Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport Explained

Rogue Valley International Medford-Airport
Image2-Width:250
Iata:MFR
Icao:KMFR
Faa:MFR
Type:Public
Owner:Jackson County Airport Authority
City-Served:Rogue Valley
Elevation-F:1,335
Website:flymfr.com
Coordinates:42.3742°N -122.8736°W
Mapframe:yes
R1-Number:14/32
R1-Length-F:8,800
R1-Surface:Asphalt
Stat-Year:2020
Stat1-Header:Aircraft operations
Stat1-Data:41,563
Stat2-Header:Based aircraft
Stat2-Data:201
Footnotes:Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport[2] is an international, and public-use airport three miles north of downtown Medford, in Jackson County, Oregon, United States. Owned and operated by Jackson County's Aviation Authority, the airport serves southwest Oregon. Originally named Medford–Jackson County Airport, it was renamed to Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport after it became an international airport in 1994.[3] [4]

In December 2018, the airport celebrated its 1 million+ annual passenger milestone. In doing so Medford joined both PDX and EUG as the only Oregon airports to have surpassed 1 million passengers in a year.[5] By virtue of annual commercial passengers, Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport is the third busiest airport in Oregon with 1,010,920 passenger enplanements and deplanements in 2018 (behind Eugene and Portland).[6] [7] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year).[8]

Facilities

The airport covers 938 acres (380 ha) at an elevation of 1,335 feet (407 m). Its runway, 14/32, is 8,800 by 150 feet (2,682 x 46 m) asphalt.[9]

The airport underwent renovations which included a new 110000-4NaN-4 terminal building with room for expansion; work completed in 2009 and designed by CSHQA and the Abell Architectural Group Inc.[10] The new terminal has an observation deck on the second floor, a restaurant for screened and unscreened passengers, and second-story loading bridges. Now that the terminal is complete, there is a main concourse, and two open air concourses. A new control tower was completed in late 2008; the $3.6 million, 100adj=midNaNadj=mid tower uses a state-of-the-art geothermal system to heat and cool the building.[11]

Two fixed-base operators (FBOs) provide general aviation services on the field: Jet Center MFR, and Million Air (which recently completed its new three-story corporate terminal).

In the year ending December 31, 2020, the airport had 41,563 aircraft operations, average 114 per day: 59% general aviation, 22% airline, 16% air taxi, and less than 1% military.[12] 201 aircraft at the time were based at the airport: 139 single-engine, 25 multi-engine, 22 jet, 15 helicopter, and 5 glider.

The Medford airport continues to post favorable passenger statistics; following monthly gains in 2019 the facility served 1,087,873 arriving and departing passengers (increase of 7.6% over 2018 statistic).

Airline service present and past

Alaska Airlines offers nonstops to Portland and Seattle/Tacoma. Nonstops to Denver, Los Angeles and San Francisco, flown by SkyWest Airlines operating as United Express, use Bombardier CRJ200 and Embraer 175 regional jets as well as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737-900 for select San Francisco, LAX, and Denver flights. Delta Connection, operated by Skywest Airlines, flies nonstop to Salt Lake City and Seattle/Tacoma with the Embraer 175. Allegiant Air flies nonstop to Las Vegas and Los Angeles, and seasonally to Phoenix/Mesa, using the Airbus A319.

Medford was served by United Airlines Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, by Hughes Airwest (formerly Air West) Douglas DC-9-10s and DC-9-30s, by Pacific Express BAC One-Elevens, and by Pacific Southwest Airlines BAe 146-200s. The PSA service was continued by USAir (later renamed US Airways) after it acquired PSA. USAir later ended service to Medford though US Airways Express did serve Medford later with regional jets. The predecessor of Air West and Hughes Airwest, West Coast Airlines, served the airport in the 1960s with Douglas DC-9s and Fairchild F-27s. West Coast merged with Pacific Air Lines and Bonanza Air Lines to form Air West. In the late 1980s and early 1990s United Express operated as NPA, West Air and Mesa flying British Aerospace Jetstreams (19 seat turboprops) directly to both Portland and Seattle. Continental Airlines also served MFR in the late 1980s with MD-82 aircraft. Aha Airlines offered service between Medford and Reno, NV between October 2021 and August 2022 when it declared bankruptcy.[13]

Airlines and destinations

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

Top domestic routes out of MFR
(September 2022 - August 2023)
[14] ! Rank! City! Passengers! Carriers
1Seattle/Tacoma, Washington147,000Alaska, Delta
2Denver, Colorado80,000United
3San Francisco, California64,000United
446,000Delta
5Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona41,000American
6Los Angeles, California26,000Alaska
7Las Vegas, Nevada24,000Allegiant
8Portland, Oregon21,000Alaska
9Burbank, California13,000Avelo
10Orange County, California8,000Allegiant

Airline market share

Largest airlines at MFR
(September 2022 - August 2023)
[15]
RankAirlinePassengersShare
1SkyWest434,00045.63%
2Horizon221,00023.24%
3United179,00018.84%
3Allegiant86,0008.98%
5Avelo25,0002.63%
6Other6,0000.68%

Annual traffic

MFR Airport Annual Passenger Data 2000-Present[16] !Year!Passengers!Year!Passengers!Year!Passengers
2000492,0652010639,6792020509,624
2001464,5352011618,1952021886,670
2002462,0982012642,56920221,031,693
2003481,9902013631,2342023979,211
2004532,1942014664,4232024
2005594,6822015757,9712025
2006597,9652016822,2892026
2007647,4712017901,5782027
2008604,69020181,010,9202028
2009594,53220191,087,8732029

References

Notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. . Federal Aviation Administration. Effective September 8, 2022.
  2. The airport retains "international" status, though the U.S. Customs Office closed in 2003 .
  3. Web site: The History of Aviation in Rogue Valley. Jackson County Airport Authority. 25 January 2018.
  4. News: Mann. Damian. Trade Zone may go dormant. 5 May 2016. MailTribune.com. 19 July 2004.
  5. Web site: StackPath. 4 January 2019 .
  6. Web site: Rogue Valley International Airport Dec 18 Pass Flow . Rogue Valley International Airport . Rogue Valley International Airport .
  7. Web site: Enplanements for CY 2011 . PDF, 1.7 MB . faa.gov . Federal Aviation Administration . October 9, 2012 .
  8. Web site: 2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A . PDF, 2.03 MB . faa.gov . Federal Aviation Administration . October 4, 2010 .
  9. Web site: MFR airport data at skyvector.com. skyvector.com. September 25, 2022.
  10. Web site: Medford airport opens new, $35M terminal - USATODAY.com. .
  11. Web site: Funds secured for airport tower. Damian Mann. MailTribune.com.
  12. Web site: FAA . Facility Dashboard - MFR . 1 Dec 2021.
  13. Web site: Aha Airlines flights grounded by bankruptcy .
  14. Web site: Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) . Medford, OR: Rogue Valley International (MFR) Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail . . November 13, 2023.
  15. Web site: Medford, OR: Rogue Valley International - Medford (MFR). Bureau of Transportation Statistics. November 13, 2021.
  16. Web site: MFR Historical Passenger Data 1978-Present. jacksoncountyor.gov. June 24, 2024.