Minot International Airport (IATA: MOT, ICAO: KMOT, FAA LID: MOT) is in Ward County, North Dakota, two miles north of the city of Minot, which owns it. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011â€"2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport.
MOT currently handles between ten and fifteen commercial flights a day from three airlines, as well as various charters and general aviation traffic. For many years Northwest Airlines, followed by Delta Air Lines, was the airport's sole commercial carrier but an economic and population boom have resulted in other carriers adding flights as well. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Allegiant Airlines currently offer flights to Minneapolis, Denver, and Phoenix/Mesa and Las Vegas, respectively. Minot International has no scheduled passenger airline service out of the country, but receives its international title (like many other airports) because of its customs service.Customs service is available for aircraft arriving from Canada and other countries. The TSA fully searches all passengers and carry-on luggage prior to boarding, rather than using a selective process as is the case at major airports.
Delta Air Lines operates up to six daily flights to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. All are on Delta Connection to Minneapolis. Delta Air Lines commands the largest percentage of MOT travelers.
United Airlines became Minot's second largest airline in 2010. It currently operates four daily flights to Denver International Airport. United also flies multiple weekly charters to Houston, Texas.
Allegiant Airlines became the airport's third airline in 2010, with flights to Las Vegas. Allegiant then added service to Phoenix-Mesa as well. The number of flights to each destinations fluctuates.
Frontier Airlines became the airport's fourth airline in 2012 with four flights per week to Denver International Airport. The original Frontier Airlines served Minot, on a route that connected it with Saskatoon, Regina and Denver, prior to that airline's bankruptcy and halting of operations in 1986. Though passenger loads were high, Frontier discontinued service from Minot in 2015 due to restructuring of the airline.
Facilities
Minot International Airport covers 1,563 acres (633 ha) at an elevation of 1,716 feet (523 m). It has two runways: 13/31 is 7,700 by 150 feet (2,347 x 46 m) concrete and 8/26 is 6,351 by 100 feet (1,936 x 30 m) asphalt. Two gates have jetways.
Pietsch Aircraft Restoration and Repair and Minot Aero Center are Fixed Based Operation and maintenance business at the airport,offering flight training, maintenance and general aircraft services. Minot Aero Center is an Avfuel fuel station. www.minotaerocenter.com
In the year ending June 30, 2012 the airport had 49,156 aircraft operations, average 134 per day: 62% general aviation, 14% airline, 13% military, and 10% air taxi. 127 aircraft were then based at this airport: 92% single-engine, 5% multi-engine, 2% jet, and 1% helicopter.
In 2013 aircraft operations dropped to 32,023 for the fiscal year. Itinerant general aviation operations is still the highest percentage of operations with 10,429. Air carrier is at 6,825 and air taxi is at 5,201. Finally, for itinerant operations, military made up 283. Local operations include 6,898 civil and 2,387 military operations. Based aircraft has dropped to 112 housed aircraft.
Airlines and destinations
Non-stop destinations:
Statistics
Growth and future
Minot's growth in population and economy, along with the enormous influx of workers and residents due to the oil boom in western North Dakota, have increased passenger numbers at Minot International Airport tremendously. Though Minot is the fourth largest city in North Dakota, it is now the third-busiest. While the airport is only twenty years old, it was designed for roughly 100,000 passengers. This has put strain on airport infrastructure and resulted in makeshift changes such as temporary long term parking, additional hold-room areas, and other similar measures.
Minot International's current situation and forecasted growth over the next twenty years warranted a study to identify alternatives to deal with that growth. Ultimately it was decided that the best option was a new terminal to be built directly east of the current terminal. Design of the new terminal building was completed in May 2013. The new terminal design will include four to six gates, room for up to four car rental companies, additional restaurant space, additional check in areas for future new airlines, and greatly expanded parking facilities for short term, long term, and rental car parking.
Growing passenger numbers, parking issues, and the possibilities of new airlines and destinations make a new terminal at Minot International Airport a top priority. The projected $40 million terminal joins a list of other major improvements over the next three years which include additional apron, a new taxiway, a new Snow Removal Equipment building, additional parking and a new access road, with total investment around $98 million to cope with increased traffic.
See also
- Dakota Territory Air Museum
- Minot Air Force Base
- North Dakota World War II Army Airfields
References
External links
- Minot International Airport, official website
- Aerial image as of May 1995 from USGS The National Map
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective October 12, 2017
- FAA Terminal Procedures for MOT, effective October 12, 2017
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KMOT
- ASN accident history for MOT
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS latest weather observations
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KMOT
- FAA current MOT delay information