Gerald R. Ford International Airport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
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Gerald R. Ford International Airport
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||||||||||
| Owner | Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority & Kent County | ||||||||||||||||||
| Operator | Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority | ||||||||||||||||||
| Serves | Grand Rapids, Michigan | ||||||||||||||||||
| Location | Cascade Charter Township, MI, US | ||||||||||||||||||
| Focus city for | Allegiant Air | ||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 794 ft / 242 m | ||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 42°52′51″N 85°31′22″W / 42.88083°N 85.52278°W | ||||||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||||||
 GRR
Location in Michigan
GRR
Location in the United States
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| Statistics (2019) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Sources GRR and FAA
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The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (airport codes: GRR, KGRR) is a busy airport for passenger and cargo flights. It is located in Cascade Township, about 13 miles (21 km) southeast of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The airport is owned by the Kent County government and managed by a special airport authority. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) sees it as an important airport for commercial flights.
The airport was first called the Kent County Airport, then Kent County International Airport. In December 1999, it was renamed after Gerald R. Ford. He was the 40th Vice President and the 38th President of the United States. Ford represented the Grand Rapids area in the United States House of Representatives from 1949 to 1973.
This airport is the largest commercial airport in the West Michigan area. It is the second-largest airport in Michigan, after Detroit Metropolitan Airport. GRR covers a large area of 3,127 acres (1,265 hectares). Currently, the airport offers flights to 34 different cities within the United States.
Contents
- Airport History: From Early Flights to Modern Travel
- Airport Facilities: What You'll Find at GRR
- Airlines and Destinations: Where You Can Fly From GRR
- Airport Statistics: How Many People Fly Through GRR?
- Getting to and From the Airport
- Aircraft Spotting: Watching Planes at GRR
- Future Plans and Airport Development
- Images for kids
- See also
Airport History: From Early Flights to Modern Travel
The First Airport in Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids got its first airport in November 1919. It was located about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the city center. This was eight years after the first airplane landed in the area. That first landing was a Wright biplane at the Comstock Park State Fairgrounds on September 10, 1911. The Kent County Board of Supervisors ran this early airport.
Pioneering Air Service and Improvements
The very first scheduled air service in the United States began on July 26, 1926. It flew between Grand Rapids and Dearborn. The plane used was a Ford-Stout monoplane named Miss Grand Rapids. Later, in 1938–1939, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) helped improve the airport. The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. They added new runways, widened existing ones, put up fences, and updated the main building.
Building a New Airport for the Future
Around 1940, the airport grew, reaching from 32nd to 36th Streets. In 1959, Kent County started building a brand new airport in Cascade Township. This new airport was several miles east of the old one. It officially opened on November 23, 1963, and was dedicated on June 6, 1964. It had a 6,600-foot (2,012 m) runway and a 3,400-foot (1,036 m) runway.
The Jet Age Arrives
The first scheduled jet flight at the new airport was on April 28, 1968. It was a United Airlines Boeing 737-200 flying from Chicago O'Hare. This plane was named 'City of Grand Rapids'. In 1968, the only direct flights outside of Michigan were to Chicago and Green Bay.
Becoming an International Airport
On January 27, 1977, the airport was renamed Kent County International Airport. This happened because a U.S. Customs Service Office opened in the main terminal. This office allowed the airport to handle international flights directly.
Modern Upgrades and Growth
In 1997, a new 8,500-foot (2,591 m) runway (17/35) was added. This allowed flights to continue while the main runway (8R/26L) was rebuilt. That project cost $32 million and finished in 2001. The passenger terminal was also updated in 2000, costing about $50 million.
In 2004, the airport served over 2 million passengers in one year for the first time. By 2010, this record was broken with almost 2.2 million passengers. This was a big increase of over 23% from 2009.
A Special Flight for a President
On January 2, 2007, a U.S. Air Force jet brought the remains of former president Gerald Ford to his namesake airport. This was part of his funeral services. He was buried at his presidential museum in Grand Rapids the next day.
Airline Changes and Focus Cities
From April 2010 to October 2011, the airport was a focus city for Allegiant Air. This means Allegiant Air used GRR as a key airport for many of its flights. Air Canada used to have the airport's only international flights to Toronto Pearson International Airport from 2008 to 2013. In January 2019, Allegiant Air announced that GRR would become one of its focus cities again. They added new routes to Nashville, Tennessee, and Savannah-Hilton Head, Georgia.
Airport Facilities: What You'll Find at GRR
Runways and Terminal Layout
Gerald R. Ford International Airport has two runways that run east–west and one that runs north–south. Besides areas for cargo planes and private planes, the airport has a passenger terminal. This terminal has two concourses: Concourse A has seven gates, and Concourse B has eight gates. Runways 8R/26L and 17/35 have special ILS equipment. This helps planes land safely, even in bad weather. There's also a 5,000-foot (1,524 m) runway for smaller, private planes.
Passenger Amenities and Security
In September 2017, the airport opened the first part of its Gateway Transformation project. This was a 59,000 square foot addition to the terminal. It included a single, larger security checkpoint for all passengers. It also added a new Marketplace with more shops and places to eat, along with new business centers and lounges.
