What is Cleveland Airport like? | Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, known by its code CLE, is the main commercial airport serving Cleveland, Ohio, and the busiest airport in the state. Located near downtown Cleveland, the airport operates with 3 runways and handled 10,003,833 passengers in 2025. It also offers 115 daily nonstop departures to about 40 destinations.

For many travelers, Cleveland Hopkins is the main air gateway to Northeast Ohio. It is not a mega hub like Atlanta, Dallas, or Denver, but it plays a major role within Ohio. CLE connects Cleveland with dozens of destinations across the United States and also offers nonstop international routes to places like Canada, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Ireland.

Quick facts about Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

These details help explain why Cleveland Hopkins carries more weight than many people might expect. For travelers, CLE can feel practical and fairly easy to navigate. But in terms of traffic, connectivity, and history, it holds an important place in Ohio and in the broader Midwest airport network.

Location and access from Cleveland

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is located southwest of downtown Cleveland. AirNav places the airport 9 miles southwest of the city, while the airport’s official website describes it as being about 12 miles from downtown. The difference depends on the exact point of reference, but both descriptions point to the same idea: CLE is close to the city and serves as one of the main air gateways for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

That location helps explain why Cleveland Hopkins has such a strong regional role. For some travelers, it is simply Cleveland Airport. For others, it is CLE, the code they see on boarding passes, baggage tags, route maps, and flight searches.

CLE also has a meaningful connection to public transportation. The airport’s official history highlights that in 1968, Cleveland Hopkins added a rail connection that became another first in the country, making it easier to travel between the airport and the city.

Runways and airfield infrastructure

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport operates with 3 runways. According to AirNav, runway 6R/24L measures 9,953 feet, runway 6L/24R measures 9,000 feet, and runway 10/28 measures 6,018 feet.

That gives a better sense of CLE’s real scale. From a passenger’s perspective, the airport may feel fairly straightforward: arrive, check in, pass through security, and head toward the right concourse. But from above, the runway layout shows an airport built to support a serious commercial operation.

For aviation enthusiasts, the runways also give CLE visual context. This is not a single-runway regional airport, and it is not a minor facility within Ohio. Its airfield infrastructure supports its role as the state’s busiest airport by passenger traffic.

Terminal and passenger experience

Cleveland Hopkins operates with one main terminal and gate areas organized around Concourses A, B, C, and Main. The airport’s official map shows gates in Concourses A, B, and C, along with services in the main terminal area.

For travelers, that can make Cleveland Airport easier to understand than airports with several separate terminals. The experience is centered around one main terminal with different concourse areas, ground transportation services, baggage claim, food options, shops, and access toward downtown Cleveland.

That is part of CLE’s identity. Cleveland Hopkins does not need to feel massive to be important. Its value is in consistently connecting Northeast Ohio with the rest of the country and with select international destinations.

Passenger traffic and Ohio ranking

In 2025, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport handled 10,003,833 passengers. In 2024, it handled 10,173,861 passengers, and in 2023, it handled 9,868,868. The airport’s official facts and figures identify CLE as the busiest airport in Ohio and list it as the 47th busiest airport in the United States.

That is one of the most important facts about Cleveland Airport. Because Columbus is the state capital, some people might assume that Ohio’s busiest airport is there. But by passenger traffic, Cleveland Hopkins holds the top spot in the state.

For aviation content, that comparison is interesting because it challenges an easy assumption. CLE does not always get the same national attention as the country’s largest airports, but within Ohio, it is the leading airport by passenger volume.

Nonstop flights from Cleveland Hopkins

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport publishes 115 daily nonstop departures to about 40 destinations. Its route network includes major cities across the United States as well as several international destinations.

The airport’s official nonstop destination list includes domestic routes such as Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Tampa, and Washington, D.C. It also includes international destinations such as Dublin, Cancun, Montreal, Punta Cana, and Toronto.

