Louisville International Airport (SDF)
History, Facts and Overview
(Louisville, Kentucky - KY, USA)
In 1941, Louisville International Airport began its life as the Standiford Airfield, being constructed by regional army forces to replace the nearby Bowman Airfield. The airport opened with one long runway, measuring around 1,220 metres / 4,000 feet.
Post-war, the airport become the property of the city and was used for passenger flights, cargo flights and the manufacturing of aircraft. Soon Louisville Airport began handling more than 1,000 passengers per week and in 1950, the new Lee Terminal opened, able to handle annual passenger levels of around 150,000. However, by 1970, passenger numbers had rocketed to over one million each year and various extensions were completed.
The mid-1980s saw the completion of a new landside terminal and a lucrative deal with the United Parcel Service. By the early 1990s, low-cost 'no frills' budget airlines were beginning to operate at Louisville International Airport (SDF), including Southwest Airlines. Soon after a complete renovation of the airport finished, with a new control tower built. More recently, the airport terminal was updated in 2005 at a cost of more than $25 million.
The various passenger facilities at Louisville Airport, including a bank complete with currency exchange service, situated on the upper level. There are also a couple of cash machines, one of which is located on the ground floor and the other on the upper level. The main cluster of shops can be found on the upper level of the ticketing concourse and include Bluegrass News, Heritage Booksellers, Louisville Marketplace, the Last Stop convenience store and the PGA Tour Shop, selling a range of quality golfing merchandise.
Nearby are a selection of restaurants and bars, based around the Food Court in the airport's lobby area and features all of the fast-food favorites. Other notable eateries within Louisville Airport include Starbucks, the Woodford Reserve Bar & Grill, and the Quiznos sandwich shop.
An onsite Traveler's Club provides a luxury experience, with areas for meetings, workstations for computers, and refreshments. Three well-equipped meeting rooms can be found before security on the second level of the airport terminal and are available from Monday through to Friday from 08:00 to 17:00.
