3 Little Airports That Get You Closer To America's National Parks And Save Time For Exploring

When it comes to visiting most national parks in America, the formula is usually predictable: rent a car, load up on road trip snacks and camping essentials, and settle in for a long drive. By design, national parks are remote — often located several hours from the nearest major city. It's part of the charm, after all, but it also means quick getaways can be a bit of a challenge. Luckily, not all parks demand a multi-day journey. In fact, a handful of little airports sit right at the gates to three of America's most exciting national parks, cutting out the need for long road trips and giving you more time and energy to explore. Enter: the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport in Keahole, Hawaii; Santa Barbara Airport in Santa Barbara, California; and Jackson Hole Airport in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

National parks are incredibly vital, not only for preserving fragile ecosystems, but also for supporting overall physical and mental well-being. With this, overcrowding has become a big issue in America's national parks. With a downturn in international travel and adventure-focused trips, like hiking and mountain biking, gaining popularity, more Americans are choosing to explore their own backyards. While it may be good for the local economy, many parks aren't prepared to accommodate the masses. Factor in the long drives and time wasted in entrance lines, and, suddenly, there is less time to soak in the views and actually hike the trails. This is where small airports come in.

Servicing fewer flight routes and airlines, which often means higher-priced tickets, they offer visitors the convenience of saved time, gas, and mileage on the road. Ultimately, if it comes down to time versus money, flying into one of these smaller airports is a time-saving win.

While Hawaii is home to eight national sites and memorials, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is one of just two official national parks. Found on the Big Island of Hawaii, it protects both the geological and cultural wonders of its volcanic landscape — including two of the world's most active volcanoes that form the island. One of the volcanoes, Mauna Loa, doubles as the world's largest active volcano.

Conveniently, getting to the park is easier than expected. The Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport (KOA), on the western coastline of the island at Keahole, is about a two-hour drive from the national park. The entire journey is between 60 and 102 miles, depending on whether you loop north or south of the volcanoes. KOA is the island's primary hub, serving international, inter-island, and transpacific flights from across the United States. Since the island is easiest to explore by car, the airport houses plenty of car rental agencies — including Hertz, Budget, Avis, and Enterprise — all of which are available at the Kona Car Mall just outside the arrivals terminal.

Even with just a couple of hours to spend in the park, visitors can head directly toward the summit of the steaming Wahinekapu and gaze across the bubbling Halema'uma'u crater. For those with a bit more time on their hands, it's worth venturing to the Nahuku Lava Tube, or hiking the 5.3-mile Kilauea Iki trail, which winds through a dense jungle before reaching a lava lake crater floor. For a quieter walk, Mauna Loa, a short drive from the park entrance, offers a range of more advanced trails without the crowds. And, if you have enough time to spend a night in the park, the Volcano House Campsite offers a one-of-a-kind camping experience.

Channel Islands National Park is California's least visited, and officially the most uncrowded national park in the U.S. In 2024, the park welcomed just 262,581 visitors, a staggeringly low number compared to the hordes of tourists that visit nearby parks like Yosemite and Joshua Tree. The reason for this is simple: location. The park is made up of five of California's eight Channel Islands just offshore of Santa Barbara, including the 1,470 square miles of ocean that surround them. There are no hotels, roads, or restaurants, only designated campgrounds with pit toilets and picnic tables. That isolation has allowed the islands to evolve without human interference, creating a haven for more than 2,000 plants and animals, 145 of which are endemic.

This West Coast national park is often likened to the Galapagos Islands. The main difference is that it doesn't cost thousands of dollars nor take days to get to. And, while it feels worlds away from California, the park is just a short boat trip from mainland California's city of Santa Barbara. It can only be accessed by private boat or park concessionaire ferry from the Ventura or Oxnard Harbor, a trip that takes around one hour and operates on a limited schedule.

Luckily, Santa Barbara Airport (SBA) sits just 40 miles north of Ventura Harbor along the Pacific Coast Highway. The regional airport is refreshingly easy to navigate, and it's often considered one of the quietest terminals around. SBA is serviced by five national airlines with 12 nonstop flights, linking Santa Barbara with major U.S. hubs. The airport also has all the usual car rental agencies at its doorstep, including Avis and Thrifty. Time it just right, and you can land at SBA and be on the Channel Islands in under three hours.

Jackson Hole, Wyoming, is the ultimate playground for outdoor adventurers. It's home to the Teton Range, a majestic mountain zone that offers opportunities for year-round activities — from summer hiking and whitewater rafting to world-class skiing in winter. The region is anchored by the Grand Teton National Park, named after the tallest peak in the range: Grand Teton. The surrounding county of Jackson extends for 4,214 square miles, 97% of which is considered public property. It's simply an explorer's dream.

At the center of it all is Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), the only commercial airport in the entire country to be located within the borders of a national park. Originally established in 1930, before the national park extended to cover its current area in 1950, JAC is far from a standard airport terminal. Branded as a hub for adventure, the Jackson Hole Airport Board works alongside the U.S. National Park Service to help preserve and maintain the ecological integrity of the Grand Teton National Park. It also partners with The Good Traveler to help offset carbon emissions, and is en route to becoming the world's first certified DarkSky airport.

Jackson Hole Airport might be located within the borders of Grand Teton National Park, but it also serves as the gateway to the nearby Yellowstone National Park, another Wyoming gem that garners the attention of adrenaline seekers around the country. The airport is just under 50 miles from Yellowstone's South Entrance Trailhead, making it a quick one-hour drive by car. It also operates year-round flights, and is most popular with ski crowds visiting the Jackson Hole Ski Area in winter. Once on the ground, rental cars from Hertz, Avis, and Budget make it easy to explore the national park at your own pace.