Aviation got its start in Tucson in 1910. The first municipal airport opened in 1919 where the Rodeo grounds are today. By 1927, the airport had moved to a larger parcel of land. Ceding this property to the war department, the city opened a new municipal airport after World War II on 2500 acres south of town.
Passenger traffic grew immensely during the early 1990s as discount carriers brought highly competitive fares to Tucson. By the end of 1996, the airport was handling more than 3.5 million passengers.
12 Airlines provide service: AeroCalifornia, Aerolitoral, Alaska, American, America West, Continental, Delta, Horizon, Northwest, SkyWest, Southwest, and United. Nonstop destinations include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, San Diego, and Seattle. There are approximately 62 daily flights with approximately 7,000 seats available.