Paine Field , also known as Snohomish County Airport, is a commercial and general aviation airport serving the
Seattle metropolitan area
The Seattle metropolitan area is an urban conglomeration in the U.S. state of Washington that comprises Seattle, its surrounding satellites and suburbs. It contains the three most populous counties in the state—King, Snohomish, and Pierce ...
in the U.S. state of
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
. It is located in unincorporated
Snohomish County, Washington
Snohomish County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Washington, after nearby King and Pierce counties, and the 75th-most populous ...
, between the cities of
Mukilteo
Mukilteo ( ) is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located on the Puget Sound between Edmonds, Washington, Edmonds and Everett, Washington, Everett, approximately north of Seattle. The city had a population of 20,254 ...
and
Everett, about north of
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
. PAE covers of land.
The airport was built in 1936 by the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
and began commercial service in 1939. It was named for
Topliff Olin Paine in 1941, shortly before the
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps:
* Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army
* Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941)
* United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
began the occupation of Paine Field for military use. The airport briefly returned to civilian use in the late 1940s, before conversion into an
air force base
An air base (sometimes referred to as a military air base, military airfield, military airport, air station, naval air station, air force station, or air force base) is an aerodrome used as a military base by a military force for the operation ...
during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
. In 1966, the
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
Company selected Paine Field for the site of its
Everett assembly plant as part of the
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022.
After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, t ...
program. By the 1970s, the airport had grown into a hub for light aviation and manufacturing, lacking commercial service. The county government sought to begin commercial service at Paine Field as early as the 1980s but was halted by opposition from neighboring cities.
In March 2019, Paine Field resumed commercial service at a newly constructed terminal.
It is included in the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is the largest transportation agency of the U.S. government and regulates all aspects of civil aviation in the country as well as over surrounding international waters. Its powers include air traffic m ...
(FAA)
National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems
The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS) is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. NPIAS was developed and now maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
It identifies existing and proposed airports tha ...
for 2019–2023, in which it is
categorized as a national reliever airport facility.
Description
Paine Field has two runways: 16R-34L and 16L-34R. 16R-34L, at in length, is suited for the majority of aircraft and sees occasional heavy traffic. The first 1,000 feet of runway 16R is concrete, while the remainder is asphalt. It is in very good condition. Runway 16L-34R is in length, and suitable only for small aircraft. Its pavement is in fair condition, with a noticeable rise in elevation mid-field, when compared with the ends. Runway 11-29 was decommissioned on September 10, 2020, and
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
is leasing some of the former runway space to park partially completed aircraft. The Paine (PAE)
VOR/DME
In radio navigation, a VOR/DME is a radio beacon that combines a VHF omnidirectional range (VOR) with a distance-measuring equipment (DME). The VOR allows the receiver to measure its bearing to or from the beacon, while the DME provides the s ...
is located on the field. It is unusually mounted on top of a Boeing hangar.
The airport has 456 general aviation hangars, of which 326 are leased by the County, and 130 are "condominium" hangars. Wait time for a hangar currently ranges between 6 months and 5 years, depending on type.
Paine Field is home to the
Boeing Everett Factory
The Boeing Everett Factory is an airplane assembly facility built by Boeing in Everett, Washington, United States. It sits at the northeast corner of Paine Field and includes the largest building in the world by volume at 13,385,378 m3 (472,37 ...
, the world's
largest building by volume, and the primary assembly location for Boeing's wide-body
747,
767 and
777
777 may refer to:
* 777 (number), a number
* AD 777, a year of the Julian calendar
* 777 BC, a year in the 8th century BC
* Boeing 777, a commercial jet airliner
:* Boeing 777X, the newer generation of the Boeing 777.
Art and entertainment Alb ...
aircraft.
Paine Field is also home to Aviation Technical Services (ATS), one of the nation's largest aviation maintenance facilities. ATS operates a facility, formerly operated by
Goodrich (formerly known as Tramco), and sold to ATS in the fall of 2007. ATS does 'heavy' checks for a number of airlines and cargo companies. According to their web page, they average 443 aircraft redeliveries each year.
