Mesa Gateway Airport offers nonstop flights to 45 destinations

MESA, AZ — Mesa Gateway Airport is expanding its reach and capacity, now offering nonstop service to 45 destinations and handling about two million passengers last year, airport officials said, as leaders push to attract even more travelers in 2026.

Airport spokesman Ryan Smith said the facility’s emphasis on low fares and service to smaller, underserved cities has driven growth.

“Finding these little niche markets, where we know that people who live there love to come and visit the Valley, is important,” Smith said. “They may have moved here or transferred for work, and they want to go back home.”

Allegiant Air, a popular low‑cost carrier, operates as many as 40 flights to Mesa Gateway each day, airport officials said. Visit Mesa estimates about 4.5 million visitors come to Mesa each year, generating roughly $85 million in tax revenue for the city.

“We’re able to promote the direct flights where people can come here quick and easily from regions that may not have as much service as other airports,” said Alicia Boe of Visit Mesa.

Visit Mesa staff have been greeting incoming passengers during National Travel and Tourism Week, handing out information and small items to welcome visitors.

Passengers praised the airport’s convenience and pricing. Heather Martin, who flew in with her mother from Peoria, Illinois, said she uses Mesa Gateway about four times a year. “It’s changed immensely. It’s gotten a lot bigger and obviously this whole area has developed a lot,” she said.

Airport leaders point to recent and ongoing investments. A new terminal opened two years ago and a new air traffic control tower opened three years ago. The airport is adding five passenger gates and revamping the terminal’s baggage check area to speed check‑in. Smith said the airport’s inside runway will be rebuilt by the end of the summer in what he called the largest construction project in Gateway’s history.

The work will leave the field with three 10,000‑foot runways, capable of accommodating nearly any kind of aircraft, Smith said. “We operate a very efficient, low‑cost airport,” he added, and officials say keeping fares competitive while focusing on growth has paid off.