Richmond International Airport | |||||||||||||||
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||
| Owner/Operator | Capital Region Airport Commission | ||||||||||||||
| Serves | Central Virginia | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Sandston, Virginia, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 167 ft / 51 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°30′18″N077°19′10″W / 37.50500°N 77.31944°W /37.50500; -77.31944 | ||||||||||||||
| Website | flyrichmond | ||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||
 FAA airport diagram (2009) | |||||||||||||||
 Interactive map of Richmond International Airport | |||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||||||||
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| Sources:Federal Aviation Administration[1] and RIC Airport[2] | |||||||||||||||
Richmond International Airport (IATA:RIC,ICAO:KRIC,FAALID:RIC) is a joint civil-military airport inSandston, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community (inHenrico County). The airport is about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of downtownRichmond, the capital of theCommonwealth of Virginia. Richmond International Airport is the busiest airport incentral Virginia and the third-busiest in the state behindWashington Reagan andWashington Dulles.[3] RIC covers 2,500 acres (1,012 ha) of land.[1][4]
The Capital Region Airport Commission (CRAC) owns and operates Richmond International Airport. Established in 1975 by theVirginia General Assembly,[5] the commission is overseen by representatives of the counties ofChesterfield,Hanover, andHenrico, and theCity of Richmond. RIC serves theGreater Richmond Region with non-stop flights to 26 destinations, served by seven air carriers. A joint civil-military public airport, RIC encompasses the former property of the Richmond International Airport Air National Guard Station, which was transferred to the Department of the Army in support ofU.S. Army Reserves andVirginia Army National Guard Activities.[6]
In the early 2000s, Richmond saw another period of extensive growth, and in 2005 it announced a complete redesign. RIC went from a single story terminal with 12 gates to 22 gates (plus numerous non-jet bridge gates), added parking spaces (to 10,500), and created a new terminal roadway and air traffic control tower. The project features major renovations of the terminal building, including upper-level departures and lower-level arrivals, the construction of a central utility plant, and the widening of security checkpoints. Construction on the two-level terminal was completed in spring 2007, and was designed by Gresham, Smith & Partners.[7] Due to passenger growth, Richmond reopened its international gate (B15) for flights to Cancun, Toronto and Punta Cana, all of which are seasonal services.
In 2016, Richmond recorded its second highest yearly passenger volume, and the airport had a major expansion begun in late 2018. The number of gates increased from 22 to 28 or 30 by adding 6 or 8 gates (net) to its A Concourse.[8] Construction commenced in late 2018 and lasted for 3 years. The expansion was completed in 2021.[9]
The airport also expanded the checkpoint area in Concourse B, from four to six TSA screening lanes. The TSA lane expansion commenced in the fall of 2018 and was completed in June 2019. Concourse A has three screening lanes in its checkpoint area, though that is likely to be expanded in the next few years. More construction at the airport is coming - the Capital Region Airport Commission is looking into moving the rental car counters from the central portion of the lower lobby level to an expanded north baggage claim area. The airport also expects to add an enclosed two-level connecting walkway between the terminal and the rental car garage.[10] The rental car garage is also set to expand. In November 2024, the Commission announced an official plan to consolidate the TSA security checkpoints into one central location, made possible by a $2.5 million FAA grant.[11] The number of lanes is not finalized yet, but the construction and updates is expected to begin in late 2026.[citation needed]
In 2016, Richmond International Airport handled over 63,000tons of cargo, an all-time high. Cargo services include more than 100,000 square feet (10,000 m2) of warehouse/office space and 1,000,000 square feet (100,000 m2) of apron space. The airport is designated aForeign Trade Zone. Because of its position on the Eastern Seaboard, cargo transit via RIC is on the rise. Goods shipped out of the metropolitan Richmond area can reach 72% of the U.S. population within 24 hours.
In 2016, RIC reported its 32nd consecutive month of growth, with an estimated 345,000 travelers reported in October 2016. Several airlines serving RIC have responded to growing demand with upgraded routes and aircraft.Delta Air Lines,JetBlue Airways andSouthwest Airlines added additional routes and larger aircraft in 2017.United Airlines up-gauged itsDenver service to a mainline aircraft, replacing theEmbraer E-175 used withUnited Express.
In 2017, the airport served 3,657,479 passengers, a record for the airport at that time,[12] breaking its previous record of 3,634,544 in 2007. In 2023, RIC set an all-time passenger record of 4,755,889.[13] RIC is served by airlines flying primarily domestic routes to cities in the South, Northeast and Midwest, and connecting flights to majorhubs for international destinations.
The airport will plan to open scheduled flights to Europe.[14]
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The airport was dedicated asRichard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in 1927 in honor of aviatorRichard E. Byrd, brother of thenGov.Harry F. Byrd.Charles Lindbergh attended the dedication ceremony. Although the facility was in Henrico County, Richmond MayorJohn Fulmer Bright was instrumental in the creation of Byrd Field, which was initially owned by the City of Richmond. It was renamedRichard E. Byrd Airport in 1950, and became Richmond International Airport in 1984. The airport's manager from 1957 to 1988 was Anthony E. Dowd, Sr.[15]
A terminal building designed byMarcellus Wright and Son was completed in 1950.[16] It was expanded from 1968 to 1970, which included the current passenger concourses.[17]
The April 1957Official Airline Guide lists 43 weekday departures: 22 onEastern Air Lines, ten onPiedmont Airlines, five onAmerican Airlines, four onNational Airlines and two onCapital Airlines.
