Tulsa Airport Expansion

[shavethewhales]

https://www.fox23.com/news/only-fox23-tulsa-intl-airport-will-build-new-gate-facility-international-flights/KBJRAWG4YFBOBMPAKC4MCSDRYY/?taid=6303ee6ab596c200013278a5&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem

Tulsa International will add a new gate and international customs terminal in an attempt to woo a weekly service to somewhere like Cancun.

[D-TownTulsan]

Hot damn, was wondering when something like this would happen. Wish it was more than the "bare minimum" of an expansion, but perhaps this could lead to more updates/future expansions

[Red Arrow]

https://www.fox23.com/news/only-fox23-tulsa-intl-airport-will-build-new-gate-facility-international-flights/KBJRAWG4YFBOBMPAKC4MCSDRYY/?taid=6303ee6ab596c200013278a5&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem

Tulsa International will add a new gate and international customs terminal in an attempt to woo a weekly service to somewhere like Cancun.

Maybe we will be able to go direct to other than Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Salt Lake City, .....

[heironymouspasparagus]

In earlier times, the current gate locations were outside areas with benches.  Could go outside and sit watching planes land.  Especially nice during winter with a light snow!

[SXSW]

Maybe we will be able to go direct to other than Chicago, Dallas, Atlanta, Denver, Salt Lake City, .....

Current non-stops from TUL
American: Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas/Ft Worth, Austin, Chicago O'Hare, Miami, Charlotte, Washington National
Southwest: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas Love, Austin, Houston Hobby, St Louis, Chicago Midway
Delta: Salt Lake City, Atlanta
United: Denver, Houston Intercontinental, Chicago O'Hare
Breeze: Tampa (seasonal), Nashville
Allegiant: Los Angeles, Phoenix/Mesa, Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford, Destin (seasonal), Tampa (seasonal), Sarasota (seasonal)

Biggest holes are San Francisco and Seattle on the west coast and New York and Boston on the east coast (New York LGA starts this November on American), and resumption of previous routes that were cut during COVID like Minneapolis, Detroit, Washington Dulles, Baltimore and Newark.  Also would be nice to have Frontier back, they previously flew to Denver and San Diego.

I think a Frontier or Allegiant could make a once-weekly Cancun or Cabo flight work.

[BKDotCom]

https://www.tulsaairports.com/news/american-airlines-announces-new-nonstop-service-from-tulsa-to-new-york-city/

TULSA, OK – May 27, 2022 – Passengers flying from Tulsa International Airport will soon have a nonstop flight option when traveling to New York City. American Airlines today announced new nonstop service from Tulsa International Airport (TUL) to LaGuardia Airport (LGA) beginning November 3, 2022. Flights will operate once daily, year-round, on an Embraer 170 aircraft. Flights go on sale Monday, May 30th, on aa.com.

See also
https://www.tulsaairports.com/flight-info/non-stop-destinations/

[buffalodan]

I would love to see that chart that has weekly flights on the y axis and then timeline on the x axis. And just show how often cities pop up and disappear. My wife and I fly to DC pretty often. We haven't been able to make the direct flight work except once. When it was a layover on the way to Philly.

And I know I've been excited about new orleans, philly, nyc and probably a few other services. It seems like every year we get a new city offered that's 4x a week and it lasts a few months before they cut it back. And I'm not sure if that is because I remember it that way or if it is actually that way.

[heironymouspasparagus]

https://www.tulsaairports.com/news/american-airlines-announces-new-nonstop-service-from-tulsa-to-new-york-city/

See also
https://www.tulsaairports.com/flight-info/non-stop-destinations/

Embraer 170 is gonna be a miserable non-stop anywhere other than maybe Dallas....
 

[Red Arrow]

In earlier times, the current gate locations were outside areas with benches.  Could go outside and sit watching planes land.  Especially nice during winter with a light snow!

In the 50s and maybe very early 60s, Philadelphia (PA) Int'l had an observation deck on the roof of one of the terminal wings.  I think it was originally free but later on there was a turnstile like at public transit stations.  $.10 as I remember.  Inflation calculator says that is roughly $1.02 today.  It was definitely in the era of piston powered airliners and the infamous Lockheed Electra before they fixed them.  I also remember trip life insurance vending machines scattered about the terminals.