Paine Field is home to four flight schools – Chinook Flight Simulations, Regal Air, Northway Aviation, and Everett Helicopters – making it a popular destination for flight training. There are also a number of flying clubs on the field.
The FAA-operated control tower maintains limited hours, operating only between 7 AM and 9 PM local time. During times that the tower is operational, both runways are active, but after hours, only runway 16R-34L is open.
The airport has several natural reserves and sanctuaries around its perimeter, including ponds that were certified in 2019 as
Salmon-Safe Stewardship Partners is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Seattle, Washington, United States with a mission to help private landowners restore and preserve the natural landscapes of Washington State. They have programs that promote incenti ...
.
History
Paine Field was originally constructed in 1936 as a
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
project. At the time of development, it was envisioned that the Airport would create jobs and economic growth in the region by becoming one of the ten new "super airports" around the country.
Paine Field was taken over by the
U.S. Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...
prior to entry into World War II as a patrol, air defense, and fighter training base and was later controlled by the
U.S. Army Air Forces. With the end of the war, the airfield began to be returned to the civilian control of
Snohomish County
Snohomish County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Washington, after nearby King and Pierce counties, and the 75th-most populous ...
. In 1947, as transition activities were still underway, military control of the then-Paine Army Airfield was transferred to the newly established
U.S. Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
, with the facility renamed Paine Field. Transfer of the property to the Snohomish County government was completed in 1948, however, the Air Force continued to maintain various
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
units at the airport as military tenants.
Before Snohomish County could start planning for the continued development of a "super airport", the United States was again involved in an armed conflict—this time in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
and also the breakout of the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
with the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. When the Pacific Northwest defense installations were reviewed House Representative
Henry M. Jackson
Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. representative (1941–1953) and U.S. senator (1953–1983) from the state of Washington. A Cold War liberal and a ...
recommended more military presence in the area and Paine Field was reactivated as a military airbase.
![Paine AFB 1959-60 guide](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8b/Paine_AFB_1959-60_guide.jpg)
Paine Field was returned to
USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
control in 1951, renamed Paine Air Force Base, and placed under the jurisdiction of the
Air Defense Command
Aerospace Defense Command was a major command (military formation), command of the United States Air Force, responsible for continental air defense. It was activated in 1968 and disbanded in 1980. Its predecessor, Air Defense Command, was est ...
(ADC). While the county relinquished most of its commercial facilities to house USAF personnel, units, and assets, the site did not have an exclusive military presence. The airfield remained a joint civil-military airport with the Air Force operating the control tower and other air traffic control facilities, while the county, in a shared-use agreement, rented commercial leasehold areas to businesses such as
Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest airline in North America when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and the numb ...
. The 4753rd Air Base Squadron (later re-designated the 86th Air Base Squadron) was activated on the new Air Force base on February 1, 1952, as a placeholder unit.
Although inactive for only six years, significant military construction (MILCON) was necessary to bring the World War II training base up to postwar USAF standards. In 1951, additional land surrounding the Paine AFB site was appropriated for military facilities and extended runways. A 9,000-foot jet runway (Rwy 16/34) was constructed along with accompanying taxiways, permanent concrete buildings, and other support facilities to replace the temporary wartime wooden structures that were viewed as substandard for a permanent USAF base. The
529th Air Defense Group
The 529th Air Defense Group is a disbanded United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with the 25th Air Division at Paine Field, Washington. It was inactivated on 18 August 1955. The group was originally activated as a support ...
was activated on February 16, 1953, and became the permanent host unit at Paine AFB until redesigned as the
326th Fighter Group in 1955.
