ASHEVILLE AIRPORT (AVL) INFORMATION

Asheville Airport (IATA code: AVL) is a commercial airport near Interstate 26, the town of Fletcher, 14km south of downtown Asheville, North Carolina, United States.

The Greater Asheville Airport Authority owns and operates the airport. Meanwhile, the FAA or Federal Aviation Administration-National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2019 to 2023 classified the airfield as a small primary commercial hub assistance facility.

Asheville Airport covers 900 acres or 360 hectares and has one asphalt runway measuring 2,439 meters by 46 meters. It has an elevation of 660 meters, Above the Mean Sea Level (AMSL).

As part of Project SOAR, which means Significant Opportunity for Aviation in our Region, the existing runway of over 50 years was nearing the end of its useful life. It required significant reconstruction for future services.

Also, the existing landing strip did not meet the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) prerequisites that were put in place long after it was initially established.

The newly constructed runway entered service on November 5, 2020.

The Asheville Airport is a hub city for Allegiant Air which bases Airbus A320 family aircraft and crew at the airport.

Transfer Services at Asheville Airport

Transportation is essential in North Carolina, particularly in Asheville. There are distinguished areas where transfer services are available, especially outside most huge renowned establishments such as airports and terminals.

Asheville Airport provides various transportation for all flying guests. Transfer services include car rentals, taxis, hotel shuttles, rideshares, and buses. However, they can only pick up and drop off passengers outside the terminal building at the ground transportation area.

It is also best for all passenger guests to check the luggage requirement before their flight to know what items are allowed for hand-carry and check-in baggage. Personal items must be secured before boarding and deplaning the aircraft.

Rental Car Services at Asheville Airport

Asheville Airport has a few car rental partners offering interested clients services. To rent a vehicle, renters may proceed to the Arrivals Hall, where the airport car rental counters are located.

Foreign renters must present a driver's license, passport, and identification card at the rental counter and be credit card holders. Please check the list of valid credit cards at your chosen rental agency.

Renters must be at least 25 years old to qualify for a vehicle. They must also complete the given contract.

We also provide convenient online car rental services through the company's official websites. However, online payment is required for comfort.

Car Rental Rates may vary depending on the company and the selected vehicle.

For more information about renting vehicles, please visit our car rentals page.

Rideshare Services at Asheville Airport

Rideshare cars are serving Asheville Airport. They can pick up and drop passengers outside the terminal building at the ground transportation area.

Interested passengers may also download the ride application on their smartphones for convenience.

Taxis at Asheville Airport

Metered taxi cabs are available outside the terminal building of Asheville Airport. However, they can only pick up and drop off passenger guests at the ground transportation area.

The airport is approximately 14 miles or about 30 to 35 minutes to and from Downtown Asheville via its fastest route, US-25 N. See more information about taxis at Asheville Airport.

The regular taxi rate from the airport to downtown Asheville and vice versa ranges from $30.00 to $35.00.

Note that taxi fares vary depending on the passenger's destination and traffic conditions within the district.

Buses at Asheville Airport

Buses are Asheville's public transit, giving commuters a more convenient and accessible transfer service to and from Asheville Airport.

Asheville Rides Transit (ART) and Apple Country Public Transit offer bus services within Asheville, North Carolina, and neighboring areas.

They are available outside the airport's terminal building. More information about buses to and from Asheville Airport.

Bus fares vary depending on the passenger's point of destination.

Trains at Asheville Airport

Train transit is not accessible at Asheville Airport. However, two railway stations are located in South Carolina, just an hour's drive from downtown Asheville. More information about train services near Asheville Airport.

Hotel Shuttle Services at Asheville Airport

Local accommodations in Asheville provide hotel shuttles. Some are complimentary, and some are charged an additional fee for the transfer service.

Therefore, travelers must have their hotel shuttles confirmed before arriving or departing from Asheville Airport.

Shuttles can only pick up and drop off passenger guests at the airport's ground transportation center.

For further details about hotel shuttle services, please visit our hotel page.

Parking at Asheville Airport

Safe, affordable, and convenient parking areas are offered to all public guests of Asheville Airport.

Hourly, Daily, Garage, Shuttle, and Handicapped Parking are conveniently located within the airport's premises.

