The airport was created in the 1930s as the best place to put an airport in Teton County. The airport was declared a national monument in 1943, and merged with Grand Teton National Park in 1950. The runway was extended to its current length in 1959. In the 1960s and 1970s a runway extension to to allow jets was considered; the National Park Service successfully opposed it. In the late 1970s jets began using the existing runway. The area is noise sensitive and the airport allows no jets louder than stage III. The airport is a popular mating ground for the rare sage grouse. Airlines that previously served Jackson Hole include Horizon Air, Frontier Airlines, Western Airlines, Continental Airlines, Big Sky Airlines, and Northwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines served the airport in the 1985-1986 winter season.
Facilities
Jackson Hole Airport covers ; its one runway, 1/19, is 6,300 x 150 ft asphalt. Jackson Hole Airport is noise sensitive and bans older, noisier aircraft with stage-II engines. The airport once had an unusual terminal resembling a pioneerlog cabin. The terminal was completely rebuilt between 2009 and 2014. The new terminal, designed by Gensler, still blends with the unique surroundings of the national park with exposed wood, fireplaces, and nature photography throughout. The park limited the height of the terminal building to 18 feet. The terminal design received an American Institute of Architects Honor Award in 2014. The airport currently has nine hard stand gates and three baggage carousels. Jackson Hole Airport does not have jet bridges so passengers board aircraft via airstairs. The airport terminal has three cafes and two gift shops. Jackson Hole Airport is one of 16 airports that uses private screeners under contract with the Transportation Security Administration's Screening Partnership Program. Security screeners are employed by the Jackson Hole Airport Board rather than the TSA. The largest aircraft seen regularly is the Boeing 757-200operated by United Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Other aircraft typically seen include the Airbus A319 and A320, Boeing 737-700, Embraer 175, and the Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet. Due to its high altitude and short runway, Jackson Hole Airport does not typically see stretched versions of aircraft such as the Airbus A321 or Boeing 737-900ER.
Airlines and destinations
Destinations map
Statistics
In the year ending December 31, 2017 the airport had 28,989 aircraft operations, average 79 per day: 45% general aviation, 28% air taxi, 26% airline and 1% military. 21 aircraft at the time were based at the airport: 17 single-engine, 2 multi-engine, and 2 jet.
On December 20, 2000, actress and resident Sandra Bullock survived the crash of a chartered business jet at Jackson Hole Airport. The aircraft hit a snowbank instead of the runway, shearing off the nose gear and nose cone and damaging the wings.
On June 27, 2005, John T. Walton died when his CGS Hawk Arrow homebuilt aircraft that he was piloting crashed in Jackson, Wyoming. Walton's plane crashed at 12:20 p.m. local time shortly after taking off from Jackson Hole Airport.
On December 29, 2010, An American Airlines Boeing 757 Flight 2253 from Chicago–O'Hare overran the runway. There were no injuries.
