Toledo Express Airport

The airlines moved to the new airport around the beginning of 1955; the April 1957 Official Airline Guide (OAG) lists thirteen weekday United Airlines departures, six Trans World Airlines (TWA), six Delta Air Lines flights, four Eastern Air Lines flights and four Capital Airlines services. The November 1979 OAG shows jets on seven airlines.[7] Nonstop flights flew from Toledo to:

• • Air Florida: Boeing 737-200 – Washington, D.C. National Airport
  • Delta Air Lines: Boeing 727-200, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 – Atlanta, Cincinnati, Dayton
  • Eastern Air Lines: Boeing 727-200, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50 – Columbus and direct to Miami and Tampa
  • Frontier Airlines (1950-1986): Boeing 737-200 – Detroit, MI and direct to Denver
  • Trans World Airlines (TWA): Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200 – St. Louis. In 1986 TWA had one flight to Cleveland and onto New York JFK
  • United Airlines: Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-200 – Chicago O'Hare Airport, Cleveland, Denver
  • USAir: BAC One-Eleven, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 – Pittsburgh

In 1979, the OAG shows Air Wisconsin and Comair at Toledo as independent commuter airlines, Air Wisconsin flying Fairchild Swearingen Metroliners nonstop to Chicago O'Hare and Detroit (DTW) while Comair Piper Navajos flew nonstop to Cincinnati. In February 1985, Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989) Boeing 727-200s flew to San Francisco (SFO) via Dayton, Ohio.[8]

On January 8, 1989, American Eagle Airlines, operating for American Airlines, began nonstop service to Chicago O'Hare with four daily flights. By December 1989, American Eagle had five nonstop weekday ATR-42s between Chicago and Toledo, while United Express, operated by Air Wisconsin, had four weekday round trips between Chicago and Toledo, three with Fokker F27s and one with a BAe 146-200.[9]

The OAG shows other airlines at Toledo at the end of 1989 including:[9]

• • Continental Express operated by Britt Airways: Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia – nonstop commuter turboprop service to Cleveland, OH (CLE) Continental Express' last flight, to CLE, was to end on March 1. 2001[10]
  • Delta Air Lines: Boeing 727-200, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 – nonstop service to Atlanta, GA (ATL) and Fort Wayne, IN (FWA)
  • Delta Connection operated by Comair: Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner – nonstop commuter turboprop service to Cincinnati, OH (CVG) On March 13, 2011, Delta Air Lines' last flight from Toledo, a Delta Connection CRJ flight to MSP, was operated. Northwest Airlines also operated from the airport until its acquisition by Delta.[11]
  • Northwest Airlink operated by Mesaba Airlines: Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner – nonstop commuter turboprop service to Detroit, MI (DTW)
  • USAir: Boeing 727-200, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 – nonstop service to Dayton, OH (DAY) and Pittsburgh, PA (PIT)
  • USAir Express: British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31 – nonstop commuter turboprop service to Dayton, OH (DAY) and Indianapolis, IN (IND)
• 1997 was the busiest year in Toledo Express' history with 679,841 passenger enplanements. A spike in growth that year was attributed to AirTran Airways offering low cost jet flights to Orlando, Florida.

After 1997, traffic began declining and airlines began suspending all service as a general trend in passenger traffic chose to drive to nearby Detroit Metropolitan Airport, a major hub airport.[12]

On March 14, 2011, Delta Connection discontinued all service, leaving Toledo with only two airlines providing scheduled service: American Eagle with four flights per day to Chicago O'Hare and Allegiant Air with two flights per week to both Orlando and St. Petersburg, Florida. This was an historic low point for Toledo air service, and since then the airport has only seen Allegiant add two flights per week to Punta Gorda, FL in 2013 and American Eagle added two daily flights to Charlotte, NC in 2017. American did, however, drop its one daily flight to Chicago. On March 13, 2012, Charter carrier Direct Air suspended operations from the airport.[13] The charter carrier was subject to Chapter 7 liquidation on April 12, 2012.[14]

On December 5, 2012, Allegiant Air announced new twice-weekly service from Toledo Express and Punta Gorda, FL, replacing previous suspended service by Direct Air.[15]

On December 12, 2012, Sierra West Airlines, a cargo air carrier, signed a 30-year lease to open a new aircraft and crew base at Toledo. The airline announced it would lease a 17,555 sq. ft. hangar formerly used by BD Aeroworks.[16]

On September 6, 2022, American Airlines' (Envoy Air) Embraer 145 flew out for the last time to Chicago O'Hare, marking the end of legacy airline passenger service at the airport.

Toledo Express served as the main North American hub for DB Schenker, which acquired BAX Global, an international air cargo company, from 1993 until September 2011. DB Schenker leased a 300,000-square-foot (30,000 m²) warehouse facility with direct access to the runways at Toledo Express. They operated approximately 20 flights on average (with a peak of 42) per night from across the United States. Toledo Express was the 22nd busiest cargo hub in North America in 2009 with 241,472 tons handled.[17] The facility is now home to the headquarters of BX Solutions, a ground logistics and shipping company started up by former BAX Global employees with plans to re-establish the former domestic BAX Global ground and eventually air networks.[18]

Airline service before 1955 operated from present-day Toledo Executive Airport, formerly known as Toledo Municipal Airport and Toledo Metcalf Airport.[19]

* Carrier continues to serve other destinations.

