Description

Brief History of the Airport On October 9, 1911 the first aircraft landed at what is now Peoria Stadium. On April 15, 1926 Lt. Charles A. Lindberg arrives with the first airmail. In the 1926 1931 period, Peoria voters twice defeated a proposition to establish and maintain a municipally-owned airport. Airline service was discontinued on April 30, 1931 because the old Peoria Municipal Airport was too small. On May 19, 1932 the citizens of Peoria voted to have an airport. On 195 acres, American Airways (American Airlines), Chicago and Southern Airlines brought in airmail and passenger service on 4 shale-surfaced runways. The land was purchased by 261 Peoria businessmen that formed the Peoria Airport, Inc. In 1937, the airport was turned over to Peoria Pleasure Driveway and Park District (Peoria Park District). In 1942 the airport terminal building and field was dedicated. In 1950, the Greater Peoria Airport Authority was created, assuming the operation of the Airport from the Peoria Park District. Ozark Air Lines begins to serve Peoria. In 1955, the first foreign aircraft (Trans-Canada) arrives without first stopping at a port of entry (customs). In 1965, Mt. Hawley Airport opened. Turbulent years of airline strikes and recessions have caused several airlines to come and go and come back and sometimes go again. Today we are proud to have 5 airlines that fly in and out of Peoria every day. They are, American Airlines, Delta ASA, Northwest Airlink, United Express and the most recent addition, Allegiant Air. GPRA has 46 non-stop flights daily to and from Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Las Vegas, and Minneapolis