Eppley Airfield
Encyclopedia
Eppley Airfield is a medium hub primary airport
located three miles (5 km) northeast of the central business district
of Omaha
, a city in Douglas County
, Nebraska
, United States
. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska. In addition to the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area
, Eppley Airfield serves communities throughout eastern Nebraska, western Iowa
, northern Kansas
, Missouri
, and South Dakota
.
The airport is named for Eugene C. Eppley
, the Omaha Eppley Hotel magnate, from whose estate $1 million was used to convert the Omaha Municipal Airport into a jet port in 1959/1960.
The airport occupies 2650 acres (1,072.4 ha) and handles about 397 commercial flights a week. The airport terminal building has two concourses consisting of 20 gates. Midwest Airlines
established a focus city
at Eppley Airfield, which has expanded since that airline's merger with Frontier Airlines
. As of September 2011, all regularly scheduled flights from Eppley Airfield terminate within the United States. The airport handled more than 4.2 million passengers in 2010. Southwest Airlines
is the largest carrier, handling approximately 28 percent of passengers; United Airlines
/Continental Airlines
is the second-largest carrier, handling approximately 23 percent of passengers. The airport is served by MAT
bus #16.
The airport is located northeast of downtown Omaha
in east Omaha
. Although the airport is in Nebraska and on the west side of the Missouri River
, through a geographic oddity it is surrounded on the east, west and south by the state of Iowa: the Missouri River formerly formed an oxbow
immediately west of the land that became Eppley Airfield. The river cut off the oxbow during an 1877 flood, leaving behind Carter Lake on a portion of its former course; the Supreme Court
ruled in 1893 that though the land cut off by the river's changed route now lay west of the Missouri, it remained part of Iowa. This land eventually became the city of Carter Lake, Iowa
.
headed for Eppley and crashed near Falls City, Nebraska
, killing all 42 on board. The flight was waiting for weather to clear in Omaha before descending when violent turbulence compromised the structural integrity of the plane.
Several films have used Eppley for a few scenes including the 2002 feature film About Schmidt
which included scenes filmed inside and outside the terminal building, and the 2009 feature film Up in the Air
which made use of the south end of the terminal building during filming.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located three miles (5 km) northeast of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, a city in Douglas County
Douglas County, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 463,585 people, 182,194 households, and 115,146 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,401 people per square mile . There were 192,672 housing units at an average density of 582 per square mile...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is the largest airport in the state of Nebraska. In addition to the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area
Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area
The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area is a metropolitan area comprising the cities of Omaha, Nebraska, Council Bluffs, Iowa, and surrounding areas. The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area has a population of 865,350 . The metropolitan area, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget,...
, Eppley Airfield serves communities throughout eastern Nebraska, western Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, northern Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
.
The airport is named for Eugene C. Eppley
Eugene C. Eppley
Eugene C. Eppley, , also known as Gene, was a hotel magnate in Omaha, Nebraska. Eppley is credited with single-handedly building one of the most successful hotel empires, by the 1950s the largest privately owned hotel chain in the United States.-Career:Eppley was born in Akron, Ohio and was...
, the Omaha Eppley Hotel magnate, from whose estate $1 million was used to convert the Omaha Municipal Airport into a jet port in 1959/1960.
The airport occupies 2650 acres (1,072.4 ha) and handles about 397 commercial flights a week. The airport terminal building has two concourses consisting of 20 gates. Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines was a U.S.-based airline and was also an operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. operating from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport...
established a focus city
Focus city
In the airline industry, a focus city is a location that is not a hub, but from which the airline has non-stop flights to several destinations other than its hubs...
at Eppley Airfield, which has expanded since that airline's merger with Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
. As of September 2011, all regularly scheduled flights from Eppley Airfield terminate within the United States. The airport handled more than 4.2 million passengers in 2010. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
is the largest carrier, handling approximately 28 percent of passengers; United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
/Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
is the second-largest carrier, handling approximately 23 percent of passengers. The airport is served by MAT
Metro Area Transit
Metro , previously known as Metro Area Transit is the local mass transportation provider in Omaha, Nebraska. Metro currently operates around 135 buses throughout the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, including the communities of Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista and Papillion in Nebraska, as well as...
bus #16.
Location
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
in east Omaha
East Omaha, Nebraska
East Omaha is a geographically designated community located in Omaha, Nebraska. Located three miles from downtown Omaha, East Omaha is the site of Eppley Airfield, Omaha’s main airport, and Carter Lake...
. Although the airport is in Nebraska and on the west side of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
, through a geographic oddity it is surrounded on the east, west and south by the state of Iowa: the Missouri River formerly formed an oxbow
Oxbow lake
An oxbow lake is a U-shaped body of water formed when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off to create a lake. This landform is called an oxbow lake for the distinctive curved shape, named after part of a yoke for oxen. In Australia, an oxbow lake is called a billabong, derived...
immediately west of the land that became Eppley Airfield. The river cut off the oxbow during an 1877 flood, leaving behind Carter Lake on a portion of its former course; the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
ruled in 1893 that though the land cut off by the river's changed route now lay west of the Missouri, it remained part of Iowa. This land eventually became the city of Carter Lake, Iowa
Carter Lake, Iowa
Carter Lake is a city in Pottawattamie County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,248 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Carter Lake is located at ....
.
History
On August 6, 1966, Braniff Airways Flight 250 left Kansas City Downtown AirportKansas City Downtown Airport
Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport , also known as Kansas City Downtown Airport, is a public airport located in Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri, United States. This airport is publicly owned by City of Kansas City.-History:...
headed for Eppley and crashed near Falls City, Nebraska
Falls City, Nebraska
Falls City is a city in Richardson County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 4,671 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Richardson County.-Geography:Falls City is located at ....
, killing all 42 on board. The flight was waiting for weather to clear in Omaha before descending when violent turbulence compromised the structural integrity of the plane.
Several films have used Eppley for a few scenes including the 2002 feature film About Schmidt
About Schmidt
About Schmidt is a 2002 American comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, starring Jack Nicholson in the title role. It is loosely based on the 1996 novel of the same title by Louis Begley. Many of the scenes were filmed on location, especially in Omaha, Nebraska and Denver, Colorado...
which included scenes filmed inside and outside the terminal building, and the 2009 feature film Up in the Air
Up in the Air (film)
Up in the Air is a 2009 American comedy-drama film directed by Jason Reitman and co-written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner. It is a film adaptation of the 2001 novel of the same name, written by Walter Kirn. The story is about a corporate downsizer Ryan Bingham and his travels...
which made use of the south end of the terminal building during filming.
Airlines and destinations
Eppley Airfield has two passenger concourses: Concourse A (gates A1-A10) and Concourse B (gates B11-B20).Top destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
373,000 | Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 2 |  Chicago, IL (ORD) |
210,000 | American, United |
| 3 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, TX |
172,000 | American |
| 4 | Chicago, IL (MDW) |
171,000 | Southwest |
| 5 |  Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
163,000 | Southwest, US Airways |
| 6 |  Minneapolis, MNMinneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:... |
138,000 | Delta |
| 7 | .svg.png) Atlanta, GAHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
116,000 | Delta |
| 8 | Houston, TX George Bush Intercontinental Airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59... |
103,000 | Continental |
| 9 |  Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
99,000 | Southwest |
| 10 |  St. Louis, MOLambert-St. Louis International Airport Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily... |
88,000 | Southwest |
External links
- Eppley Airfield, official site
- Eppley Airport Guide on Omaha.net