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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 (2024)
Total passengers1,092,836
Aircraft operations82,632
Based aircraft (2023)217
Source: Hector International Airport[3][4][5]

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.[4] 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.[6] 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).[4][7] 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.[4]

The current terminal was built in 1986 and designed by Foss Associates with Thompson Consultants.[8]

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.[9]

A large terminal expansion project began in 2024. The $156 million project will add four new gates on the east side of the existing building, bringing the terminal's total number of gates to nine, as well as renovate existing portions of the terminal.[10] The project will also increase seating, add new post-security concession areas, and expand the facility's security checkpoint.[11] The new gates are expected to open in 2026 with full project completion slated for 2027.[10]

A 1,000 space parking garage is also under construction adjacent to the terminal. The garage is scheduled to open in August 2025 with a skyway connecting the terminal to the garage opening in 2026. The parking garage project is expected to cost $47 million.[10]

Airlines and destinations

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Passenger

[edit]
AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Allegiant Air Las Vegas, Nashville, Phoenix/Mesa
Seasonal: Orlando/Sanford,[12] St. Petersburg/Clearwater[13] 		[12][14][15]
American Eagle Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth
Seasonal: Phoenix–Sky Harbor[16] 		[17]
Delta Air Lines Minneapolis/St. Paul [18]
Delta Connection Atlanta (begins December 20, 2025),[19] Minneapolis/St. Paul [15][18]
Frontier Airlines Denver
Seasonal: Orlando[20]		[21]
United Airlines Denver[22] [23]
United Express Chicago–O'Hare, Denver [23]
Passenger destinations map
class=notpageimage|
All destinations from Hector International Airport
Red = Year-round destination
Green = Seasonal destination
Blue = Future destination

Cargo

[edit]
AirlinesDestinationsRefs
Alpine Air Express Bismarck, Dickinson,[24] Minot, Sioux Falls, Thief River Falls, Williston[25] [26]
Bemidji Airlines Bismarck,[27] Devils Lake[28]
FedEx Express Memphis [29]
FedEx Feeder
operated by Corporate Air 		Bemidji,[30] Bismarck,[31] Dickinson,[32] Minot,[33] Williston,[34] Winnipeg[35]
UPS Airlines Louisville [36]
Cargo destinations map
class=notpageimage|
All cargo destinations from Hector International Airport
  = Year-round destination
  = Seasonal destination
  = Future destination

Statistics

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Top destinations

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Busiest domestic routes from FAR
(May 2024 – April 2025)[37]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN 170,810 Delta
2 Denver, CO 110,020 Frontier, United
3 Chicago–O'Hare, IL 101,730 American, United
4 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 69,420 American
5 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ 59,010 Allegiant
6 Las Vegas, NV 17,940 Allegiant
7 Nashville, TN 14,720 Allegiant
8 Orlando–Sanford, FL 11,100 Allegiant
9 Phoenix–Sky Harbor, AZ 9,340 American
10 St. Petersburg/Clearwater, FL 8,790 Allegiant

Annual traffic

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Annual passenger traffic at Fargo Airport
1998–present[38]
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 2024 1,092,836
2005 549,209 2015 858,982
2006 609,731 2016 789,182

Commercial airline market share

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Airline market share
(May 2024 – April 2025)[38]
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 SkyWest Airlines 310,000 27.02%
2 Envoy Air 238,000 20.69%
3 Allegiant Airlines 224,000 19.51%
4 Delta Air Lines 205,000 17.84%
5 Frontier Airlines 71,760 6.25%
Other Airlines 99,960 8.70%

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
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
 
 
24
 
 
−13
−16
 
 
33
 
 
−8
−15
 
 
27
 
 
0
−10
 
 
85
 
 
18
−1
 
 
114
 
 
26
5
 
 
140
 
 
28
14
 
 
65
 
 
30
18
 
 
59
 
 
27
17
 
 
57
 
 
24
12
 
 
57
 
 
15
1
 
 
14
 
 
5
−4
 
 
30
 
 
−11
−13
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source: [39]
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
 
