Albany International Airport

ALB was the first municipal airport in the U.S. It originated in 1908 on a polo field three miles north of Albany, and the following year it moved to Westerlo Island. At that point, it was named after Quentin Roosevelt, a fighter pilot during WWI and the son of Teddy Roosevelt. The airfield was visited by various early pioneers of aviation, including Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, James Doolittle, and Glenn Curtiss, who managed to meet the airport’s objective of a sustained flight from Albany to New York City. In 1928, Mayor John Boyd Thacher II decided to build an airport on the Shaker site (its current location). Not only did the site sell the land, but it also allowed for using its tractors and tools. The initial airport encountered difficulties and was threatened with closure, which led to improvements in the late 30s and 40s. As such, the airport was closed from January 1939 to December 1940, when it opened to daytime traffic only. After January 1942, the airport opened with no restrictions.
From 1946 to 1961, the airport was served by American Airlines, TWA, and Colonial/Eastern. In 1947 there were three runways at 3,500 feet each, and in 1950 the primary runway was lengthened to 5,000 feet and was hard-surfaced. The first jets arrived in 1966, and between 1966-7, the north-south runway was extended to 7,200 feet, while the east-west crosswind runway was extended to 7,000 feet in the early 2000s. A few years later the main runway was extended to 8,500 feet. At this point, the north-south runway gained centerline lighting, and the north-facing runway added touchdown-zone lighting (which served to decrease landing minimums. Until 1960, the airport was jointly owned and operated by the city and the county, at which time the city’s stake was ended. In 1962 a new terminal building opened, including ticket counters, a coffee shop, a first-floor baggage claim, and a restaurant, viewing area, and offices on the second floor.
Furthermore, a single-story boarding concourse extended from the building, and by 1968 it was widened to have more concessions and boarding space. In 1979 a new two-story building was attached diagonally to the northwest (it had boarding gates for Allegheny Airlines and baggage carousels. In 1993, the Albany County Airport Authority was created, and in 1996 it was given a 40-year lease to operate the airport. In June 1998, a new terminal opened, having been built around the existing terminal, which besides the 1979 extension, was demolished upon completion. A new 16,000-square-foot addition to the new terminal was completed in 2000 for the use of Southwest, and it included two new dual jet bridges, which would allow passengers to board and deplane from both the front and the rear of the aircraft. Further works began in 2019, including a new parking garage, solar panels, escalators, energy-efficient taxiway lighting, and concession installations. Furthermore, some of the jet bridges are being replaced.

The airport is located six miles northwest of Albany. 

• Between 2001 and 2005, ALB was home to a CommutAir hub intended to connect to the Northeastern US. It moved to Cleveland. 
• There is a project underway at ALB, which includes extending the bridge that goes from the north garage to the main terminal, which will also create more spaces for retail and concessions. The project is expected to improve passenger flow and the overall feel of the airport. 
• The Art & Culture Program showcases the region, with exhibitions in the Albany International Airport Gallery and the Concourse Galleries, the Exhibition Case Program, free public programs, and group tours.