About
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport (ITH) is owned and operated by Tompkins County and is the only public use airport with a paved runway in the county. 182,260 passengers were served at Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport in 2008, about 7% more than in 2007.
Each year, ITH generates over $30 million for the local economy and nearly $456,000 in sales tax revenue. As a major international and national gateway to Cornell, Ithaca College, TC3 and other major employers, Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport has three airlines, a fixed based operator (Taughannock Aviation Corporation), reliable ground transportation and a deep commitment to providing exemplary customer service.
Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport is a vital community asset located just 10 minutes from Cornell and downtown Ithaca.
Brief History
The first airport in Ithaca, also believed to be the second airport in New York State, was the Ithaca Municipal Airport, located near the inlet to Cayuga Lake, in an area that Cass Park now occupies.
Cecil Robinson began conducting aerial photography mapping for the government out of Ithaca Municipal Airport. His two four-place monoplanes became the cornerstone of Robinson Airlines at the end of the second World War. Shortly thereafter, Robinson Airlines was growing and their operation was moved to the new East Hill Airport, opened by Cornell University in 1948. Robinson Airlines became Mohawk Airlines in 1952.
