Will Rogers World Airport has expanded recently, and officials are drafting plans to lure international flights to Oklahoma City.Ĭould Will Rogers World Airport become a passenger airline hub, or even a home base of a company's operations? Its size and central location in the United States makes it possible, but traffic into and out of Oklahoma City still lags far behind other comparably sized airports.Īn analysis of flight data shows that for every commercial passenger flight landing in Oklahoma, 14 more fly over without stopping.Īirports can be measured by not only their importance to hometown and business travelers, but also to passengers from somewhere else who have to pass through on their way to a final destination. Civic leaders desire that growth, but the state's status as flyover country has long hindered efforts to attract new business and travelers. An airport is a city's link to the world and is an important part of its growth. It's also the reality for people trying to visit Oklahoma for business or pleasure. Oftentimes we end up driving just because by the time we do all of the layovers, it's just faster to drive,' Lucas said. For people like Lucas, travel plans can easily include a stop at one of the airlines' connecting hubs in the opposite direction from where she wants to go.

It's the reality of living in Oklahoma, which has a comparatively low population and an economic output that historically lags behind surrounding states. 'Even when I have to go to nearby metro areas, I still have to get from Dallas to wherever else I'm going.' 'We do a lot of work with entrepreneurs and VCs (venture capital firms) in emerging startup ecosystems,' said Lucas, founder of StitchCrew.

Just about everyone, from airport officials to travelers themselves, wishes there were more. When Erika Lucas flies out of Oklahoma City for business, her first flight often lands anywhere but the final destination.Īirlines operating from Will Rogers World Airport offer nonstop flights to about two dozen cities.

Oklahoma city will rogers airport