Eppley Airfield facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Eppley Airfield
The OMA logo, styled after the Dance of the Cranes statue situated on the airport grounds
Eppley Airfield in December 2006
IATA: OMA ICAO: KOMA FAA LID: OMA
Summary
Owner/Operator	Omaha Airport Authority
Serves	Eastern Nebraska and Western Iowa
Location	4501 Abbott Drive Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Elevation AMSL	984 ft / 300 m
Coordinates	41°18′00″N 95°53′42″W / 41.30°N 95.895°W / 41.30; -95.895
Website	flyoma.com
Map
FAA airport diagram
Runway
Runway Length Surface ft m 14R/32L 9,502 2,896 Asphalt/concrete 14L/32R 8,501 2,591 Concrete 18/36 8,154 2,485 Asphalt/concrete
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft movements 98,398 Passengers 5,026,639 Air cargo (lbs) 115,115,185 Based aircraft 113 (2,022)
Sources: FAA and airport website

Eppley Airfield (OMA) is a busy airport in the Midwest. It is also called Omaha Airport. You can find it about 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of downtown Omaha, Nebraska.

This airport is on the west side of the Missouri River. It is the biggest airport in Nebraska. More planes take off and land here than at all other airports in the state combined! The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) calls it a "medium hub" airport. The Omaha Airport Authority (OAA) owns and runs it.

History of Eppley Airfield

Eppley Airfield started as part of Levi Carter Park in 1925. The city of Omaha bought 200 acres (0.81 km²) of land near Carter Lake. Soon after, planes began using the area for landings and takeoffs.

In 1927, a legal issue came up when a group wanted to build a hangar. The city won the case. The land was then known as both the Omaha Municipal Airport and the American Legion Airport.

By April 1957, about 42 airline flights left the airport each day. Most were from United Airlines and Braniff International Airways.

The airport is named after Eugene C. Eppley. He started the Eppley Hotel chain. In 1959–60, $1 million from his estate helped prepare the airport for jet planes. The government added more money for these upgrades. In 1960, the airport was renamed Eppley Airfield in his honor. The first jet planes, United Boeing 720s, landed there in August 1960.

The main terminal building opened in 1961. Concourse B opened in 1970. Concourse A opened in 1986, and Concourse B was updated then.

Omaha Airport Authority: Who Runs the Airport?

The Omaha Airport Authority was created in 1959. A group of five people manages it. Their job is to oversee and operate Eppley Airfield.

Past and Present Airlines at OMA

From 1995 to 2002, Midwest Airlines (then Midwest Express Airlines) had a "hub" at Eppley Airfield. A hub is a central airport where an airline sends many flights. From Omaha, they flew to cities like Milwaukee and Los Angeles. Midwest Airlines continued to fly to Milwaukee and Washington–Reagan until 2009.

In 2017, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines were the biggest airlines. Southwest carried the most passengers.

Eppley Airfield has a special area for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. This helps handle international flights. On May 1, 2018, Air Canada Express started the airport's first regular international flight to Toronto Pearson International Airport. This service ended in October 2019.

Future Plans for Eppley Airfield

In January 2016, Eppley Airfield finished making its United States Customs and Border Protection facility bigger. This helps them handle more international passengers. Eppley is a "Customs Landing Rights Airport." This means international flights can land there.

Big changes are planned for Eppley Airfield. These upgrades will make the terminal more modern. They will also add more gates and improve the experience for passengers.

In January 2024, the Omaha Airport Authority announced a $950 million plan. This plan includes many upgrades. Some construction is already happening or will start soon. For example, a new passenger drop-off lane is being built. A protective roof will cover the pick-up and drop-off area. These changes will also make the area easier to use for people with disabilities. They should be done by spring 2025.

Security screening will be moved to one central spot. This means passengers won't have to go through security again when moving between different parts of the airport. Concourse A and Concourse B will be connected by a long hallway. This will make the airport much larger.

The airport will rearrange its gates and add two new ones. This will bring the total to 22 gates. There will also be space for more gates in the future. Waiting areas at each gate will be bigger. The baggage claim area will also be expanded. New shops and food places will be added. Two gates will be set aside for international flights. They will have a new area for customs and border checks.

Where is Eppley Airfield?