![64th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron Convair F-102A-75-CO Delta Dagger 56-1344](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/64th_Fighter-Interceptor_Squadron_Convair_F-102A-75-CO_Delta_Dagger_56-1344.jpg)
Various Regular Air Force fighter-interceptor units and
Air Force Reserve
The Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) is a MAJCOM, major command (MAJCOM) of the United States Air Force, with its headquarters at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. It is the federal Air Reserve Component (ARC) of the U.S. Air Force, consisting of ...
troop carrier units operated at Paine AFB from 1951 until the mid-1960s. In 1966, USAF identified Paine AFB for closure due to budgetary constraints caused by the cost of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
. The by then-host unit, the
57th Fighter Group phased down operations with the departure of the interceptors and was inactivated in place on September 30, 1968. Paine AFB has inactivated on the same date and the facility was returned to full civilian control as Paine Field / Snohomish County Airport. The (215 EIS) of the
Washington Air National Guard
The Washington Air National Guard (WA ANG) is the aerial militia of the State of Washington, United States of America. It is, along with the Washington Army National Guard, an element of the Washington National Guard.
As state militia units, th ...
, formerly situated at Paine Field, was deactivated in 2013.
Paine AFB / Paine Field had also been under consideration in the 1960s by the U.S. Army Air Defense Command as one of several sites for the
Sentinel
Sentinel may refer to:
Places Mountains
* Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana
* Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica
* Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring grani ...
Anti-Ballistic Missile System due to its central location to several other major military bases and defense industries in the Puget Sound Region. That program was eventually dropped in favor of the limited
Safeguard
A safeguard, in international law, is a restraint on international trade or economic development to protect communities from development aggression or home industries from foreign competition.
In the World Trade Organization (WTO), a member may ...
system.
On July 25, 1966,
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
announced that it would build the
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a large, long-range wide-body airliner designed and manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes in the United States between 1968 and 2022.
After introducing the 707 in October 1958, Pan Am wanted a jet times its size, t ...
, a
jet airliner
A jet airliner or jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (passenger jet aircraft). Airliners usually have two or four jet engines; three-engined designs were popular in the 1970s but are less common today. Airliners are commonly cl ...
capable of carrying nearly twice as many passengers as previous models. To build the giant jet, Boeing had to construct a facility large enough to handle the world's largest commercial jetliner. The land just north of Paine Field was chosen to construct the new facilities, including some development on the airport itself. Both the local government and the FAA concurred with the development. Work on the massive building began in August 1966 and the first employees arrived in early 1967. The 747 made its first flight at Paine Field on February 9, 1969.
In late 2005, construction of the
Future of Flight Aviation Center & Boeing Tour building was completed. The project, formerly known as the National Flight Interpretive Center, includes the Boeing factory tour as well as a gallery that highlights the newest developments in aviation, including both parts and components of airplanes, manufactured by
Airbus
Airbus SE (; ; ; ) is a European Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace corporation. Airbus designs, manufactures and sells civil and military aerospace manufacturer, aerospace products worldwide and manufactures aircraft througho ...
and
Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
. The facility was opened to a private audience on December 16, 2005, and the following day the facility was open to the public. The
Museum of Flight
The Museum of Flight is a private non-profit air and space museum in the Seattle metropolitan area. It is located at the southern end of King County International Airport (Boeing Field) in the city of Tukwila, immediately south of Seattle.< ...
also has a restoration center at the airport's main gate; located further south is the
Me 262 Project
The Me 262 Project is a company formed to build flyable reproductions of the Messerschmitt Me 262, the world's first operational jet fighter. The project was started by the Texas Airplane Factory and administered by Classic Fighter Industries. I ...
.
Paul Allen
Paul Gardner Allen (January 21, 1953 – October 15, 2018) was an American business magnate, computer programmer, researcher, investor, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation with childhood friend Bill Gates in 1975, which h ...
's
Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum
The Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the display and preservation of rare military aircraft, tanks and other military equipment. The plan is for the museum to reopen in 2023.
On rotation in t ...
has a large, refurbished hangar at the south end of the field, which opened as a museum in June 2008. The
Historic Flight Foundation also housed and maintained early military aircraft. However, the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum closed in May 2020 as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
and in April 2022 it was reported that the collection was sold and the museum would not re-open. The Historic Flight Foundation closed their museum at Paine Field in 2020 as well, with their museum at
Felts Field
Felts Field is a public airport in the northwest United States, located northeast of downtown Spokane, in Spokane County, Washington. It is owned by Spokane City-County.
