Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)
Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, formerly Williams Gateway Airport (1994–2008) and Williams Air Force Base (1948–1993), is an international airport in the southeastern area of Mesa, Arizona, 20 mi southeast of Phoenix, in Maricopa County. The airport, owned and operated by the Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport Authority, is a reliever airport for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. It is a base for Allegiant Air.
The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011 called Phoenix–Mesa Gateway a reliever airport, which is a general aviation airport used to relieve congestion at a large airline airport. Allegiant Air began scheduled service from Mesa in October 2007. Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport reports the airport had 1,774,763 passenger boardings in 2019. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport has different codes for each. The aviation community generally uses the FAA code of IWA, while commercial passenger-flight organizations use the IATA code of AZA.
The airport was built in 1941 as Higley Field. It was renamed Williams Field on February 24, 1942, in honor of Arizona native First Lieutenant Charles Linton Williams (1898–1927), who was killed while serving with the 19th Pursuit Squadron at Wheeler Field, Oahu, when he had to ditch his Boeing PW-9A, 26-353, in the Pacific Ocean about a mile off of Fort DeRussy. The fort was located in the then-named Territory of Hawaii (Hawaii would become a state in 1959). In 1948, Williams Field was acquired by the US military and renamed Williams Air Base. It was a flight-training field during World War II.
In 1948, Williams became the first jet training base. In 1966, it was the first site of the Undergraduate Pilot Training program. The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended closing the base, and it closed in 1993.
As the base was being shut down, growing traffic at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix was figured to warrant an alternative airport. The runway was expanded to accommodate airliners, and the facility opened in 1994 as Williams Gateway Airport. Bids were submitted by some airlines to begin flights almost immediately.
In 2004, charter airline Ryan International Airlines began MD-82 flights to Bullhead City International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, next to Laughlin, Nevada, and many resorts. In recent years, the airport again became a center of flight training. Flight schools take advantage of the clear weather in the Phoenix valley.
On July 31, 2007, the low-cost Las Vegas-based carrier Allegiant Air announced plans to open a focus city at Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, connecting the Phoenix area to 13 cities. Service commenced on October 25, 2007, with cities being added until November 21, 2007. In a September 17, 2007 press release, the Williams Gateway Airport Authority governing board approved a name change for Williams Gateway Airport effective October 15 to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport.
On June 16, 2015, after Elite Airways announced non-stop flights from San Diego and Salt Lake City to Phoenix–Mesa, Allegiant threatened to leave the airport. This was primarily due to the incentives the airport is offering to Elite. If Allegiant were to leave, it would consider relocating to the nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
On January 21, 2017, Phoenix–Mesa welcomed its first international flight and first two international destinations, as Westjet inaugurated its seasonal service to Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. Westjet had seen success at Phoenix Sky Harbor for years, with Calgary and Edmonton being the first and sixth-most popular international destinations at Sky Harbor, respectively.
On May 3, 2021, Phoenix–Mesa welcomed Avelo Airlines, which is based at Hollywood-Burbank Airport. The service was short lived and the airline's final flight to/from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway was on August 16, 2021.
The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2007–2011 called Phoenix–Mesa Gateway a reliever airport, which is a general aviation airport used to relieve congestion at a large airline airport. Allegiant Air began scheduled service from Mesa in October 2007. Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport reports the airport had 1,774,763 passenger boardings in 2019. Most U.S. airports use the same three-letter location identifier for the FAA and IATA, but Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport has different codes for each. The aviation community generally uses the FAA code of IWA, while commercial passenger-flight organizations use the IATA code of AZA.
The airport was built in 1941 as Higley Field. It was renamed Williams Field on February 24, 1942, in honor of Arizona native First Lieutenant Charles Linton Williams (1898–1927), who was killed while serving with the 19th Pursuit Squadron at Wheeler Field, Oahu, when he had to ditch his Boeing PW-9A, 26-353, in the Pacific Ocean about a mile off of Fort DeRussy. The fort was located in the then-named Territory of Hawaii (Hawaii would become a state in 1959). In 1948, Williams Field was acquired by the US military and renamed Williams Air Base. It was a flight-training field during World War II.
In 1948, Williams became the first jet training base. In 1966, it was the first site of the Undergraduate Pilot Training program. The 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Commission recommended closing the base, and it closed in 1993.
As the base was being shut down, growing traffic at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix was figured to warrant an alternative airport. The runway was expanded to accommodate airliners, and the facility opened in 1994 as Williams Gateway Airport. Bids were submitted by some airlines to begin flights almost immediately.
In 2004, charter airline Ryan International Airlines began MD-82 flights to Bullhead City International Airport in Bullhead City, Arizona, next to Laughlin, Nevada, and many resorts. In recent years, the airport again became a center of flight training. Flight schools take advantage of the clear weather in the Phoenix valley.
On July 31, 2007, the low-cost Las Vegas-based carrier Allegiant Air announced plans to open a focus city at Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport, connecting the Phoenix area to 13 cities. Service commenced on October 25, 2007, with cities being added until November 21, 2007. In a September 17, 2007 press release, the Williams Gateway Airport Authority governing board approved a name change for Williams Gateway Airport effective October 15 to Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport.
On June 16, 2015, after Elite Airways announced non-stop flights from San Diego and Salt Lake City to Phoenix–Mesa, Allegiant threatened to leave the airport. This was primarily due to the incentives the airport is offering to Elite. If Allegiant were to leave, it would consider relocating to the nearby Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
On January 21, 2017, Phoenix–Mesa welcomed its first international flight and first two international destinations, as Westjet inaugurated its seasonal service to Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. Westjet had seen success at Phoenix Sky Harbor for years, with Calgary and Edmonton being the first and sixth-most popular international destinations at Sky Harbor, respectively.
On May 3, 2021, Phoenix–Mesa welcomed Avelo Airlines, which is based at Hollywood-Burbank Airport. The service was short lived and the airline's final flight to/from Phoenix-Mesa Gateway was on August 16, 2021.
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Map - Phoenix–Mesa Gateway Airport (Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport)
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