In the mid-1970sUnited Airlines scheduled a daily round trip between Richmond and Los Angeles (LAX) with aDouglas DC-8-61 viaWashington–Dulles.[18][19] The DC-8-61 was most likely the largest passenger airliner ever scheduled to the airport. United was also flyingBoeing 727-200s andBoeing 737-200s to the airport, including nonstop flights toWashington–National in addition to Dulles.[18] Other airlines at Richmond in 1975 includedEastern Air Lines operatingBoeing 727s andMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s with nonstops fromAtlanta,New York–JFK,New York–LaGuardia andRaleigh/Durham; andPiedmont Airlines operatingBoeing 737-200s andNAMC YS-11s nonstop fromCharleston (WV),Chicago–O'Hare,Huntington,Lynchburg (VA),Newport News,Norfolk,Raleigh/Durham,Roanoke,Rocky Mount/Wilson, andWashington–National.[18]Altair Airlines, a commuter air carrier, was serving Richmond withBeechcraft 99s nonstop fromBaltimore,Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE.[18]
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The February 15, 1985OAG listed five airlines serving Richmond with jet aircraft includingDelta Air Lines,Eastern Air Lines,Piedmont Airlines,United Airlines andUSAir.[20] Delta was operatingBoeing 737-200s andMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop fromAtlanta; Eastern was operatingBoeing 727-100s,McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s andMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-50s nonstop fromAtlanta,Charlotte,Greensboro,New York–JFK andNew York–LaGuardia; Piedmont was operatingBoeing 727-200s,Boeing 737-200s andFokker F28 Fellowships nonstop fromBaltimore,Charlotte,Chicago–O'Hare,Greensboro,Kinston (NC),Louisville,New York–LaGuardia,Norfolk andPhiladelphia, United was operatingBoeing 727-100 andBoeing 727-200 nonstop fromBaltimore,Chicago–O'Hare andNorfolk, and USAir was operatingBAC One-Elevens andMcDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop fromPhiladelphia andPittsburgh. Four commuter and regional airlines were at Richmond, including Air Virginia which was operating a hub at the airport flyingSwearingen Metroliners nonstop fromBaltimore,Charlottesville (VA),Lynchburg (VA),New Bern (NC),Newport News,New York–LaGuardia,Newark,Norfolk,Philadelphia,Raleigh/Durham,Roanoke, andWashington–National;Delta Connection operated byComair with nonstopSaab 340s and Swearingen Metroliners operated on acode sharing basis for Delta fromRoanoke; Piedmont Regional Airlines operatingBeechcraft 99,de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 andShort 330 turboprops with nonstop service flown on a code sharing basis for Piedmont fromBaltimore,Newport News,Norfolk andRoanoke; andWheeler Airlines operating Beechcraft 99 turboprops nonstop fromDanville (VA),Raleigh/Durham,Washington–National andWilmington (DE).[20] By 1986 Wheeler Airlines had a small hub at the airport and had added nonstop flights fromCharleston (WV) andParkersburg (WV).[21]
In 2021, the airport closed Runway 07/25 and converted it to Taxiway H.[22]
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Atlanta, Georgia | 485,130 | Delta, Southwest |
| 2 |  Charlotte, North Carolina | 350,380 | American |
| 3 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 144,990 | American |
| 4 |  Fort Lauderdale, Florida | 131,610 | JetBlue, Spirit |
| 5 |  New York–LaGuardia, New York | 124,450 | American, Delta |
| 6 |  Boston, Massachusetts | 124,150 | Delta, JetBlue |
| 7 | Orlando, Florida | 119,550 | JetBlue, Spirit |
| 8 |  Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois | 115,030 | American, United |
| 9 |  Denver, Colorado | 90,470 | Southwest, United |
| 10 |  Newark, New Jersey | 71,860 | United |
| Rank | Airline | Passenger | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Airlines | 1,038,000 | 21.37% |
| 2 | Delta Air Lines | 876,000 | 18.03% |
| 3 | Southwest Airlines | 463,000 | 9.54% |
| 4 | JetBlue | 394,000 | 8.12% |
| 5 | Spirit Airlines | 299,000 | 6.15% |
| Other | 1,786,000 | 36.78% |
| Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 2,618,921 | 2009 | 3,305,199 | 2019 | 4,379,663 |
| 2000 | 2,687,444 | 2010 | 3,311,747 | 2020 | 1,702,372 |
| 2001 | 2,411,732 | 2011 | 3,179,956 | 2021 | 3,190,200 |
| 2002 | 2,360,418 | 2012 | 3,167,294 | 2022 | 4,068,689 |
| 2003 | 2,390,497 | 2013 | 3,196,480 | 2023 | 4,755,889 |
| 2004 | 2,496,230 | 2014 | 3,352,651 | 2024 | 4,884,093 |
| 2005 | 2,903,503 | 2015 | 3,513,142 | 2025 | |
| 2006 | 3,294,045 | 2016 | 3,559,052 | 2026 | |
| 2007 | 3,634,544 | 2017 | 3,657,479 | 2027 | |
| 2008 | 3,490,356 | 2018 | 4,077,763 | 2028 |
Richmond International Airport serves as an Aviation Support Facility for theVirginia Army National Guard224th Aviation Regiment. The Army National Guard currently has 25 helicopters including 18UH-60's, 3HH-60's, and 4UH-72's based at the facility. The facility also has 1C-12 Huron which serves a cargo/passenger transport role.[62]
Until October 2007, the192d Fighter Wing (192 FW), anAir Combat Command (ACC)-gained unit of theVirginia Air National Guard, maintained anAir National Guard station, operatingF-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the airport. In late 2007, pursuant toBRAC 2005 action, the 192 FW relinquished its F-16C and F-16D aircraft and moved toLangley AFB (nowJoint Base Langley-Eustis), to integrate with the Regular Air Force as an associate unit to the1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) flying theF-22 Raptor.
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