Dad would frequently fly to western PA and OH. I don't remember what Allegheny Airlines was flying at the time but it wasn't Lockheed Constellations.  I think occasionally he would return on a DC-6.  Probably mostly Convairs or maybe even a DC-3.  Allegheny operated DC-3s from 1953 to 1966.    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allegheny_Airlines

[LandArchPoke]

Embraer 170 is gonna be a miserable non-stop anywhere other than maybe Dallas....
 

How come you think it'd be miserable? I honestly like the smaller regional jets. More often than not they are brand new. They can feel a bit more cramped in terms of the common aisle width and the bathrooms are not very comfortable especially if you are tall.

I think this is an interesting development for Tulsa to have the gate/facility integrated into the terminal. Is OKC's facility integrated into the terminal as well? I know a lot of the smaller international airports have the customs facilities in stand alone buildings. I think Tulsa could sustain a few flights like Cancun, etc. especially if you look at how many people from Tulsa, OKC, NWA, Wichita, Springfield fly to certain locations. I bet you could pull in a fair amount of travels to drive to Tulsa if it meant a direct flight internationally and not having to deal with DFW or other airports.

[shavethewhales]

I don't think it'll be too bad either. Once you are in the seat they all feel the same to me, although turbulence always seems worse on a smaller plane.

I posted on OKCtalk about this and was told that OKC's recent terminal addition included international facilities, so they already have at least one gate built into their airport for international flights, but haven't landed one yet. I'd think they'd be ahead of us for a Cancun flight, but who knows. Obviously TUL thinks they have a shot at landing something major. I agree that it could work here, at least seasonally. I wonder how well Breeze's seasonal Tampa flight is doing?

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Embraer 170 is gonna be a miserable non-stop anywhere other than maybe Dallas....
 

In the last several years I have flown on several Embraer aircraft, 120/145/175/200, and every time I'm on one all I can think is I'd rather be on a DC-9/MD80 than this thing.

The trips that were most fun was flying a Embraer 120 from OTH to SFO, having to get out and walk on the apron into the terminal at SFO and then get on a 757 from SFO to PHX.

[SXSW]

Here is a plan showing the new addition.  It will be visible as you drive in to the departures area. 



The new airport hotel is also under construction next to the parking garage.

[heironymouspasparagus]

In the last several years I have flown on several Embraer aircraft, 120/145/175/200, and every time I'm on one all I can think is I'd rather be on a DC-9/MD80 than this thing.

The trips that were most fun was flying a Embraer 120 from OTH to SFO, having to get out and walk on the apron into the terminal at SFO and then get on a 757 from SFO to PHX.

I hate those Embraer planes!

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Current non-stops from TUL
American: Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas/Ft Worth, Austin, Chicago O'Hare, Miami, Charlotte, Washington National
Southwest: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas Love, Austin, Houston Hobby, St Louis, Chicago Midway
Delta: Salt Lake City, Atlanta
United: Denver, Houston Intercontinental, Chicago O'Hare
Breeze: Tampa (seasonal), Nashville
Allegiant: Los Angeles, Phoenix/Mesa, Las Vegas, Orlando/Sanford, Destin (seasonal), Tampa (seasonal), Sarasota (seasonal)

Biggest holes are San Francisco and Seattle on the west coast and New York and Boston on the east coast (New York LGA starts this November on American), and resumption of previous routes that were cut during COVID like Minneapolis, Detroit, Washington Dulles, Baltimore and Newark.  Also would be nice to have Frontier back, they previously flew to Denver and San Diego.

I think a Frontier or Allegiant could make a once-weekly Cancun or Cabo flight work.

Currently if I fly to Tulsa I take American because of the decent time of day for the nonstop flights. Southwest has a nonstop from PHX to TUL that departs PHX at 7PM (AZ time) and arrives at TUL at 11:10 PM, the return flight leaves TUL at 7AM and arrives PHX a 7:40AM (AZ time).

American leaves PHX at 12:15PM(AZ time) and I get to TUL at 3:30PM and the return flight leaves TUL at 2:45PM and gets to PHX at 3:15PM(AZ time).

I can't fly Allegiant from PHX Sky Harbor to Tulsa because there is no service, I have to drive 55 Miles to Mesa Gateway and the only flights between PHX and TUL are on Monday and Friday or sometimes Tuesday and Saturday. If I want to fly for a long weekend I have to fly to Springfield MO or Bentonville AR. Allegiant has no service from either airport to OKC.