• 81-acre air ramp on the south side of the airport used for air cargo, storage, ground shipping and aircraft diversions
• 8-gate domestic passenger terminal on the north side of the airfield
• Common use air cargo and cold storage building on the north side of the airfield by the terminal
• 5000 sq. ft. customs facility to handle inbound international flight crews, passengers, and cargo, opened in April 2016[27]
• The airport has three fixed-base operators offering fuel, general maintenance, hangars, courtesy vehicles, conference rooms, crew lounges, snooze rooms, showers, internet, and more.[28]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2021, the airport had over 40,000 aircraft operations, or roughly 110 per day. This included 81% general aviation, 10% military, and 9% commercial. For the same time period, there were 82 aircraft based on the field: 27 single-engine and 14 multi-engine airplanes, 21 military aircraft, 17 jets, and 3 helicopters.[26]

Toledo Express has one passenger terminal with nine gates, of which three (Gates 3, 4, and 5) in the central part of the terminal are primarily used on a weekly basis. The terminal features an east wing that comprises one upper-level gate (Gate 2) and two lower level gates (Gates 1 and 1A). The ground level gates are capable of supporting up to five total aircraft at once combined. The oldest part of the terminal is the western wing, which comprises Gates 6 through 8 (originally 5 through 7); these are rarely used. During the terminal upgrades that introduced a new gate area for Gate 4 and a brand new Gate 5, the original Gate 5 was renumbered to Gate 6. Previous Gate 6 (now 7) is inoperative and no longer has a jetbridge attached to it; previous Gate 7 (now 8) remains a stairwell to ramp-level boarding.

The terminal is mostly original from the 1950s, but several upgrades have taken place. This includes the remodeling and construction of the east wing as well as the new central gate area.

The terminal has two levels with the passenger waiting area, beyond security, on the upper level. In that area, the passengers have access to a food court and bar on the second level. There is also a children's play area by gate 1 and 2. There are vending machines and an ATM on the lower level. Baggage claim is on the lower level on the east side of the terminal with two baggage carousels. The rental car counters are between the arrivals waiting area and the baggage claim. Free wireless (Wi-Fi) is available terminal-wide.

The Port Authority commissioned a true market study of the Toledo catchment area to determine opportunities for air service development. The study found 510,000 people are within 30 minutes of Toledo Express. The total catchment area encompasses 981,000 residents. The actual passengers per day each way for the Toledo market is 3,241, of which TOL only captures 5.7%. Detroit Metro captures the most at 64.3%, with the remaining traveling to other airports in Cleveland and Columbus. There are also 372 international passengers per day, of which Toledo captures only 2.8%.

Delta Air Lines was the largest airline in the Toledo area, with 44% of the traffic; United Airlines was second with 12.4%, and American Airlines (the only legacy airline serving TOL directly at the time) with 10.3%.[29]

1. Orlando/Sanford is the largest market, with 259 daily passengers, with only 36 retained, or 13.9% of the market.
2. Miami/Fort Lauderdale/West Palm Beach came in second, with 206 daily passengers and only 3 retained.
3. Las Vegas was third, with 197 daily passengers and only 1 passenger retained each day.
4. Chicago–O'Hare/Midway has 174 daily passengers and had 28 passengers retained each day, for 16% of the market.
5. Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater produced 152 daily passengers with 41 retained, or 27% of the market.
6. Phoenix–Sky Harbor/Mesa
7. Fort Myers/Punta Gorda
8. New York City–JFK/LaGuardia/Newark
9. Los Angeles/Burbank/Ontario/Orange County
10. Baltimore/Washington DC–Dulles/National

Taxi service at the airport is currently contracted to A1 Accurate Limousine and Airport Service. While other taxi operators are available in Toledo, none are currently able to stage at the airport.

Toledo Express is currently served by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.

The airport offers two parking lots: short term and long term. Both are located on the south side of the airport. The parking lot is operated by Republic Parking Systems and it is also a partner of the Thanks Again rewards program.

• Grand Aire operates as a fixed-base operator on the northwest side of the airport.
• National Flight Services operates as a fixed-base operator on the north side of the airport, and also as an engine overhaul and aircraft maintenance facility.
• TOL Aviation operates as a fixed-base operator on the north side of the airport.

• Toledo Jet Center is a business jet maintenance and avionics services company that specializes in the Cessna Citation aircraft series.
• BD Aero Works is an aircraft charter and maintenance provider.
• Quick Flight is an airline services company offer handling services at over 30 airports across the country for both above- and below-wing services. The company's headquarters is located just west of the airport in Swanton.

• Toledo Express is used for several Toledo area companies as a base for their corporate aircraft. These include Owens-Illinois and Owens-Corning.
• Promedica Air houses its air ambulances at Toledo Express.

Toledo–Lucas County Port Authority:

• President – Paul Toth
• Airport Director – Tim O'Donnell
• Manager of Airport Administration – Linda Friend
• Receptionist/Administrative Secretary – Joyce Amborski
• Operations Specialist – Dan Spaugy
• Operations Specialist – Kyle Garris
• Airport Facilities Supervisor - Brad Bogert

• Toledo Public Schools operated a training center at the airport known as the TPS Aerospace Center from 1973 to 2018. As of 2018, after acquiring the retired Flight Safety building, it has become known as the Aerospace and Natural Science Academy of Toledo or ANSAT. The academy is home to approximately 300-400 students from grades 9-12 and is known for its yearly air expos.