The airport has two parallel runways. Now used for general aviation, Felt ...
in
Spokane, Washington
Spokane ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is in eastern Washington, along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south of the Canada ...
now being their only location.
Commercial service proposals and debate
![Paine Field passenger terminal under construction, April 2018](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Paine_Field_passenger_terminal_under_construction%2C_April_2018.jpg)
The use of Paine Field for commercial air service is highly controversial.
Several local governments have adopted resolutions against the use of Paine Field for commercial flights including Snohomish County (the airport's operator), the neighboring cities of
Brier
Briar, Briars, Brier, or Briers may refer to:
* Briar, or brier, common name for a number of unrelated thorny plants that form thicket
People
* Brier (surname)
* Briers, a surname
* Briars (surname)
Places
* Briar, Missouri, U.S.
* Bri ...
,
Edmonds Edmonds may refer to:
* Edmonds (surname), a surname (including a list of people with the surname)
* Edmonds, Washington, a city in Washington, US
** Edmonds station (Washington), a passenger train station in Washington, US
* Edmonds station (SkyTr ...
,
Lynnwood
Lynnwood is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. The city is part of the Seattle metropolitan area and is located north of Seattle and south of Everett, near the junction of Interstate 5 and Interstate 405. It is the four ...
,
Mountlake Terrace
Mountlake Terrace is a suburban city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It lies on the southern border of the county, adjacent to Shoreline and Lynnwood, and is north of Seattle. The city had a population of 19,909 people counted ...
,
Mukilteo
Mukilteo ( ) is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located on the Puget Sound between Edmonds, Washington, Edmonds and Everett, Washington, Everett, approximately north of Seattle. The city had a population of 20,254 ...
, and
Woodway. Additionally, a local citizens group called "Save Our Communities" has worked to oppose any commercial flights at the airport.
Notably, the city of Everett, the largest in the county and the county seat, has adopted a resolution in favor of the use of Paine Field for commercial air service.
The use and expansion of the airport is currently governed by an agreement that was forged during 1978–1979 negotiations, called the Mediated Role Determination (MRD). The MRD recommends the role of Paine Field to be as a general aviation and aerospace manufacturing airport, while discouraging other types of activities including supplemental/charter air passenger service. In 2005,
Snohomish County
Snohomish County () is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. With a population of 827,957 as of the 2020 census, it is the third-most populous county in Washington, after nearby King and Pierce counties, and the 75th-most populous ...
commissioned a panel to review the MRD. That panel recommended that the MRD "should not be ratified or revised, but should be retired as a policy document". In June 2008, the Snohomish County Council rejected the findings of its panel, and as in 1989, 1992, and 2001, restated its opposition to commercial air passenger services operating from Paine Field with this resolution:
Reaffirm our county's commitment to preserving the existing general aviation role of Paine Field, and opursue any and all lawful and appropriate means to discourage any action that would facilitate, directly or indirectly, use of Paine Field for scheduled air passenger service or air cargo service, which may include an interlocal agreement.
Further reflecting its opposition to commercial air service, Snohomish County has adopted a policy of not spending funds to subsidize airlines or to pay for the infrastructure needed to support commercial air service.
In 2008, two airlines,
Allegiant Air
Allegiant Air (usually shortened to Allegiant) is an ultra low-cost U.S. carrier that operates scheduled and charter flights. It is a major air carrier, the fourteenth-largest commercial airline in North America.
Allegiant was founded in 1 ...
and
Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operating as Horizon Air, is an American regional airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and all Horizon-opera ...
, expressed interest in establishing passenger flights to Paine Field to the airport authority. In May 2008, in response to these requests, the Chairman of the Snohomish County Council sent Allegiant Air a letter stating their opposition to the request to start air service.
The FAA wrote to the airport authority in June 2008 to reiterate that as a recipient of federal FAA grants, the County may not prohibit commercial aeronautical activities offering services to the public. If the County blocked commercial flights, it would risk an enforcement action under
Federal Aviation Regulation 16.
