Jacksonville International Airport (JIA) is located 21km north of downtown Jacksonville in the Duval County of Florida, USA. It is owned and operated by Jacksonville Aviation Authority (JAA).
The airport has been operating since 1968, replacing the Imeson Field airport. It handled around 5.6 million passengers and around 96,440 aircraft movements in 2010.
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The airport is also a military base. Airtran Airlines, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, United and USAirways are among the airlines that operate from the airport.
Expansion
The airport received approval for expansion from the government in 2000. It is being carried out in two phases.
First phase of expansion was completed in 2004-2005. It involved the reconstruction of a landside terminal, main concession area and the Central Square, as well as expansion of parking slots and security checkpoints.
Phase II, initiated in the second half of 2006, is underway. Concourses A, B and C were demolished as part of the $170m phase II. Concourse B was demolished in 2009. New concourses A and C were opened in 2008 with ten gates each. Concourse B is expected to be built and inaugurated when the passenger traffic is expected to increase in 2013.
Phase II also includes expansion of parking systems and the addition of a new baggage screening facility and a people mover system. The newly built concourses may require another expansion by 2020.
Terminal features
Jacksonville International Airport has a two-level main passenger terminal building with an area of 504,030m2. The upper level of the terminal building is used for departures and the lower level for arrivals. Level one has the baggage claim area and ticketing services are provided at level two.
The main terminal has 12 shops, 11 restaurants, a help desk, USO facilities and a spa. A game room is available in the courtyard and delta crown room is available in concourse A.
The passenger terminal has 28 aircraft boarding gates of which 23 are provided with jet-loading bridges and the remaining five gates with aircraft parking positions with terminal access. It has 10,696 automobile parking spaces provided by two parking garages, one surface lot and three economy lots.
In October 2010, the airport opened a new preferred-passenger lane.
Air cargo
The airport has four cargo buildings spread over 200,000ft2 of the warehouse space. FedEx, UPS and Airborne are a few of the cargo operators at the airport. A new cargo facility by Jet blue Cargo was opened at JIA in February 2011.
Runways
The airport spans 7,911 acres and is served by two concrete paved runways.
Runways 07/25 and 13/31 appear in the form of a V-configuration. Runway 07/25 is 10,000ft long and 150ft wide; 13/31 is 7,700ftX 150ft. Both the runways are provided with a 75ft wide taxiway.
Two more runways are planned for construction, each parallel to the existing runways as a part of airport improvement. The third runway will be built parallel to the existing southern runway. Construction is expected to begin in 2015.
Baggage screening systems
An automated hold baggage system was introduced at the airport in 2002 to meet the Transportation Security Administration Regulations. Automated baggage screening at the airport is carried out using CTX9000 machines. The baggage screening system also detects explosives.
Ground transportation
Ground transportation is available in the form of rental cars, taxis, limousine services and hotel shuttles. The services are available at the lower level of the terminal building. AirJTA buses are available for transportation between downtown Jacksonville and the airport.
Parking
The airport offers long-term and short-term parking services to its visitors. About 10,690 automobiles can be parked at the airport terminal. The airport is provided with an hourly garage and a daily garage. It also has economy lots 1, 2 and 3 and a valet parking.