 
0.9
 
 
9
3
 
 
1.3
 
 
18
5
 
 
1.1
 
 
32
14
 
 
3.3
 
 
64
30
 
 
4.5
 
 
79
41
 
 
5.5
 
 
82
57
 
 
2.6
 
 
86
64
 
 
2.3
 
 
81
63
 
 
2.2
 
 
75
54
 
 
2.2
 
 
59
34
 
 
0.6
 
 
41
25
 
 
1.2
 
 
12
9
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

UFO encounter

[edit]

On October 1, 1948, the Gorman dogfight, a widely publicized UFO encounter, took place over Hector International Airport.[40]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Corporate Air Locations". Archived from the original on April 17, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  2. ^ "Home - Bemidji Aviation Services, Inc". Bemidji Aviation Services, Inc. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  3. ^ "2024 Year End Statistics For Fargo Airport". fargoairport.com. Retrieved January 15, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d FAA Airport Form 5010 for FAR PDF, effective December 26, 2024
  5. ^ https://aspm.faa.gov/opsnet/sys/Airport.asp
  6. ^ "Hector Field History". Municipal Airport Authority. Archived from the original on October 16, 2006.
  7. ^ "FAR airport data at skyvector.com". FAA data effective December 26, 2024.
  8. ^ "PA Inquiry Airport Terminals" (PDF). Progressive Architecture. 68 (1–3). Berkeley: Reinhold: 100. March 1987.
  9. ^ "TSA Pre✓® expands to Hector International Airport". Transportation Security Administration. November 5, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  10. ^ a b c Zatz, Sydney (January 28, 2025). "Update on Hector International Airport construction". Valley News Live. Archived from the original on February 10, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  11. ^ "Terminal Expansion Project Fact Sheet" (PDF). Hector International Airport. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 28, 2025. Retrieved July 20, 2025.
  12. ^ a b Jurgens, Paul (March 12, 2025). "Hector airport bracing for busy start to spring". The Mighty 790 KFGO. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  13. ^ "Allegiant will offer nonstop service to Fargo, N.D., starting Feb. 11. | Business Observer". Business Observer. November 17, 2020. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  14. ^ "Allegiant Air Route Map". Allegiant Air. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  15. ^ a b "Fargo Airport Route Map". Hector International Airport. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  16. ^ Yeager, Melissa (July 23, 2019). "American Airlines adds winter flights to Florida, Colorado, increases service to Las Vegas". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  17. ^ "AA Route Map". American Airlines.
  18. ^ a b "Delta Route Map". Delta Air Lines. Retrieved July 14, 2025.
  19. ^ "Delta Airlines to launch daily Fargo-Atlanta flights later this year". KFGO. July 7, 2025. Retrieved July 8, 2025.
  20. ^ Cruz, Penny De La (November 1, 2021). "Frontier Airlines, Orlando International Airport expand service with 14 new direct routes". WKMG. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  21. ^ "Frontier Airlines Launches Non-Stop Flights from Fargo to Denver". Fargo Airport.
  22. ^ Tucker, Tom (January 24, 2024). "Major air carrier to offer new roundtrip flight to and from Fargo's Hector International Airport". WDAY Radio - AM 970 and FM 93.1. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved July 15, 2025.
  23. ^ a b "United Airlines Route Maps". United Airlines. Archived from the original on August 8, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  24. ^ "Alpine Aviation Flight 1542". FlightAware. July 19, 2025. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  25. ^ "Alpine Aviation Flight 1565 History". FlightAware. July 19, 2025. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  26. ^ "Alpine Air Express - Route Map". Alpine Air Express. See Map. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  27. ^ "Bemidji Aviation Flight 68". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  28. ^ "Bemidji Aviation Flight 84". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  29. ^ Hector International Airport Master Plan Update - Chapter 3 - Facility Requirements (PDF) (Report). 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  30. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8589". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  31. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8593". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  32. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8555". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  33. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8018". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  34. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8574". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  35. ^ "Corporate Air Flight 8065". FlightAware. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  36. ^ "UPS to start new service from Fargo direct to main hub". Dickinson Press. July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 19, 2025. Retrieved July 19, 2025.
  37. ^ "OST_R - BTS - Transtats". www.transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved June 13, 2024.
  38. ^ a b "December 2024 & Year-End Statistics". fargoairport.com. February 20, 2025. Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  39. ^ "NASA Earth Observations Data Set Index". NASA. Archived from the original on May 11, 2020. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
  40. ^ Ruppelt, p. 30
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