The 5 Largest Non-Hub US Airports

Like most major developed commercial aviation markets, the United States airline industry is dominated by a few legacy carriers, each controlling a major market sector. These three legacy carriers, which are among the most well-known and profitable airlines in the nation, are as follows:

Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of the busiest airports in the United States are major hubs for some of these facilities, and some facilities, like Chicago-O’Hare International Airport (ORD), happen to be hubs for multiple carriers. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), uniquely, is a hub for all three legacy carriers, each of which uses it to serve destinations in Asia.

Nonetheless, there are a few airports across the United States that violate this trend. Some massive international gateway airports are hubs with millions of annual passengers and services from many international airlines but are not currently hubs for a US-based legacy carrier. Let’s take a deeper look at the five largest US airports, which are not legacy airline hubs, using passenger data from the FAA.

1

Orlando International Airport (MCO)

National rank: 7

While not a legacy hub for United, Delta, or American, Orlando International Airport
remains the largest airport in the state of Florida and one of the top ten busiest in the United States. Despite the lack of legacy carrier traffic at the airport, Orlando remains a major base for no less than six different low-cost carriers, including Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Avelo Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier Airlines, and Breeze Airways. The airline is also no less saturated with international traffic, with more than a dozen international airlines flying to the city.

Photo: VIAVAL TOURS | Shutterstock

This begs an interesting question: with so much demand, why have legacy carriers shied away from operating major hubs at Orlando Airport? Well, as a major hub for leisure travel due to its world-famous theme parks, the demand for business travel to the area is relatively weak, making airlines that focus on business travelers, like United, Delta, and American, uninterested in serving this demand. That’s not to say that these carriers don’t have a presence in Orlando. Delta, for example, flies multiple times daily to MCO from its hub at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) using widebody jets.

2

Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas

National rank: 8

Another major hub for leisure travel, the primary airport serving the gambling hub of Las Vegas
is another one of the US’s top ten largest airports that fails to register as a base for any legacy carrier. As one would expect, however, low-cost carriers have been quick to build out their operations at the facility, with Allegiant, Frontier, Southwest, and Spirit all operating bases at the airport.

Photo: Bradley Caslin | Shutterstock

The reasons for not having legacy airline hubs once again relate to Las Vegas’s status as a major leisure travel hub, as the area does not serve significant enough business travel to support Delta, American, or United opening up a hub. However, with the recent increase in investment in the city by major investment firms and the advent of professional sports in the region, this could be set to change in the coming years.

3

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL)

National rank: 17

Photo: HMBSoFL Photography | Shutterstock

One of the airports on this list which has experienced the largest growth in passenger traffic in recent years is Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
which has seen passenger numbers balloon from around 12 million in 2014 all the way up to 17 million in 2023. Although not a hub for any legacy carrier, the airport serves as an important base for JetBlue, Allegiant and Spirit Airlines, which actually recently relocated its corporate headquarters nearby.

Over the past few years, as South Florida has increasingly become an important economic hub, more and more passengers have headed to the area, leading passenger numbers to rise.

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4

Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI)

National rank: 23

While nearby Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) are major hubs for legacy airlines, nearby Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
is surprisingly not. Although Southwest Airlines maintains a major foothold at the facility, the airport is not a major hub for any of the three legacy carriers.

Despite this, BWI does offer a fairly long list of international services, with flights from British Airways, Condor and Icelandic PLAY, all of which fly across the Atlantic from the facility. BWI is also very well-connected to the surrounding area, with a high-speed rail link offered by Amtrak.

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5

San Diego International Airport (SAN)

National rank: 25

Photo: Tony Andrews Photography | Shutterstock

The final airport to enter our list is San Diego International Airport
which, despite lacking a major legacy airline hub, operates flights both across the United States and to many international destinations. The facility is a major operating base for Alaska Airlines, and international services to the airport include flights to London Heathrow Airport (LHR) from British Airways and Tokyo-Narita International Airport (NRT) from Japan Airlines. As an up-and-coming city that is increasingly becoming a hub for business, it would be unsurprising to see legacy airlines expand their presence in the region in the near future.