The airport completed a draft environmental assessment of the effects of commercial aviation at Paine Field in December 2009, and the public comment period ended on February 5, 2010. Opposition to Paine Field hosting commercial air service was overwhelming in meetings held for comments on the draft environmental assessment. The neighboring city of Mukilteo hired an aviation attorney to represent the interests of the city during the environmental assessment process and promised to "make it time consuming, expensive and stretch it out. We'll fight the terminal legally."
[Mukilteo promises battle over Paine Field flights](_blank)
/ref>
On December 4, 2012, the FAA concluded that commercial airplanes could fly out of Paine Field without significantly adding to local noise and traffic. The findings cleared the way for commercial operations along with the construction of a terminal building. On February 5, 2013, the cities of Edmonds and Mukilteo, along with two individuals, filed notice with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that they intend to challenge the results of the Environmental Assessment.
On July 15, 2013, Allegiant Air refused the county's terms to operate a terminal at Paine.
Commercial service resumes
In June 2014, New York-based Propeller Investments asked Snohomish County to start discussions leading to their construction of a terminal and parking facility at Paine Field. Propeller Investments would shoulder the risk — leasing land from the airport, financing terminal construction, and finding tenant airlines. On March 2, 2015, Snohomish County approved a lease-option agreement that gave Propeller Airports three years to carry out preliminary design work, environmental studies and to obtain permits needed to construct a proposed two-gate passenger terminal. In turn, Snohomish County would receive about $429,000 per year in rent plus a share of flight and parking revenues.
On March 4, 2016, a federal court denied an appeal by the City of Mukilteo and other citizens groups to prevent commercial flights at Paine Field.
The ground was broken for the passenger terminal on June 5, 2017. The 30,000 square foot building will have two gates and will be capable of handling about 16 flights per day. The operator, Propeller Airports, has agreed to limit early-morning and late-night commercial flights to reduce noise impacts on Mukilteo and nearby residential areas.
Alaska Airlines was the first to announce in May 2017 would operate from Paine Field. The airline initially announced that it would fly nine daily flights with a mix of mainline and regional jet
A regional jet (RJ) is a jet-powered regional airliner with fewer than 100 seats. The first one was the Sud-Aviation Caravelle in 1959, followed by the widespread Yakovlev Yak-40, Fokker F-28, and BAe 146. The 1990s saw the emergence of th ...
s. In January 2018, Alaska announced that instead all flights from Everett would be operated by its regional subsidiary, Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operating as Horizon Air, is an American regional airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and all Horizon-opera ...
using the Embraer 175
The Embraer E-Jet family is a series of four-abreast narrow-body short- to medium-range twin-engine jet airliners designed and produced by the Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer.
The E-Jet was designed as a complement to the preceding ...
regional jet, but that it would be offering 13 flights each day. In November 2018, the number of daily departures was again increased to 18. Alaska plans daily flights to several west coast destinations: Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, Orange County
Orange County most commonly refers to:
*Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area
Orange County may also refer to:
U.S. counties
*Orange County, Florida, containing Orlando
*Orange County, Indiana
*Orange County, New ...
, Phoenix
Phoenix most often refers to:
* Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore
* Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States
Phoenix may also refer to:
Mythology
Greek mythological figures
* Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
, Portland
Portland most commonly refers to:
* Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States
* Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, San Diego
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
, San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, and San Jose.
United Airlines announced on August 10, 2017, that six flights a day will be operated to its hubs in Denver
Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...
and San Francisco.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co., typically referred to as Southwest, is one of the major airlines of the United States and the world's largest low-cost carrier. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has scheduled service to 121 destinations in the U ...
announced on January 25, 2018, their intention to serve the airport with five daily flights, three to Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
and two to Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
. However, on November 15, 2018, Southwest reversed that decision and transferred its slots to Alaska Airlines.
