American Airlines offers "tarmac-to-tarmac" bus service between PHL and several airports within close proximity, which are considered too close for flights to be economically feasible.[56] This is designed to facilitate connections through PHL, a majorinternational hub for American Airlines.[57] Passengers check their bags and clear security at their respective airport, and board amotorcoach that takes them directly to a gate past security at PHL. The service is operated by the Landline Company, and is booked through the regular American Airlines reservation system.[58]
Philadelphia International Airport is a major hub for American Airlines, which utilizes the airport as a transatlantic connecting point between Europe and the United States.[59] Over 100 daily or weekly destinations are served by the following airlines to the following destinations:[60]
A 2023 J.D. Power Satisfaction Study ranked Philadelphia International last out of a list of 28 "large" airports in the United States. This list is separate from a list of 21 "Mega" airports in the United States.[116]
On January 14, 1951, National AirlinesFlight 83 crashed upon landing at Philadelphia fromNewark International Airport. The aircraft skidded off the runway, crashed through a fence and came to rest in a ditch. During the incident, the left wing broke off, rupturing the gas tanks and setting the plane on fire. There were seven fatalities in all.Frankie Housley, the lone flight attendant on Flight 83, led ten passengers to safety but died trying to save an infant.
On July 19, 1970,United Airlines Flight 611, aBoeing 737-222 on a domestic flight toRochester, New York, experienced an engine failure in the #1 engine right after rotation. The captain decided to reject the takeoff and set the plane back on the runway. The plane touched down 1075 feet short of the runway end, continued across a blast pad, crossing a field, then passing through a 6-foot aluminum chain link fence into a field full of grass, brush and weeds. The 737 came to rest 1634 feet past the end of the runway. There were no fatalities and 18 passengers and one crew member sustained injuries among the 61 on board. The aircraft was damaged beyond economical repair. This was the first hull loss of a Boeing 737.[117]
On June 23, 1976,Allegheny Airlines Flight 121, aMcDonnell Douglas DC-9, crash landed at PHL on final approach when encountering wind shear during a thunderstorm. There were 86 injuries out of the 4 crew and 102 passengers on board, but no fatalities. The aircraft was substantially damaged when it slid down the runway after touchdown, and was written off.[118]
On February 7, 2006, aUPS AirlinesDouglas DC-8 cargo plane suffered an in-flight cargo fire and made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport after filling with smoke.[119] There were no injuries other than smoke inhalation affecting the crew, but the plane burned on the ground for hours into the night, though most of the cargo survived, the aircraft was a total loss, with multiple holes burned through the roof skin. According to the NTSB,[120] the firefighting crew did not have adequate training on using their skin-piercing extinguishing equipment and not knowing how to open the main cargo door, attempted to force the handle and broke the latch, rendering the door unopenable. There were also difficulties in obtaining the cargo manifest to determine what if any hazardous materials were on board, due to confusion about protocol. However, despite these failings, the airport staff, including the firefighting staff, managed the incident successfully without injury or major disruption of the airport. The NTSB suspected lithium-ion batteries were the source of ignition and made recommendations for more stringent rules and restrictions on their air transport, especially on passenger aircraft (unlike this one). For a cause of the incident, the NTSB focused on the delayed indication of fire by the required onboard fire detection system and criticized the standards to which such systems are tested, noting that the tests use an empty cargo hold and do not represent the real-world performance of the detection systems with the hold full of cargo, which significantly changes the flow patterns of hot air and smoke. The crew and air traffic control personnel were found to have behaved properly (with minor exceptions) and not to be at fault for the incident or its outcome.
On March 13, 2014, US Airways Flight 1702, anAirbus A320-214, rotated then aborted takeoff and as a result suffered atailstrike and a noselanding gear collapse. The aircraft then continued down runway 27L coming to a stop off to the left of the runway. None of the 149 passengers and 5 crew members suffered life-threatening injuries. However, the aircraft saw substantial damage and was laterwritten off.[121] The aircraft was stored at the airport until 2021 when it was finally removed from the airport for scrapping.[citation needed]
On April 17, 2018,Southwest Airlines Flight 1380, aBoeing 737-700 en route from New York to Dallas, suffered anengine failure on its left engine. Debris from the engine struck the aircraft's fuselage and a side window. The window failed, causing arapid depressurization of the aircraft, which made an emergency descent and diverted to land at Philadelphia International Airport. One passenger died after being partially ejected from the failed window. Seven others were injured and treated locally at the airport.
^"Map". Philadelphia International Airport. RetrievedJune 26, 2023. Compare this map to that of Tinicum Township, which also indicates Philadelphia's boundaries.
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