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Valley International Airport

Coordinates: 26°13′38″N 097°39′18″W / 26.22722°N 97.65500°W / 26.22722; -97.65500
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Harlingen International Airport
USGS 2006 orthophoto
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerCity of Harlingen
ServesHarlingen, Texas
Elevation AMSL36 ft / 11 m
Coordinates26°13′38″N 097°39′18″W / 26.22722°N 97.65500°W / 26.22722; -97.65500
Websitewww.FlyTheValley.com
Map
HRL is located in Texas
HRL
HRL
Location
HRL is located in the United States
HRL
HRL
HRL (the United States)
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
17R/35L 8,301 2,530 Asphalt
13/31 7,257 2,212 Asphalt
17L/35R 5,949 1,813 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Total Passengers710,380
Aircraft operations57,247

Valley International Airport (VIA) (IATA: HRL, ICAO: KHRL, FAA LID: HRL) is owned by the City of Harlingen, in Cameron County, Texas, United States.[1] It is operated by a nine-member airport board appointed by the mayor. HRL is centrally located in the Rio Grande Valley and is referred to as the "Gateway to South Padre Island" with travel amenities and door to door transportation to South Padre Island. With over 2,400 acres (970 ha) HRL is the largest airport in the RGV with room for future expansion. HRL has the longest runways in the area with modern aircraft approach systems that minimize chances of delays during bad weather.

Current airlines are Southwest Airlines, United Airlines (via United Express), American Airlines (via American Eagle), Frontier Airlines, Delta Air Lines (seasonally via Delta Connection) Sun Country Airlines (seasonal service) and most recently Mexican air carrier VivaAerobús. Destinations served nonstop from the airport include Austin, Chicago (ORD), Dallas (both Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field), Denver, Houston (both Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Houston Hobby Airport), Las Vegas, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Monterrey, and Orlando. The airport is also a large air cargo port ranked in the top 80 airports in the United States and is served by FedEx and DHL wide body jet freighters.

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.[2]

History

For military usage, see Harlingen Air Force Base.

Harlingen Air Force Base closed in 1962; a 1961 budget by President John F. Kennedy proposed to close 70 air bases in the U.S., and the military airfield was turned over to the City of Harlingen and then converted to civil use as Valley International Airport after 1967 following Hurricane Beulah flooding the original Harlingen civil airport (at 26°12′22″N 97°45′14″W / 26.206°N 97.754°W / 26.206; -97.754, where the Harlingen Country Club is now located).

Past airline service

From 1947–48 to 1960, Trans-Texas Airways (TTa) Douglas DC-3s served Harlingen Air Force Base; in 1960 Harvey Richards Field received a new 4900-ft runway and TTa moved their operations there until the airline moved its flights back to the former air force base following Hurricane Beulah.

The first jet service into Harlingen was operated by Trans-Texas Airways with Douglas DC-9-10s at the end of 1967. In 1968, Trans-Texas DC-9s flew nonstop to Corpus Christi and Houston Hobby Airport as well as direct to Dallas Love Field, Little Rock, Arkansas and Memphis, Tennessee.[3] Trans-Texas flights to Mexico started in 1967; in 1968, TTa Convair 600 turboprops flew nonstop to Monterrey, Mexico and Tampico, Mexico with one-stop service to Veracruz, Mexico. TTa Convair 600s also flew to Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Houston, Laredo, San Antonio and other Texas cities.[3] Flights from Harlingen to Mexico ended in 1971–72. Trans-Texas Airways subsequently changed its name to Texas International Airlines and continued to serve Harlingen.

In 1978, all Texas International (TI) flights from the airport were operated with DC-9 jets with nonstops to Austin and Houston Intercontinental Airport; TI flew direct to Los Angeles (LAX) via Houston, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and Albuquerque.[4] Texas International pulled out of HRL in 1979, but later merged with Continental Airlines which in turn began serving Harlingen. Continental then merged with United Airlines which continues to serve the airport at the present time via United Express with Canadair CRJ-700s operated by SkyWest Airlines.[5]

Mainline jets operated into the airport in the past included American Airlines Boeing 727-100s and Boeing 727-200s, Braniff International Airways Boeing 727-200s and Continental Airlines Boeing 727-100s, Douglas DC-9-10s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s.[6][7][8] In 1982, Braniff 727s flew nonstop to Dallas/Fort Worth three times a day with continuing direct service to Chicago, Denver and Omaha[7] In 1987, Continental was operating DC-9 nonstops to Houston (IAH) with continuing service to Baton Rouge, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Omaha.[9] In 1989, American flew four nonstop 727-200s to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and one 727-200 nonstop to Houston (IAH) while Continental had three daily nonstops to Houston (IAH), one 727-100 and two DC-9-10s.[10] By 1999, American Eagle ATR-72 turboprops had replaced American jets with nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth while Continental Express ATR-42 turboprops had replaced Continental jets with nonstop service to Houston Intercontinental.[11]

Southwest Airlines began serving Harlingen as an intrastate airline in 1975 with Boeing 737-200 jets.[12] Harlingen was the fourth new destination served by Southwest following its initial flights from Dallas Love Field, Houston Hobby Airport and San Antonio in 1971.[12] In 1979, Southwest Boeing 727-200s and Boeing 737-200s served HRL.[13] In 1986, Southwest was operating ten weekday 737 flights from the airport with seven nonstops to Houston Hobby Airport, two nonstops to San Antonio and one nonstop to Austin. In addition, eight flights a day operated by Southwest served Dallas Love Field on a direct one stop basis.[14]

