Rochester International Airport

The airport originated in 1928, and it was founded by the Mayo Foundation in order to bring patients into the May Clinic. Occupying 285 acres, the airport was to be run by the Rochester Airport Company, a subsidiary of the Mayo Foundation. Northwest Airlines was the first to service the airport with flights from St. Paul. The airport expanded to 370 acres in 1940, and the runways were paved during that time. The Army Air Corps used the airport for training operations during WWII. Following the war, the airport was given to the city of Rochester, although it continued to operate as Rochester Airport Company under an agreement with the city. In 1952, the airport was renamed Lobb Field. Unfortunately, by 1960 it became clear that the airport could not expand for the sake of larger aircraft, and it was too close to the city. As such, it was determined that the airport should close, and a new airport was to be built southwest of the city. The original Rochester Airport closed in 1961. Rochester Municipal Airport opened at its current location in 1960, with service from Northwest Airlines and Braniff International Airways (Ozark joined a year later when Lobb closed).
In 1965, Runway 13 was listed at 6,400 feet, while Runway 2 was listed at 4,000 feet. That same year the first jets arrived in the form of Northwest 727s. 1968 saw the coming of North Central Airlines, while Braniff left. American Airlines began to service Rochester in 1988, and in 1995 the airport added a United States Customs Service post, which became Rochester International Airport. In early 2001, TWA began flights to St. Louis, but these were short-lived, as they soon merged with American. On September 15th, 2005, Runway 13 was reopened, having been lengthened to 9,034 feet with the addition of a runway centerline and touchdown zone lighting. These changes were made to allow wide-body aircraft (weight-restricted upon departure). 
 

The airport is located seven miles south of downtown Rochester. 

• RST has a large FedEx freight terminal and a general aviation terminal, which is run by Signature Flight Support. Aircraft rental and flight instruction are available through Great Planes Aviation. 
• There are currently plans to construct another gate and jet bridge. Furthermore, there are discussions around adding dining and shopping options at the terminal. 
• The international designation at the airport is specifically for The Mayo Clinic, as patients continue using the airport to access the clinic. 
• The airport is home to the Southeastern Minnesota Flying Club, operating from Rochester International and Lobb beforehand for over 50 years.