Between Alaska and United, the initial commercial flight schedule for the airport included 24 daily departures, which was 50 percent higher than airport managers had initially planned for. In June 2018, the FAA announced an additional review of environmental impacts of passenger airline service, delaying the start of service between November 2018 and November 2019. The environmental review was completed in September 2018, and no significant additional environmental impacts were found, clearing the way for commercial service to start in early 2019.
Alaska previously announced that it planned to inaugurate service on February 11 with a ceremonial flight to Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, before ramping up to a full schedule of 18 departures on March 12, 2019. Alaska added that the gradual ramp-up would allow the airline and its employees to ensure operations at the new airport terminal were running smoothly. Alaska later announced in January 2019 that it was tentatively postponing the start of operations from February 11 to March 4, 2019, due to the 2018–19 United States federal government shutdown further delaying governmental approval to begin service. The first Alaska Airlines flight from Paine Field, carrying invited guests to Portland, departed at 10 a.m. on March 4, 2019; it was then followed by public flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix. United began service to Denver and San Francisco on March 31, 2019. The San Francisco flights ceased in March 2020, after the airline found insufficient demand.
Within a year of opening, the commercial terminal served more than one million passengers. Long-term plans for the terminal include free luggage cart
Baggage carts, luggage carts, luggage trolleys or trolleys are small vehicles pushed by travelers ( human-powered) to carry individual luggage, mostly suitcases. There are two major sizes: One for big luggage and one for small luggage. Carts h ...
s, a cellphone lot, and a consolidated rental car
Renting, also known as hiring or letting, is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for a ...
center. The airport's operators have also stated their desire to see larger planes, including Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...
s, serve the terminal and routes to destinations like Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. The commencement of commercial service brought new noise complaints from nearby residents, including 10 households who submitted 62 percent of the 3,656 complaints filed in December 2019.
San Juan Airlines
San Juan Airlines is a commuter airline operating scheduled and charter flights in the U.S. state of Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its main base of operations is Bellingham near the San Juan Islands. The airline's fl ...
announced plans in April 2019 to begin scheduled service from the separate Castle and Cooke Aviation building at Paine Field, in addition to its current charter offerings. Two daily flights to Friday Harbor Airport
Friday Harbor Airport is a public use airport located just southwest of the town center of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in the U.S. state of Washington. It is owned by the Port of Friday Harbor.
Although most U.S. airports use the same th ...
on San Juan Island
San Juan Island is the second-largest and most populous of the San Juan Islands in northwestern Washington, United States. It has a land area of 142.59 km2 (55.053 sq mi) and a population of 6,822 as of the 2000 census.
Washington State Fe ...
began on May 1, using small Cessna airplanes.
The number of flights at Paine Field was reduced to a single daily round-trip operated by Alaska Airlines in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The airport announced that it would close for 71 days to complete repairs to the gate ramps and other maintenance while traffic and demand were reduced. The terminal reopened on August 1 with three daily flights: Las Vegas and Phoenix on Alaska Airlines; and Denver on United Airlines.
In July 2021, United announced that they would be ending service to Paine Field in October of that year, opting instead to consolidate their resources at Sea-Tac.[https://myeverettnews.com/2021/07/19/united-to-end-denver-to-everett-service-in-october/]
In August 2021, FedEx Express
FedEx Express, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation, is a major American cargo airline based in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. As of 2020, it is one of the world's largest airlines in terms of fleet size and freight tons flown. It is the name ...
took over the lease of the former Boeing
The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and product ...
Dreamlifter Operations Center, and announced their intention to begin cargo service to Paine Field from Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, using Boeing 757 aircraft.
Alaska gradually added service from Paine Field throughout 2021, and in April 2022, announced they would resume their full pre-pandemic schedule of 18 peak daily departures. They also announced the beginning of mainline Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington.
Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...
service to the airport, supplementing the existing E-175 service from regional operator Horizon Air
Horizon Air Industries, Inc., operating as Horizon Air, is an American regional airline based in SeaTac, Washington, United States. Horizon Air and its sister carrier Alaska Airlines are subsidiaries of Alaska Air Group, and all Horizon-opera ...
.
