Syracuse Airport Guide: Mastering Snow in Central New York
Syracuse Airport keeps flying through more than 120 inches of snow a year. See how Hancock's runways, terminal, airlines and transport links work.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Few American cities get more snow than Syracuse, yet its airport almost never closes. Syracuse Airport, officially Syracuse Hancock International, serves central New York from a site just north of the city. It handles around three million passengers a year, with links to the major airline hubs and Florida. It shares the airfield with an Air National Guard base, and its snow teams have a shelf of national awards.
Syracuse Airport at a Glance
The codes are SYR and KSYR. The airport lies about 5 miles (8 km) north east of downtown Syracuse, just off Interstate 81 near Mattydale, at an elevation of 421 ft (128 m). The field straddles the towns of DeWitt, Salina and Cicero. It has two runways and one terminal with two concourses.
Recent figures show about 1.5 million boarding passengers a year, which means roughly three million passengers in total. American, Delta, JetBlue and United lead the market. The City of Syracuse owns the field, and the Syracuse Regional Airport Authority operates Syracuse Airport. Flight information is on the airport’s official website.
How Syracuse’s Airport Came to Be
Syracuse first flew from an airport at Amboy in the Town of Camillus. The city bought the land in 1927 for $50,000, and by 1928 it was handling airmail. Amboy soon proved too small.
The Second World War provided the answer. In 1942 the Army Air Forces opened Syracuse Army Air Base at Mattydale. After the war it was leased to the city, and it opened to the public on 17 September 1949, replacing Amboy. It was named Clarence E. Hancock Airport after the local congressman. The military never fully left, and the Air National Guard base at Hancock Field still shares the airfield today.
The terminal has been rebuilt in stages. In 2013 the two concourses were connected airside behind a single security checkpoint. A $62 million renovation finished in November 2018 added larger windows, higher ceilings and an aviation museum, and refreshed the passenger bridges.
Runways at Syracuse Airport
Runway 10/28 is the main runway at 2,747 m (9,013 ft). Runway 15/33 measures 2,286 m (7,499 ft). Both are asphalt and 46 m (150 ft) wide. Runway 28 has a Category II instrument landing system, allowing approaches in low cloud and poor visibility.
Lake effect snow off Lake Ontario gives the city an average of around 124 inches (3,100 mm) of snow a year. Even so, Syracuse Airport averages fewer than 24 hours of closure annually. Its crews have won the Balchen and Post Award for snow and ice control more than eight times.
Westerly winds favour runway 28 for much of the year, bringing arrivals in over the eastern suburbs. Runway 15/33 handles crosswind days. The long main runway has welcomed unusual visitors, including a British Airways Concorde in 1986 and an Antonov An-124 freighter from Vienna in 1996.
Terminals and Airlines
The single terminal sits at the end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard and splits into two concourses after the shared checkpoint. An Escape Lounge opened in June 2023, open to passengers of any airline for a fee.
American is the largest carrier, linking its hubs at Charlotte, Chicago and Philadelphia with mainline and regional jets. Delta follows closely, with mainline jets to Atlanta and Detroit, while Endeavor Air flies Bombardier CRJ-900 jets for Delta Connection to Detroit and New York. JetBlue flies to New York JFK, Boston and Florida. United connects Chicago O’Hare, Washington Dulles and Denver.
Allegiant, Breeze and Sun Country add leisure routes, mostly to Florida and other winter sun destinations. Southwest arrived in 2021 but left Syracuse Airport in August 2024.
Routes and Destinations
Chicago O’Hare is the busiest route from Syracuse Airport, with around 170,000 passengers a year. Atlanta follows at around 160,000, then Charlotte at 140,000. Orlando, New York JFK and Detroit each carry more than 100,000.
Washington National, Denver, Washington Dulles and New York LaGuardia complete the top ten. Hub connections dominate, carrying university travellers, business passengers and residents heading south. Florida peaks in winter, when Allegiant and Breeze add frequencies to sun destinations.
There is no scheduled international service. Flights to Canada have operated at times, most recently in 2018. A new customs facility at the former gate 15 gives the airport the capacity to handle international arrivals if an airline returns. Cargo is handled by the major parcel carriers.
Getting to and from Syracuse Airport
There is no rail link to Syracuse Airport. Interstate 81 runs right past the airport, and downtown Syracuse is about 10 to 15 minutes away by car. Taxis and rideshare pick up outside baggage claim.
Centro buses connect the airport with downtown Monday to Saturday, and this is the cheapest option. OurBus and Trailways run daily coaches to regional cities including Ithaca and Watertown, calling near the Terminal A baggage claim. Students at Syracuse University and Cornell use these services heavily at the start and end of each term.
The Amtrak station is a short taxi ride away. Parking is available in a garage and surface lots, and plans include two new garages and a consolidated rental car and ground transport centre.
Spotting and Photography
Syracuse Airport offers good variety for its size. Regional jets dominate, but JetBlue and Allegiant bring A320s, and the Air National Guard base adds interest. The New York Air National Guard’s 174th Attack Wing trains MQ-9 Reaper crews here.
Roads around the perimeter give views of aircraft on final for runway 28, and the long main runway makes take offs easy to track. Snow scenes in winter can produce striking images. Clear winter mornings bring crisp light.
The Guard base is a military installation, so do not photograph its facilities. Stay on public land and keep clear of fences. The airport set up its own police department in 2023, and officers patrol regularly.
What Comes Next
The 2018 renovation transformed the passenger experience, and later work added jet bridges and larger hold rooms at gates 11, 14, 22 and 27. The next phase focuses on parking and a consolidated rental car centre.
The big prize for Syracuse Airport is international service, which the new customs hall would support. The verdict is steady growth from a well run airport, with new routes the main lever. See central New York on the Airports of the World map.
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