Airport operations have gotten complicated with all the changes and updates flying around. As someone with extensive travel experience, I learned everything there is to know about this topic. Today, I will share it all with you.

Chattanooga Airport: The Small Airport That Actually Works

I have a soft spot for regional airports, and Chattanooga Metropolitan is one of those places that reminds me why. It’s small, it’s manageable, and it gets the job done without making you want to pull your hair out.

CHA – that’s the airport code – sits in southeastern Tennessee and has been around since the early 1900s in some form or another. It’s not going to win any awards for size, but honestly? That’s part of what makes it nice.

A Quick History Lesson (I’ll Keep It Short)

Chattanooga’s aviation history goes back to the 1920s, which is wild to think about. The original airfields were pretty basic – military training, the occasional air show, that kind of thing. In 1930, they officially set up Lovell Field, which eventually became what we know today.

During World War II, the airfield was a pilot training base. My grandfather actually knew someone who trained there, though he never flew himself. After the war, it shifted to commercial service and has been chugging along ever since.

What Flying Through Here Is Actually Like

Here’s what I appreciate about Chattanooga: one terminal, simple layout, get in and get out. None of that “which concourse am I in and how do I get to the other one” nonsense you deal with at major hubs.

American, Delta, and United all fly out of here. You can get direct flights to Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas – the usual connecting hubs. It’s not going to get you everywhere directly, but it gets you to places that will.

The terminal has the basics: some food options, free Wi-Fi, reasonably comfortable seating. Nothing fancy, but nothing terrible either. I’ve waited for flights here without feeling like I was trapped in purgatory, which is more than I can say for some airports.

The Runway Situation

Two runways – the main one is 7,400 feet, which handles the commercial stuff. The secondary runway at 5,575 feet is more for smaller planes and general aviation. They’ve invested in upgrades over the years: runway extensions, better taxiways, modern navigation equipment.

For pilots reading this (I know a few who do), it’s a pretty straightforward airport to fly into. Good approaches, well-maintained surfaces.

Cargo Is Kind of a Big Deal Here

Something most passengers don’t think about: Chattanooga has a solid cargo operation. FedEx and UPS both move stuff through here. The airport’s location makes it a useful logistics spot – good highway access, reasonable distance from major markets. It’s a bigger part of the airport’s revenue than you might guess.

They’re Actually Trying on the Green Stuff

I’m usually skeptical when airports talk about environmental initiatives – a lot of it is greenwashing. But Chattanooga has actually done some real things: solar panels, LED lighting, water management systems. Whether it’s enough is debatable, but they’re at least making an effort.

They also run educational programs with local schools about aviation careers, which I think is genuinely cool. Getting kids interested in aviation – whether as pilots, mechanics, or air traffic controllers – matters for the industry’s future.

Security and Getting Through

TSA here follows all the standard protocols, but the lines are usually manageable. I’ve gotten through security in under 15 minutes on multiple occasions. Compare that to the hour-plus waits I’ve experienced at bigger airports, and you start to appreciate places like CHA.

Parking is easy to find and won’t bankrupt you. They’ve got short-term and long-term options. Accessibility services are available if you need them.

Tech Updates and What’s Coming

The airport has been modernizing: automated check-in kiosks, real-time flight tracking, the usual digital upgrades. They’re apparently looking at biometric screening and digital boarding passes for the future, which seems to be where all airports are headed.

Expansion plans include more gates and improved amenities. Whether that happens on schedule… well, you know how airport construction timelines go.

Why This Airport Matters

For southeastern Tennessee, Chattanooga’s airport is a real economic driver. Thousands of jobs, tourism support, business travel – it adds up. The region would be a lot more isolated without it.

There’s something nice about flying through a smaller airport where the staff seems to actually know the place works, where you’re not just another body being processed through a system. It’s not glamorous, but it works. And sometimes that’s exactly what you need.