Concourse A is used by Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines, and Frontier Airlines. American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines use Concourse B. All gates have climate-controlled jetways, which are covered walkways that connect the terminal to the airplane.
In 2002, when new baggage screening rules were introduced, this airport was the first in the country to test the new machines.
Airlines and Destinations: Where You Can Fly From GRR
Passenger Flights
Source:
| Destinations map |
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Cargo Flights
Source: Flight Aware
| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| FedEx Express | Indianapolis, Memphis, Boston |
| FedEx Feeder | Pellston, Sault Ste. Marie, Traverse City |
In 2019, the airport handled 91,396,017 pounds (41,456,100 kg) of air freight.
Airport Statistics: How Many People Fly Through GRR?
Top Domestic Destinations from GRR
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago–O’Hare, Illinois | 125,000 | American, United |
| 2 | Atlanta, Georgia | 110,000 | Delta |
| 3 | Detroit, Michigan | 89,000 | Delta |
| 4 | Denver, Colorado | 80,000 | Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 5 | Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota | 72,000 | Delta |
| 6 | Chicago–Midway, Illinois | 64,000 | Southwest |
| 7 | Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas | 54,000 | American |
| 8 | Charlotte, North Carolina | 48,000 | American |
| 9 | St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida | 42,000 | Allegiant |
| 10 | Orlando/Sanford, Florida | 42,000 | Allegiant |
| Rank | Airline | Passengers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Allegiant Air | 413,000 | 20.22% |
| 1 | Delta Airlines | 375,000 | 18.36% |
| 3 | Southwest Airlines | 277,000 | 13.54% |
| 4 | SkyWest | 182,000 | 8.93% |
| 5 | PSA Airlines | 134,000 | 6.54% |
Annual Passenger Traffic
| Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 1,976,833 | 2012 | 2,134,956 |
| 2004 | 2,150,125 | 2013 | 2,237,979 |
| 2005 | 2,090,505 | 2014 | 2,335,105 |
| 2006 | 2,015,846 | 2017 | 2,811,622 |
| 2007 | 1,990,896 | 2018 | 3,263,234 |
| 2008 | 1,809,445 | 2019 | 3,587,767 |
| 2009 | 1,771,465 | 2020 | — |
| 2010 | 2,185,924 | ||
| 2011 | 2,275,332 |
Getting to and From the Airport
Road Access and Car Services
The airport is located where 44th Street and Patterson Avenue meet. It is also close to major highways like I-96, M-6, M-37, and M-11.
You can find taxis and luxury car services like Metro Cab and Metro Cars at the airport. Several rental car companies also have offices there, including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National/Alamo.
Public Transportation Options
The Rapid bus service offers route 17, called Woodland/Airport. This bus travels between the airport and Woodland Mall (Kentwood Station). It runs on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. From Woodland Mall, passengers can connect to other bus routes to reach downtown Grand Rapids or other parts of the city.
Aircraft Spotting: Watching Planes at GRR
The airport has two great places for watching airplanes. One is an observation deck inside the passenger terminal building. It's on the mezzanine level and gives a clear view of the planes on the ground and runway 8R and 26L.
There's also an outdoor viewing area on Kraft Avenue, north of 52nd Street. This spot has picnic tables, trash cans, and a pavilion with restrooms. You can even tune into radio station 1650 AM to hear what air traffic controllers and pilots are saying! This outdoor viewing area is open every day from dawn until dusk.
Future Plans and Airport Development
Improving Stormwater Management
In 2013, the airport started building a natural system to manage stormwater. This system helps to clean rainwater runoff before it flows into the Thornapple River, which is just east of the airport. It uses natural methods to remove dirt and pollution.
Terminal Upgrades and Parking
The airport has been working on big improvements. They combined the two separate security checkpoints into one larger one in the main hall. This helps people move through security faster and prepares the airport for more passengers in the future. The main hall and entrance areas were also updated with more shopping and dining choices. This work started in late 2015 and finished in June 2017. Concourses A and B were also refreshed in early 2015.
In March 2015, the airport began building a roof over its parking garage. This roof covers most of the fourth floor, providing more covered parking spaces, especially useful during heavy snow. The garage roof was completed in November 2015.
New Viewing Area and Project Elevate
In 2016, the airport worked with the Cascade Community Foundation to renovate the outdoor viewing area. They wanted to make it a bigger and more welcoming place for people to relax and watch planes. The renovated park opened in May 2017.
In November 2018, the airport started the second part of its Gateway Transformation Project. This included rebuilding the baggage claim, check-in, and front areas of the terminal. They also finished updating the pavement for the apron (where planes park) and taxiways.
In August 2019, the airport announced its next big plan, called Project Elevate. This project includes three major parts:
- A $90 million expansion of Concourse A to add 8 more gates.
- A $50 million project to move and build a new air traffic control tower.
- A $25 million federal inspection station to make it easier for direct international flights to arrive and depart.
Images for kids
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Gerald R. Ford International Airport from above
See also
In Spanish: Aeropuerto Internacional Gerald R. Ford para niños
FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective 15 December 2011
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KGRR
- ASN accident history for GRR
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KGRR
- FAA current GRR delay information
