Getting To The Grand Canyon: Which Airport Is The Closest And Most Convenient?

Unfortunately, the Grand Canyon isn't one of those national parks that's located super close to a major airport. But the extra effort needed to get there pays off in the end, in the form of once-in-a-lifetime views of the site's mind-boggling vastness and incredible rock formations, with gazillions of opportunities for hiking, rafting, photography, or simply basking in the raw beauty of nature. Which airport is closest depends on what part of the canyon you'd prefer to visit. 

The closest airports to Grand Canyon National Park happen to be small, commuter airports. First, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport is the closest airport (90 miles) to the South Rim, a popular rim for first-time canyon visitors due to its year-round accessibility, incredible scenery, proximity to walking and hiking trails, and wide range of hotels and amenities. For example, the iconic and stately El Tovar Hotel and the historic Bright Angel Lodge, right next to the world-famous Bright Angel Trailhead, are all located on the canyon's South Rim. In addition, the nearby town of Williams, Arizona, offers more lodging options, many restaurants, and family-friendly attractions like a mountain coaster and a unique drive-through wildlife park. 

If you would rather experience the more rugged and far less touristy North Rim, consider flying into St. George Regional Airport (151 miles away) in southern Utah, or Page Municipal Airport (124 miles) near the Arizona–Utah border. Keep in mind, though, that the North Rim is considerably higher (by 1,000 feet) than the South Rim and gets much more snow in the winter. Therefore, it's only open to visitors from mid-May through mid-October. 

You might prefer to fly into a larger airport, versus the commuter ones already mentioned. Major airports serve more airlines, which means cheaper fares, more flights, and greater flexibility when it comes to scheduling. Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas is the closest airport to the canyon's West Rim (124 miles), which is on the Hualapai Indian Tribal Lands and isn't technically in Grand Canyon National Park. Nonetheless, it's a stunning part of the Grand Canyon, and it's also where the wildly popular Skywalk is located, a glass-bottomed bridge that extends 70 feet out into the canyon, allowing visitors the dizzying (and to some, terrifying) opportunity to gaze thousands of feet down into the canyon depths. We get the heebie-jeebies just thinking about it.

Yet another major airport to consider flying into is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, which is around 230 miles from the South Rim. Of all the airports we've covered here, this one is the farthest away from the canyon. Yet, it's still one of the most popular arrival points for canyon seekers, many of whom opt to rent a car and do the epic four-hour road trip from Phoenix all the way to the canyon. This scenic route may be just as gorgeous as the Grand Canyon itself, traveling through miles of open desert and the red rock wilderness of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, through the quaint western towns of Flagstaff and Williams, before finally reaching the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Those who don't want to drive the whole way to the canyon can leave their car in Williams and hop on the Grand Canyon Railway, one of America's oldest trains, which deposits you right at the South Rim.