Please visit our parking page for additional information about parking rates and availability.

Other Services at Asheville Airport

Guest Services, Dining, Recharge Stations, Gift Shops, and many other services are offered at Asheville Airport.

The airport administration would love to offer a pleasant experience to every flying facility guest.

Please refer below for some specific amenities and features at Asheville Airport.

Disabled Passengers at Asheville Airport

Asheville Airport is a disabled-friendly establishment that offers the utmost service for persons with special needs.

There are wheelchairs, handicapped parking and restrooms, medical aid services, PWD jetways, and teletypewriter communication or telephone devices for individuals with special needs.

Therefore, flying guests are encouraged to contact their airline provider or the airport's guest service center to prepare the needed facilities before their flight schedule.

WiFi at Asheville Airport

Complimentary WiFi access is provided for all staff and passenger guests of Asheville Airport.

Baggage Claim at Asheville Airport

The Baggage Claim Area is on the south end at the ground floor level of Asheville Airport.

Luggage carts are available for rental, and skycaps or porters also lend their services to passengers needing assistance.

Information Desk at Asheville Airport

Asheville Airport has a Guest Services Center or the Welcome Center. This facility caters to passenger queries, gives assistance, and provides information to every guest.

Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will be honored to help guests with transportation arrangements, directions, site maps, flight information, luggage cart rental, paging, postage, shipping, photocopying, faxing, and scanning.

They may also contact the center at +1 828-209-3660 or email them at gs@flyavl.com.

Smoking at Asheville Airport

Asheville Airport is a non-smoking facility. Therefore, smoking is strictly not allowed in all public areas, including food hubs and bars within the premises.

A few designated smoking spots are marked outside the terminal.

Lost and Found Section at Asheville Airport

Left and missing items are turned over to the Lost and Found Office of Asheville Airport. Guests may contact them at +1 828-209-3660.

Most items in the facility are stored for 90 days before being them to local charity groups.

For items left on the aircraft, passengers must contact their airline immediately.

Restrooms at Asheville Airport

There are restrooms throughout Asheville Airport. They are available at the pre-and post-security areas of the facility.

Nursing Stations at Asheville Airport

A Lactation or Nursing Room is available in the post-security area.

ATMs at Asheville Airport

An Automatic Teller Machine is available in the pre-security area of the main terminal building.

Currency exchange at Asheville Airport

Currency exchange service is not available inside Asheville Airport. However, there are nearby foreign exchange outlets outside the airport premises.

Food and Beverages at Asheville Airport

Food concessions are available at the pre-and post-security section of Asheville Airport's terminal building.

Shopping at Asheville Airport

Retail gift shops are accessible in the post-security area of the airport’s main terminal building.

Pet Relief Area at Asheville Airport

Animal Relief Areas for travelers with pets are located at the landside northern portion of the main terminal building; one on the grassy ground adjacent to the edge of the building and one in the post-security area.

Ticketing Services at Asheville Airport

It has been fortunate for all passenger guests of Asheville Airport to avail of convenient ticketing services at its terminal building.

Each airline has its ticketing counter and schedule of operation. For further details, please visit https://flyavl.com/flights-and-airlines/airlines.

History of Asheville Airport

In 1925, the Asheville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) assigned an aviation commission to research the feasibility of developing an airport facility. The land between Asheville and Hendersonville was later identified as the possible area for a commercial landing field. Later in 1928, ACC and the City of Asheville rented the land and started developing an airport facility.

1944, The United States Army Corp of Engineers managed the airport from 1943 to 1947, providing air transportation for their transmissions and weather base camp. This time, national funds were acquired to construct three 4,000-foot paved runways, a command tower, and a fire station.

On May 14, 1957, operations at the airport were restricted due to the nearness of mountain ridges surrounding the area, so superiors devised a new site and airport in Asheville. They also administered a bond permitting the City of Asheville to spend up to $1.2 million to develop the airport, accommodating bigger aircraft utilized in commercial air voyages.

On January 15, 1961, the new $2.2 million regional airport was authorized to operate day and night retail flights. The new airport comprises 740 acres, over 25,000 sq. ft. terminal building (still under construction), and a 6,500-foot runway. The City government of Asheville operated it.

