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Hector International Airport

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Hector International Airport
2006 USGS orthophoto
Summary
Airport typePublic / military
OwnerMunicipal Airport Authority of the City of Fargo
OperatorMunicipal Airport Authority
ServesFargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota (Fargo–Moorhead)
LocationFargo, North Dakota
Opened1927 (1927)
Hub for
Elevation AMSL901 ft / 275 m
Coordinates46°55′14″N 096°48′56″W / 46.92056°N 96.81556°W / 46.92056; -96.81556
Websitewww.FargoAirport.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
18/36 9,001 2,744 Concrete
9/27 6,302 1,921 Concrete
13/31 3,801 1,159 Concrete
Statistics (2023)
Total passengers1,032,497
Aircraft operations (year ending 8/31/2023)90,450
Based aircraft217
Source: Hector International Airport[1][2]

Hector International Airport (IATA: FAR, ICAO: KFAR, FAA LID: FAR) is a civil-military public airport three miles (5 km) northwest of Fargo, in Cass County, North Dakota, United States. The busiest airport in North Dakota, it is owned by the City of Fargo Municipal Airport Authority.[2] Fargo Air National Guard Base is located adjacent to the airport.

The airport was named after Martin Hector, who first leased, and then donated the original 50 acres of land to the city.[3] Customs service is available for arrivals from Canada and other countries. Hector International has no scheduled passenger airline flights out of the country but has its international title (like many other airports) because of this customs service.

The airport is home to Fargo Air National Guard Base and the Happy Hooligans of the 119th Wing (119 WG), a unit of the North Dakota Air National Guard that operates the MQ-9 Reaper.

The airport was the intended destination for the airplane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson on February 3, 1959. The airplane crashed shortly after takeoff from Mason City, Iowa, killing the three musicians and the pilot.

Facilities and aircraft

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Interior of the terminal in 2024

Hector International Airport covers 2,500 acres (10 km2) and has three runways: 18/36 is 9,001 x 150 ft (2,744 x 46 m), 9/27 is 6,302 x 100 ft (1,921 x 30 m), and 13/31 is 3,801 x 75 ft (1,159 x 46 m).[2][4] Hector International has the longest public runway in North Dakota and can receive Boeing 747s.

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 92,980 aircraft operations, an average of 255 per day. In December 2021, there were 203 aircraft based at the airport: 124 single-engine, 52 multi-engine, 22 jet, and 5 helicopters.[2]

The current terminal was built in 1986 and designed by Foss Associates with Thompson Consultants.[5]

In 2008 the airport completed the passenger terminal expansion and update that had begun in October 2006. The $15.5 million project designed by TL Stroh Architects updated the terminal and added a fifth gate, an additional baggage claim and expanded the security checkpoint area. TSA PreCheck was added in 2014.[6]

Hector International Airport plans to begin a large terminal expansion project in 2024. The expansion will add four new gates bringing the terminal's total number of gates to nine. The project is expected to cost $124 million.[7] Completion of the terminal expansion and renovation is anticipated to take three to four years.[8] The airport also plans to construct a parking garage adjacent to the terminal. The ramp will be connected to the terminal via skyway and will provide approximately 1,000 parking spaces. The parking ramp is expected to cost $43 million with construction scheduled to begin in 2024.[9]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

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AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix/Mesa
Seasonal: Orlando/Sanford, St. Petersburg/Clearwater[10] 		[11]
American Eagle Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Phoenix–Sky Harbor 		[12]
Delta Air Lines Minneapolis/St. Paul [13]
Delta Connection Minneapolis/St. Paul [13][14]
Frontier Airlines Denver
Seasonal: Orlando		[15]
United Airlines Denver [16]
United Express Chicago–O'Hare, Denver [16]

Cargo

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AirlinesDestinations
Alpine Air Express Bismarck, Dickinson, Minot, Sioux Falls, Thief River Falls
Bemidji Airlines Alexandria, Bismarck, Brainerd, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Morris, Rapid City
Castle Aviation Akron, Minot
Encore Air Cargo
operated by Bemidji Airlines 		Bismarck, Dickinson, Jamestown, Minot, Sioux Falls, Thief River Falls, Williston
FedEx Express Appleton, Chicago–O'Hare, Des Moines, Detroit, Indianapolis, Madison, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul
FedEx Feeder
operated by CSA Air 		Aberdeen, Indianapolis, Marquette, Milwaukee, Sioux Falls
FedEx Feeder
operated by Corporate Air 		Bemidji, Bismarck, Casper, Dickinson, Minot, Thief River Falls, Wichita, Williston, Winnipeg
FedEx Feeder
operated by Mountain Air 		Bismarck, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City
Freight Runners Express Billings, Bismarck, El Paso, Green Bay, Kansas City, Marion, Milwaukee, Minot, Thief River Falls, Toledo, Tucson, Williston, Ypsilanti
Martinaire Sioux Falls
UPS Airlines Atlanta, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Chicago–O'Hare, Chicago/Rockford, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Gary, Louisville, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha, Ontario, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Reno/Tahoe, San Antonio, San Bernardino, Seattle–Boeing, Sioux Falls, Winnipeg

