Savannah Airport Guide: Gulfstreams, Graves and Southern Charm
Savannah Airport serves coastal Georgia and Hilton Head. Our guide covers its two runways, the graves in Runway 10, Gulfstream jets, airlines and access.
By The Aviation Hub
5 min read
Updated October 20, 2026 
Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport serves coastal Georgia and the resort island of Hilton Head in South Carolina. Savannah Airport carried a record 4.23 million passengers in 2025, double the figure of two decades earlier. It is also home to Gulfstream Aerospace, so business jets fresh off the production line share the field with airliners and Air National Guard transports. Add two graves set into a runway, and few regional airports offer as much character.
Savannah Airport at a Glance
The IATA code is SAV and the ICAO code is KSAV. The airport lies around 8 miles (13 km) northwest of downtown Savannah, beside Interstate 95 near Pooler, at an elevation of 15 metres (50 feet). It has two runways and a single terminal. Savannah Airport recorded about 4.23 million passengers and some 116,000 aircraft movements in 2025.
Delta is the largest carrier, with more than a fifth of passengers, followed by Southwest and American. Allegiant has run a base here, with closure set for November 2026. The Savannah Airport Commission operates the site across about 3,650 acres. Flight and parking details are on the airport’s official website.
How Savannah’s Airport Came to Be
The first municipal airport opened on 20 September 1929, when Eastern Air Express launched its New York to Miami service with a stop in Savannah. That first field took the name Hunter Field in 1932 and passed to the military as war approached. In 1942 the Army Air Corps established Chatham Field, the site of today’s airport. It returned to civil use after the war and in 1948 became Travis Field, honouring Brigadier General Robert F. Travis.
Civil identity came later. The name Savannah International Airport arrived in 1983, and the present terminal opened in May 1994 at a cost of $68.5 million. In 2003 the name changed again to include Hilton Head, reflecting the resort traffic that drives much of the demand. A brief international chapter came in 1992, when Key Airlines ran a short lived hub here before folding in 1993.
Runways at Savannah Airport
Runway 10/28 is the main strip. It measures 2,850 metres (9,351 feet) long and 46 metres wide, with a grooved concrete surface. Runway 01/19 measures 2,134 metres (7,002 feet), also 46 metres wide and grooved concrete. The two cross each other, so they work as primary and crosswind runways rather than in parallel.
Runway 10 holds a genuine curiosity. Two graves of the Dotson family, buried on their farmland long before the airport existed, remain beneath the pavement about 1,120 metres (3,680 feet) from the west end. Relatives would not allow the remains to be moved, so the runway was built over them. Runway 10 at Savannah Airport is thought to be the only US runway with marked gravestones in it. Pilots taxiing past may glimpse the markers set flush into the concrete.
Terminals and Airlines
The single terminal opened with eight gates and grew to 15 after a 2007 expansion. A concourse expansion adds four more gates. Inside, the central atrium is designed to evoke one of Savannah’s historic squares, with storefront facades and trees. The layout is compact and easy to navigate.
Delta dominates with flights to Atlanta and New York JFK. American connects to Charlotte, Dallas Fort Worth and other hubs. United serves Chicago O’Hare and other hubs, and Southwest operates a broad point to point network. Breeze, JetBlue, Avelo, Sun Country and Allegiant add leisure routes. FedEx and UPS fly cargo to Memphis and Louisville. Every major US alliance is represented at Savannah Airport through its hub carriers.
Routes and Destinations
Atlanta is the busiest route by a wide margin, with around 400,000 passengers in the year to March 2026. Charlotte follows with about 179,000, then Dallas Fort Worth, Chicago O’Hare and New York JFK at roughly 115,000 to 120,000 each. Together these hubs link Savannah to almost anywhere in the world with one stop.
Leisure travel shapes the calendar. Spring brings golfers, wedding parties and St Patrick’s Day crowds, while summer fills the beaches of Hilton Head and Tybee Island. Direct international flights are rare. Air Canada flew seasonally from Toronto from 2017 but later dropped the route. Denver, served by United and seasonally by Southwest, is the longest regular route.
Getting to and from Savannah Airport
Road is the main option. The terminal sits directly off Interstate 95 at a dedicated interchange, Exit 104, between Savannah and Pooler. Downtown Savannah’s historic district is around 20 minutes away by car, while Hilton Head Island takes about 45 minutes to an hour. A 1,700 space parking garage opened in 2007, and two new surface lots are planned.
There is no rail link. Taxis, ride hailing and shuttle vans wait outside arrivals, and rental car counters are inside the terminal. Hotel and resort shuttles serve many Hilton Head properties, so check before booking a taxi. For most visitors to Savannah Airport, a ride hailing car is the cheapest sensible option for reaching the historic district. Chatham Area Transit has also offered bus links, though services are limited.
Spotting and Photography
The variety here is the attraction. Gulfstream’s factory and service centre turn out G500, G600, G700 and G800 business jets, many flying test sorties before delivery. The Savannah Air National Guard Base hosts the 165th Airlift Wing and its Lockheed C-130J Super Hercules. The Air Dominance Center brings visiting fighter jets for training exercises.
Public roads around the perimeter offer views of approaches, but much of the land belongs to Gulfstream or the military. Keep well clear of factory and base fences, and do not photograph security installations. Easterly and westerly winds dictate which end of 10/28 is in use, so check a tracker. Summer thunderstorms build quickly in the afternoon, and morning light is clearest. Respect every sign at Savannah Airport.
What Comes Next
Growth has pushed the terminal to its limits. The four extra gates bring the total to 19, while expanded security lanes and new car parks address the busiest pinch points. Further funding arrived in mid 2026. Allegiant’s base closure cuts some leisure flying, though other low cost carriers may fill the gap.
Savannah’s booming port, new manufacturing plants and steady tourism suggest demand will keep rising. The challenge is expanding a compact terminal fast enough. Expect continued record years and further phased expansion, with Gulfstream ensuring the field stays interesting. Compare it with other Southern gateways on our Airports of the World map.
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