Passenger terminal
The new passenger terminal is located on the east side of the airport, near the intersection of Airport Road and 100th Street Southwest. Adjacent to the control tower
Air traffic control (ATC) is a service provided by ground-based air traffic controllers who direct aircraft on the ground and through a given section of controlled airspace, and can provide advisory services to aircraft in non-controlled airsp ...
, it has two gates and an additional hardstand
A hardstand (also hard standing and hardstanding in British English) is a paved or hard-surfaced area on which vehicles, such as cars or aircraft, may be parked. The term may also be used informally to refer to an area of compacted hard surface suc ...
space. The terminal includes a check-in area, a single TSA security checkpoint, a lobby with 300 seats, a coffee shop, a bar, and a food stand operated by Beecher's Handmade Cheese.
The lobby also has a curated display case with aviation memorabilia that represent the history of Paine Field, Alaska Airlines, and United Airlines; additional public art
Public art is art in any Media (arts), media whose form, function and meaning are created for the general public through a public process. It is a specific art genre with its own professional and critical discourse. Public art is visually and phy ...
work is installed in the parking lot and outside the building, including a statue of Topliff Olin Paine. The terminal also has valet parking
Valet parking is a parking service offered by some restaurants, stores, and other businesses. In contrast to "self-parking", where customers find a parking space on their own, customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a ''valet ...
, curbside drop-off areas, and a ride-hail/taxi stand.
The terminal was named the best regional airport in the world by ''Monocle
A monocle is a type of corrective lens used to correct or enhance the visual perception in only one eye. It consists of a circular lens, generally with a wire ring around the circumference that can be attached to a string or wire. The other ...
'' magazine and one of the best small airports in the United States by ''USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
''.
Airlines and destinations
At the time of its full launch in May 2019, Paine Field had 26 daily arrivals and departures on Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the sixth largest airline in North America when measured by fleet size, scheduled passengers carried, and the numb ...
and United Airlines
United Airlines, Inc. (commonly referred to as United), is a major American airline headquartered at the Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. through their regional subsidiaries, as well as San Juan Airlines
San Juan Airlines is a commuter airline operating scheduled and charter flights in the U.S. state of Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its main base of operations is Bellingham near the San Juan Islands. The airline's fl ...
. The earliest departure was scheduled at 6 a.m. and the latest departure was 9:05 p.m. As of June 2022, Paine Field has 18 daily departures to 9 destinations. Most Alaska Airlines flights are operated by Horizon Air, though Alaska Airlines also operates a number of mainline jets to supplement the regional carrier.
Passenger
Cargo
Statistics
Airline market share
Top destinations
Ground transportation
Paine Field's passenger terminal is located west of the intersection of Airport Road and 100th Street SW. Airport Road continues south towards State Route 99 and Interstate 5
Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Califor ...
, the region's two primary north–south highways, and north towards State Route 526. State Route 526, a short freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
spur, connects the Paine Field area to Mukilteo
Mukilteo ( ) is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is located on the Puget Sound between Edmonds, Washington, Edmonds and Everett, Washington, Everett, approximately north of Seattle. The city had a population of 20,254 ...
and Everett via Interstate 5 and Evergreen Way.
Public transportation
The passenger terminal has two bus stops that are served by Community Transit
Community Transit (CT) is the public transit authority of Snohomish County, Washington, United States, excluding the city of Everett, in the Seattle metropolitan area. It operates local bus, paratransit and vanpool service within Snohomish C ...
and Everett Transit
Everett Transit is the public transit authority of Everett, Washington, the only city in Snohomish County not to belong to Community Transit. As of 2017, Everett Transit operates 42 buses within Everett on ten routes. Its annual ridership in 2016 ...
. A bus stop in the departures/arrivals area of the terminal is served by Everett Transit Route 8 with direct service to Everett Station
Everett Station is an Amtrak train station serving the city of Everett, Washington. The station has provided service to the '' Cascades'' and ''Empire Builder'' routes since its opening in 2002, replacing an earlier station near the Port of E ...
