One Of The Oldest Airports In The U.S., Albany International Airport In New York Is Now 93 Years Old

When you think of airports in New York, your mind probably immediately jumps to the Big Apple's behemoth John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports. One less populous, but still notable airport is Albany International Airport. Despite its name, Albany International Airport is actually located in Colonie, about six miles northwest of Albany. It is the fifth-largest airport in New York and serves around 1.5 million passengers annually.

Albany International, founded in 1928, is the oldest municipal airport in the United States. Some early aviation superstars to land and fly out of there include Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart.

The name "Albany Airport" was actually used to refer to a polo field the at the dawn of the 20th century that early planes flew out of.

The current building was constructed in the late 1920s. Until the 1940s, it was often closed to make necessary improvements. However, it has now been open continuously since 1942 (other than brief closures for weather issues).

The airport has been through several major renovations to pave and lengthen the two runways.

Today, the airport prides itself on its many environmental advances, including many solar panels.

Southwest is the largest carrier to operate at Albany International, but many other airlines also utilize the airport.

The terminal may be smaller than LaGuardia or JFK, but it still measures an impressive 230,000 square feet. There are three concourses spread out over three levels.

The history of the city of Albany is really interesting. Did you know that it's the oldest settlement in the country north of Virginia?

Have you ever flown out of (or into) Albany International Airport? We'd love to hear about your experiences! Tell us your thoughts about this historic airport in the comments.