One of the most interesting routes is Dublin. Not everyone expects to find a nonstop transatlantic route from Cleveland, but CLE is directly connected to Ireland. That route helps show why Cleveland Hopkins has a broader international reach than many travelers might imagine.

Airlines serving CLE

Cleveland Hopkins lists airlines such as Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. The airport also lists scheduled charter services such as Apple Vacations, Caesars Rewards Air, and Sun Country Airlines.

For passengers, that mix creates different types of travel options. CLE serves traditional airlines, low-cost carriers, domestic routes, international flights, and seasonal or charter service depending on availability. That makes Cleveland Hopkins useful for business travel, vacations, family visits, national connections, and specific international trips.

History and identity of Cleveland Hopkins

Cleveland Hopkins International Airport also has an important place in U.S. aviation history. When it opened in 1925, CLE became the first municipal airport in the country. The airport’s official history also notes that CLE introduced the first radio-equipped air traffic control tower and the first airfield lighting system in the country.

That gives the airport more depth. Cleveland Hopkins is not only relevant because it moves millions of passengers today. It also played a role in the way modern airports began to operate.

For someone passing through CLE once, it may simply be the airport tied to a trip. For someone from Cleveland, it can represent home, work, family, arrivals, departures, or a return. And for people who follow aviation, CLE has a story that goes beyond the terminal itself.

What makes Cleveland Airport special

What makes Cleveland Airport special is the combination of current operation, regional importance, and history. CLE is the busiest airport in Ohio, offers nonstop flights to about 40 destinations, connects to international routes, and has its own place in the history of American airports.

There is also an interesting contrast. It is not the most famous airport in the Midwest, but it leads Ohio in passenger traffic. It is not a major national mega hub, but it has nonstop flights inside and outside the United States. And while many people may not immediately think of Cleveland as an international gateway, Cleveland Hopkins offers nonstop flights to destinations such as Dublin, Cancun, Montreal, Punta Cana, and Toronto.

That combination makes CLE more interesting than it may seem at first glance. It is not only about how many people pass through the airport. It is also about what the airport represents for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

The pin inspired by Cleveland Hopkins International Airport

After looking at what this airport represents, we created a pin inspired by Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and its CLE code.

The design is shaped like Ohio, includes the control tower, and places the CLE code as a central part of the piece. You can use it as a pin or as a magnet thanks to its included magnetic pinbacks.

The meaning of this piece is not only in the design. It is in what Cleveland can represent for each person: a city, a job, a frequent route, a family visit, a move, a return, or a trip that stays with you.

A piece for anyone with a Cleveland story

If Cleveland is part of your story, your work, or a trip you’ll never forget, this pin is for you.

It can mean something to someone who lives in the city, works at the airport, travels through CLE often, grew up in Ohio, or connects Cleveland with an important moment in their life.

See the CLE pin here

FAQs about Cleveland Airport

What is the IATA code for Cleveland Airport?
The IATA code for Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is CLE. This code appears on boarding passes, baggage tags, route maps, and flight information related to the airport.

Where is Cleveland Hopkins International Airport located?
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is located in Cleveland, Ohio, southwest of downtown. AirNav places it 9 miles southwest of Cleveland, while the airport’s official website describes it as about 12 miles from downtown.

How many runways does CLE have?
CLE has 3 runways: 6R/24L, 6L/24R, and 10/28. Its two longest runways measure 9,953 feet and 9,000 feet.

How many passengers does Cleveland Airport handle?
In 2025, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport handled 10,003,833 passengers. In 2024, it handled 10,173,861 passengers.

Is CLE the busiest airport in Ohio?
Yes. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is officially identified as the busiest airport in Ohio.

What international destinations does Cleveland Airport serve?
CLE’s official nonstop destination list includes Dublin, Cancun, Montreal, Punta Cana, and Toronto as international destinations. Routes and schedules can change depending on the airline and season.