. Community Transit operates two routes along Airport Road, serving stops that are within walking distance of the terminal. The Swift Green Line
The ''Swift'' Green Line is a bus rapid transit route in Snohomish County, Washington, United States, part of the Swift network operated by Community Transit. It was opened in 2019 and travels along Airport Way and State Route 527, connecting 3 ...
, a bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to have much more capacity, reliability and other quality features than a conventional bus system. Typically, a BRT system includes ...
route, debuted in late March 2019 and connects Paine Field to Seaway Transit Center
The Boeing Everett Factory is an airplane assembly facility built by Boeing in Everett, Washington, United States. It sits at the northeast corner of Paine Field and includes the largest building in the world by volume at 13,385,378 m3 (472,37 ...
, south Everett, Mill Creek, and northern Bothell
Bothell () is a city in King and Snohomish counties in the U.S. state of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area, situated near the northeast end of Lake Washington. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 48,161 resident ...
. It runs every 10 minutes midday on weekdays and 20 minutes at other times. A separate local route, Route 105, also serves the same corridor during peak period
A rush hour (American English, British English) or peak hour (Australian English) is a part of the day during which traffic congestion on roads and crowding on public transport is at its highest. Normally, this happens twice every weekday: on ...
s, continuing further south into Bothell.
Sound Transit
Sound Transit (ST), officially the Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority, is a public transit agency serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It operates the Link light rail system in Seattle and Tacoma, r ...
, the regional transit system, also plans to build a Link light rail
Link light rail is a light rail rapid transit system serving the Seattle metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Washington. It is managed by Sound Transit in partnership with local transit providers, and consists of two non-connected lines: t ...
extension to Everett in 2036, with a stop in the Paine Field area.
Accidents and incidents
* On July 29, 1962, a USAF
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
North American Sabreliner
The North American Sabreliner, later sold as the Rockwell Sabreliner, is an American mid-sized business jet developed by North American Aviation. It was offered to the United States Air Force (USAF) in response to its Utility Trainer Experimen ...
on an orientation flight lost hydraulics and overshot the runway on landing, subsequently going through a barrier and hitting an embankment. Both occupants were killed.
* On October 8, 1996, a Cessna plane crashed just north of the airport while attempting to land in heavy fog, killing the pilot. The plane struck a utility pole
A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, optical fiber, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as Distribution transfor ...
and several trees before coming to a stop short of the runway, narrowly missing State Route 526 in the process.
* On June 10, 2015, a Beechcraft Bonanza
The Beechcraft Bonanza is an American general aviation aircraft introduced in 1947 by Beech Aircraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. The six-seater, single-engined aircraft is still being produced by Beechcraft and has been in continuous prod ...
crashed immediately after takeoff, going down in a wooded area south of the airport between the main runway and Mukilteo Speedway. Of the two occupants on the plane, one died at the scene while the other survived with bone fractures.
* On May 2, 2017, a Piper PA-32-260 crashed immediately after takeoff south of the airport, striking a power line and several cars at the intersection of Harbour Pointe Boulevard and Mukilteo Speedway; the pilot reported losing power beforehand. Both the pilot and the sole passenger survived the crash uninjured; two people on the ground reported minor injuries.
References
External links
Paine Field website
(general aviation)
Paine Field Passenger Terminal website
Future of Flight Aviation Center website
MRD Mediated Role determination
- National Postal Museum
The National Postal Museum, located opposite Union Station in Washington, D.C., United States, covers large portions of the Postal history of the United States and other countries. It was established through joint agreement between the United S ...
Everett Public Library's Digital Collection/Northwest Room/Aviation
Boeing Major Production Facilities
- More information about the Boeing plant at Paine Field
Historic Flight Foundation
- Vintage Military Aircraft
Hangar 201 Project
- Hangar Space at Paine Field
*
*
{{Everett, Washington
1936 establishments in Washington (state)
Airports in Snohomish County, Washington
Mukilteo, Washington
Buildings and structures in Everett, Washington
Works Progress Administration in Washington (state)
Transportation buildings and structures in Snohomish County, Washington
Airports established in 1936