The airport is northeast of downtown Omaha. It is in East Omaha. Even though the airport is in Nebraska, parts of Iowa surround it. This is because the Missouri River changed its path a long time ago.

In 1877, a flood caused the river to cut off a bend. This left behind Carter Lake. The Supreme Court decided in 1893 that this land, even though it was west of the river, was still part of Iowa. This land later became the city of Carter Lake, Iowa.

Airport Features

Eppley Airfield covers about 2,650 acres (10.7 km²). It is about 984 feet (300 m) above sea level. The airport has three runways. On average, seven airlines offer about 88 flights each day. These flights go to 33 different cities without stops. Seven cargo companies also use the airport for freight.

Terminals: Where You Catch Your Flight

The airport has two main terminal areas:

• The South Terminal includes Concourse A. It has gates A1 through A10. Baggage claims 1 through 3 are also here. Airlines like Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and Frontier Airlines use this terminal.
  • Alaska Airlines (A9)
  • Allegiant Air (A1)
  • American (A6-A8, A10)
  • Delta (A2-A5)
  • Frontier (A1)

• The North Terminal includes Concourse B. It has gates B11 through B20. Baggage claims 4 through 6 are here. Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines use this terminal.
  • Southwest (B16-B19)
  • Sun Country (B15)
  • United (B11-B14)

Gate B20 is not currently used because of construction.

Getting To and From the Airport

The airport is close to four major highways: I-80, I-480, I-680, and I-29.

You can find all the rental car companies in one building. It is connected to the North Terminal.

Metro Transit bus Line 16 offers limited service. It runs during rush hour on weekdays. Express Arrow buses also stop at the terminal. You can find passenger access right outside the terminal building.

Airlines and Destinations

Passenger Flights

Cargo Flights

Airport Statistics

Busiest Flight Routes from OMA

Busiest domestic routes from OMA (May 2023 – April 2024)

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Denver, Colorado	402,240	Frontier, Southwest, United
2	Atlanta, Georgia	219,930	Delta, Southwest
3	Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois	210,720	American, United
4	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	189,030	American
5	Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona	183,720	American, Southwest
6	Chicago–Midway, Illinois	173,500	Southwest
7	Las Vegas, Nevada	139,340	Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest
8	Charlotte, North Carolina	110,150	American
9	Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota	102,920	Delta
10	St. Louis, Missouri	96,180	Southwest

Airlines and Their Share of Passengers

How Many Passengers Use OMA Each Year?

Annual passenger traffic (enplaned and deplaned) at OMA, 2000–2023

2000s			2010s			2020s
Year	Passengers	Change	Year	Passengers	Change	Year	Passengers	Change
2000	3,814,440	01.08%0	2010	4,287,428	01.65%0	2020	2,140,016	057.4%0
2001	3,653,521	04.21%0	2011	4,212,399	01.75%0	2021	3,749,337	075.2%0
2002	3,608,231	01.23%0	2012	4,127,344	02.02%0	2022	4,506,713	020.2%0
2003	3,667,190	01.63%0	2013	4,042,333	02.06%0	2023	5,026,639	011.5%0
2004	3,868,217	05.48%0	2014	4,119,730	01.91%0
2005	4,193,046	08.40%0	2015	4,169,467	01.21%0
2006	4,229,856	00.88%0	2016	4,349,486	04.32%0
2007	4,421,274	04.53%0	2017	4,611,906	06.03%0
2008	4,370,137	01.16%0	2018	5,043,194	09.35%0
2009	4,217,718	03.49%0	2019	5,023,668	00.39%0

Airport Events and Incidents

• On December 6, 1978, a military plane from the Mexican Air Force had an engine fire. It crashed near the airport boundary. Sadly, all seven people on board were lost. The plane had been getting repairs and was leaking oil.
• On April 26, 2024, an EF2 tornado hit the airport. Several hangars for small planes were destroyed. About 30 airplanes were damaged or ruined. The airport closed briefly to check for damage. It reopened soon after.

Images for kids

• 

  Eppley on June 16, 2011 during the 2011 Missouri River floods

• 

  Eppley Airfield and downtown Omaha

• 

  Omaha Airport Police cruiser

See also

In Spanish: Aeropuerto Eppley para niños