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Mexicana de Aviacion Boeing 727-100s flew nonstop to Mexico City and to Monterrey.[15]

Sun Country Airlines flew Boeing 727-200s and wide body McDonnell Douglas DC-10s into the airport from Minneapolis/St. Paul during winter months in the past and continues to serve Harlingen seasonally with Boeing 737-800s.[16]

Delta Air Lines began seasonal Airbus A320 service to Harlingen in 2013 from its Minneapolis/St. Paul hub; Delta Connection continues to fly the seasonal route with Canadair CRJ-900 regional jets.[17]

Frontier Airlines commenced nonstop service with Airbus A320s between Chicago–O'Hare (ORD) and Harlingen on November 18, 2018. The service then ceased in November 2019. The ORD-HRL route was subsequently picked up by American Airlines via American Eagle) regional jet flights on March 6, 2021.[18] Frontier continues to serve Harlingen at the present time.

Facilities

Valley International Airport covers 2,428 acres (983 ha) at an elevation of 36 feet (11 m). It has three asphalt runways: 17R/35L is 8,301 by 150 feet (2,530 x 46 m); 13/31 is 7,257 by 150 feet (2,212 x 46 m); 17L/35R is 5,949 by 150 feet (1,813 x 46 m).[1][19]

In the year ending January 31, 2021, Valley International Airport had 49,534 aircraft operations, averaging 136 per day: 28% general aviation, 50% military, 13% airline, and 8% air taxi. 45 aircraft were then based at the airport: 31 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, and 4 jet.[1]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
American Eagle Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare 		[20][18]
Southwest Airlines Austin, Houston–Hobby
Seasonal: Dallas–Love 		[21]
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Cancún,[22] Minneapolis/St. Paul [23]
United Express Houston–Intercontinental [24]

Cargo

AirlinesDestinationsRefs
DHL Aviation Cincinnati
FedEx Express Memphis

Statistics

Airport traffic

Annual passenger traffic at HRL airport. See Wikidata query.

Top destinations

Top domestic routes from HRL
(August 2019 – July 2020)[25]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Houston–Hobby, Texas 96,640 Southwest
2 Houston–Intercontinental, Texas 44,210 United
3 Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 28,270 American
4 Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota 19,330 Delta, Sun Country
5 Austin, Texas 18,490 Southwest
6 Denver, Colorado 10,830 Frontier
7 Chicago-O'Hare, Illinois 4,020 Frontier
8 Dallas-Love, Texas 3,630 Southwest

Airport design

  • The Valley International Airport has seven gates. Frontier and Sun Country operate at Gate 1, Delta at Gate 2, American at Gate 4, Southwest at Gates 5 and 6, and United at Gate 7.

Services

  • Shopping and dining options include Island Restaurant and Coffee, Jackson Street Café & Bar, The Paradies Shops, Padre Pub, and Pelican Bar.
  • A parking lot shuttle and a shuttle to South Padre Island are available.

Incidents

On April 2, 2012, United Express flight 4128 made an emergency landing at Corpus Christi due to when it suffered damage to its front landing gear and also experienced a flat tire. The flight originated in Harlingen and was heading to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. There were 37 passengers on board and there were no injuries. The aircraft was an Embraer ERJ-145 regional jet operated by ExpressJet on a code sharing flight on behalf of United Airlines.[26]

Area airports

References

  1. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for HRL PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective September 8, 2022.
  2. ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
  3. ^ a b http://www.timetableimages.com, August 1968 Trans-Texas timetable
  4. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, March 15, 1978 Texas International timetable
  5. ^ http://www.united.com, Flight Status
  6. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 15, 1985 & Dec. 15, 1989 Official Airline Guides
  7. ^ a b http://www.departedflights.com, April 25, 1982 Braniff timetable
  8. ^ http://www.airliners.net, photos of American Airlines, Braniff and Continental aircraft at Harlingen
  9. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Feb. 1, 1987 Continental timetable
  10. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Dec. 15, 1989 Official Airline Guide
  11. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1999 Official Airline Guide
  12. ^ a b https://www.southwest.com, Company, Our History
  13. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 Official Airline Guide
  14. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Jan. 12, 1986 Southwest Airlines timetable
  15. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Nov. 15, 1979 & April 1, 1981 Official Airline Guides
  16. ^ https://www.suncountry.com, About Sun Country & Flight Schedules
  17. ^ Star, Charlene Vandini, Valley Morning. "Delta Airlines to launch Harlingen-Minneapolis/St. Paul route". The Monitor. Retrieved December 28, 2017.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ a b "American Airlines to offer non-stop flights from Harlingen to Chicago/O'Hare". ValleyMorningStar. December 14, 2020. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
  19. ^ "HRL airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
  20. ^ "Flight schedules and notifications". Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  21. ^ "Route Map & Flight Schedule". Retrieved June 10, 2020.
  22. ^ "Sun Country launches 4 new routes, including from MSP Airport".
  23. ^ "Sun Country Airlines". Archived from the original on October 14, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  24. ^ "Timetable". Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  25. ^ "RITA - Transtats". BTS. Retrieved September 22, 2020.
  26. ^ "United Flight 4128 Makes Emergency Landing In Corpus Christi Texas". The Florida News Journal. April 2, 2012. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
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