Address: 600 Terminal Dr, Louisville, KY 40209
IATA airport code: SDF (from its original name, Standiford Field)
Year Opened: Built in 1941 by the Army Corp of Engineers and turned over to the Louisville Air Board for commercial operations in 1947. Major expansions in 1950, 1970, 1985-90, 1995 and 2005 and, in terms of cargo traffic, it’s the second-busiest in the U.S., and fourth-busiest in the world as a worldwide hub of UPS.
Size: The airport covers 15,000 acres with three runways, and a single terminal with 23 gates split between two concourses.
Transportation To and From: Bus service, taxis, ride shares, courtesy vans and limousine services are available.
Fun Facts: Home to Worldport, the 5.2 million sq.ft. worldwide hub of UPS, capable of handling 115 packages/second, or 416,000/hr. With 20,000+ employees, UPS is one of the largest employers in the state.
Originally named Standiford Field after Dr. Elisha Standiford, a local businessman and politician who was a force in transportation issues and also owned part of the land the airport was built on.
Begun as a military field, in 1995 The Ky. Air National Guard moved its base to SDF so it is now a civil-military airport.
In 1995, its name changed to Louisville International Airport; in 2019, they renamed it Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport.
Website: www.flylouisville.com
This story originally appeared in the Nov./Dec. 2020 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 20-21. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecn_nov-dec_2020