Statistics

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Top destinations

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Busiest domestic routes from FAR
(September 2023 - August 2024)[17]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN 167,000 Delta
2 Denver, CO 103,000 Frontier, United
3 Chicago–O'Hare, IL 90,000 American, United
4 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 55,000 American
5 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ 52,000 Allegiant
6 Nashville, TN 17,000 Allegiant
7 Las Vegas, NV 16,000 Allegiant
8 Orlando–Sanford, FL 11,000 Allegiant
8 Phoenix–Sky Harbor, AZ 9,000 American
10 St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL 7,000 Allegiant

Annual traffic

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Annual passenger traffic at Fargo Airport
1998–present[18]
Year Passengers Year Passengers Year Passengers
1997 406,912 2007 599,168 2017 787,927
1998 384,205 2008 648,137 2018 843,582
1999 445,744 2009 697,810 2019 930,409
2000 465,636 2010 724,941 2020 478,604
2001 434,332 2011 699,549 2021 796,675
2002 484,068 2012 728,799 2022 908,075
2003 508,534 2013 797,125 2023 1,032,497
2004 506,650 2014 894,426
2005 549,209 2015 858,982
2006 609,731 2016 789,182

Commercial airline market share

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Airline market share
(September 2023 - August 2024)[18]
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 SkyWest Airlines 313,000 29.47%
2 Allegiant Airlines 208,000 19.61%
3 Envoy Air 208,000 19.55%
4 Delta Air Lines 192,000 18.41%
5 Frontier Airlines 74,000 6.99%
Other Airlines 63,000 5.97%

Ground transportation

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As of 2022, there is no public transit service to Hector International Airport. The closest MATBUS bus stop is located over a mile away.

Climate

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Hector International Airport
Climate chart (explanation)
J
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15
1
 
 
14
 
 
5
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30
 
 
−11
−13
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [19]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
0.9
 
 
9
3
 
 
1.3
 
 
18
5
 
 
1.1
 
 
32
14
 
 
3.3
 
 
64
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2.6
 
 
86
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2.3
 
 
81
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2.2
 
 
75
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2.2
 
 
59
34
 
 
0.6
 
 
41
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1.2
 
 
12
9
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

UFO encounter

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On October 1, 1948, the Gorman dogfight, a widely publicized UFO encounter, took place over Hector International Airport.[20]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2023 Year End Statistics For Fargo Airport". fargoairport.com. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for FAR PDF, effective January 25, 2024
  3. ^ "Hector Field History". Municipal Airport Authority. Archived from the original on October 16, 2006.
  4. ^ "FAR airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  5. ^ "PA Inquiry Airport Terminals" (PDF). Progressive Architecture. 68 (1–3). Berkeley: Reinhold: 100. March 1987.
  6. ^ "TSA Pre✓® expands to Hector International Airport". Transportation Security Administration. November 5, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  7. ^ "Architects emphasize 'warmer' entry, increased efficiency in plans for Fargo airport expansion". Grand Forks Herald. August 15, 2023. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "Terminal Expansion". Hector International Airport. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  9. ^ Hjelmstad, Gretchen (October 4, 2023). "Board votes to move forward with 1,000-space parking ramp at Hector International Airport". Valley News Live. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
  10. ^ "Allegiant will offer nonstop service to Fargo, N.D., starting Feb. 11. | Business Observer". Business Observer. November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  11. ^ "Allegiant Route Map". Allegiant Airlines.
  12. ^ "AA Route Map". American Airlines.
  13. ^ a b "Delta Route Map". Delta Air Lines. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  14. ^ "Fargo Route Map". Fargo Airport.
  15. ^ "Frontier Airlines Launches Non-Stop Flights from Fargo to Denver". Fargo Airport.
  16. ^ a b "United Airlines Route Maps". United Airlines. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  17. ^ "OST_R - BTS - Transtats". www.transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "December 2023 & Year-End Statistics". fargoairport.com. February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  19. ^ "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  20. ^ Ruppelt, p. 30
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