Dubuque Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Dubuque Regional Airport is a public airport
located 6 miles (10 km) south of Dubuque
, Iowa
along U.S. Highway 61. The airport's site is a parcel of land about 1,100 acre (4 km²) large. There are two runways for this airport.
The airport is owned by the city of Dubuque, and is operated as a department of the city government. The city council appoints people to the Airport Commission board, which oversee the airport. People on the Airport Commission serve four year terms. For day to day operations, the Commission hires an airport manager to run the airport.
DBQ is mostly used for general aviation. There is also a charter service which is run by Chartaire, Inc.. The airport also offers maintenance and refueling services, including services for jets.
The University of Dubuque
has a flight operations center at the airport. This operations center provides for pilot training in the school's aviation programs. This includes both ground school and actual flight training. The University has two hangars with exclusively their aircraft and a third hangar that is shared.
American Airlines
provides flights to and from O'Hare International Airport
in Chicago
four times a day, which generally take under an hour. At one time propeller driven aircraft were used, but American has since upgraded to using regional jets.
Northwest Airlines
announced on February 7, 2008 that its regional partner Mesaba Airlines
operating as Northwest Airlink will once again return with service to Dubuque with twice daily flights to and from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
using Saab 340
aircraft. These flights began on June 20, 2008.
On July 2, 2009, the merged Delta/Northwest Airlines announced it would discontinue all service to Dubuque citing weakened demand throughout its system. This left DBQ with only one airline providing commercial service.
The terminal features free WI-FI internet access. The airport also recently installed enclosed walkways at the gates, allowing passengers to walk to and from the planes without having to go outdoors.
The city has also expressed an interest in courting additional airlines to serve the airport. Up until recently, Dubuque Regional had up to 3 air carriers. Two were eliminated when the airline industry met hard financial times following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. However, with strong passenger numbers, a growing tourism industry, and financial stability among air carriers, expanded service seems increasingly likely in Dubuque.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located 6 miles (10 km) south of Dubuque
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
along U.S. Highway 61. The airport's site is a parcel of land about 1,100 acre (4 km²) large. There are two runways for this airport.
The airport is owned by the city of Dubuque, and is operated as a department of the city government. The city council appoints people to the Airport Commission board, which oversee the airport. People on the Airport Commission serve four year terms. For day to day operations, the Commission hires an airport manager to run the airport.
DBQ is mostly used for general aviation. There is also a charter service which is run by Chartaire, Inc.. The airport also offers maintenance and refueling services, including services for jets.
The University of Dubuque
University of Dubuque
The University of Dubuque is a Presbyterian university located in Dubuque, Iowa, with a general attendance of approximately 1,600 students. The school offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. It is one of three four-year post-secondary institutions in the City of Dubuque, and is...
has a flight operations center at the airport. This operations center provides for pilot training in the school's aviation programs. This includes both ground school and actual flight training. The University has two hangars with exclusively their aircraft and a third hangar that is shared.
American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
provides flights to and from O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
four times a day, which generally take under an hour. At one time propeller driven aircraft were used, but American has since upgraded to using regional jets.
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
announced on February 7, 2008 that its regional partner Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation...
operating as Northwest Airlink will once again return with service to Dubuque with twice daily flights to and from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...
using Saab 340
Saab 340
The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...
aircraft. These flights began on June 20, 2008.
On July 2, 2009, the merged Delta/Northwest Airlines announced it would discontinue all service to Dubuque citing weakened demand throughout its system. This left DBQ with only one airline providing commercial service.
The terminal features free WI-FI internet access. The airport also recently installed enclosed walkways at the gates, allowing passengers to walk to and from the planes without having to go outdoors.
Layout
The airline terminal has a small cafe (FlyDBQ Cafe), ATM, vending, and gaming machines. The terminal has 3 gates for airline passengers and a jet bridge. The terminal also has a baggage carousel, desks for three airlines and rental car service (Avis Rent a Car).Airlines and destinations
Safety
The airport has been recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration a number of times for its strong commitment to safety. It won the FAA's "Airport Safety Enhancement Award" in 1994, 1997, 2000, and 2003. In order to receive this honor, an airport must be free from discrepancies during an inspection for three consecutive years. In 2008, the Dubuque Regional Airport marked 18 consecutive years of perfect safety inspections in accordance with FAR Part 139. That record is unmatched among the approximately 600 certified U.S. airports.Expansion
In order to update aging facilities and accommodate continued growth, the City of Dubuque announced in 2007 that it intends to build a new, larger airport terminal building in the coming years. The new $23 million facility is a part of the airport's master improvement plan, however, no timeline has been given for the completion of the building.The city has also expressed an interest in courting additional airlines to serve the airport. Up until recently, Dubuque Regional had up to 3 air carriers. Two were eliminated when the airline industry met hard financial times following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. However, with strong passenger numbers, a growing tourism industry, and financial stability among air carriers, expanded service seems increasingly likely in Dubuque.