On June 7, 1961, the airport's main terminal building opened to the public, permitting the facility to join the levels as a fully-operational commercial airport. The following year, an ILS (instrument Landing System) was lodged, providing the added safety standards for aviators of an "invisible highway" to the airport's landing field.

In 1986, a state-of-the-art wind shear detection scheme was installed to enhance safeness. In 1987, Airline companies continued to add services for passenger guests of Asheville Airport. Many flying guests were gathered inside the airport—a reason for a $20 million airport expansion and renovation project to begin.

Moving forward with many expansions and rehabilitation projects, in 2014, GARAA agreed on a $115 million, four-phase construction project known as Project SOAR. This resulted in a complete airfield redevelopment. At this point, the airport project is the most noteworthy development project launched by the airport since it was initially built and opened in 1961.

After four years of historic and record-breaking passenger air assistance, in 2018, more than a million annual passengers had flights to and from Asheville Airport, exceeding 2017's record by 19%. The remarkable growth was compelled by significant air service connections provided by six airlines, such as Allegiant, American, Delta, Elite, Spirit, and United. This paved the way for western North Carolina's growth as an attractive business and leisure destination for tourists throughout the U.S.

The growth propelled additional investments and infrastructure toward facility planning, which resulted in the commissioning of a Terminal Modernization Project. This will eventually result in a larger terminal, more departure gates, and rooms for aircraft to accommodate even more growth.

Currently, the expansion and modernization program at Asheville Airport continues. Passenger numbers continuously increase at record highs, and the airport bursts at the seams. The airport continues to plan for a larger terminal, expand the aircraft apron and ramp areas, and complete a west-side taxiway to open more land for aeronautical development. A new free-standing air traffic control tower is also being designed. These projects will take about four years to complete.

About Asheville, North Carolina

Asheville City in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States, is the largest city in Western North Carolina. It is also known to be the state's eleventh most populated metropolis.

Based on the 2020 United States Census, the metro's population was over 94,500, up from more than 83,390 in the 2010 census. It is the central city in the four-county Asheville urban area, with inhabitants of more than 424,800 in 2010 and 469,015 in 2020.

In 2017, Buncombe County attracted 11.1 million visitors, including 3.9 million overnight guests. Visitors spent $2 billion, generating $3.1 billion in economic impact and supporting 27,240 jobs, as the esteemed research firm Tourism Economics reported. Tourism is the third largest employer in the area and a significant driver of the Asheville economy.

• On average, 30,410 people visit Buncombe County daily, spending $5.4 million daily.
• Tourism generated $199.2 million in state and local taxes, helping offset the average Buncombe County household tax burden by $1,950 per household.
• The tourism industry supports 1-in-7 jobs in Buncombe County. Without tourism, the unemployment rate would be 15.2%.

Weather in Asheville, North Carolina

Summers in Asheville are warm and humid, while winters are brief yet, freezing, and it is a wet and partly cloudy year round.

Over the year, the temperature varies typically from 28°F to 83°F and is seldom below 14°F or above 89°F.

The best month to visit Asheville for a warm-cozy weather adventure is from early June to late September.

Useful Contact Details

Asheville is a principal city of the Asheville-Brevard CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes other nearby places in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, and the Transylvania Counties.

North Carolina Emergency Hotline: 911

Anyone can ask for assistance from the proper authorities in North Carolina, particularly in Asheville.

Crisis and emergency services for substance abuse, intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities, and mental health issues are available in North Carolina. Through the 911 emergency hotline, call or text local code 988 or chat at http://www.988lifeline.org/.

Hospital

Mission Hospital

Address: 509 Biltmore Avenue Asheville, North Carolina, United States 28801

Phone: +1 828-213-1111

Police Station

Asheville Police Department

Address:100 Court Plaza, Asheville, North Carolina 28801, USA

Phone: +1 828-252-1110

Asheville Airport Contacts

Address: 61 Terminal Dr #1, Fletcher, North Carolina 28732, United States

General Phone: +1 828-684-2226

Lost and Found Phone: +1 828-209-3660

Official website: https://flyavl.com/

Local Information

Drive on: Right

Electricity: 120V/60Hz

Plug: A, B

Currency: U.S. Dollar, Dollar, $

WiFi at Airport: WiFi service is free and accessible within the airport's terminal building.