r/Spokane • u/PettyPride • 1d ago

Question What makes out airport international?

Been looking at incoming and outgoing destinations and I don't see anything that involves anythong international.

4 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

15

u/SadBrontosaurus 1d ago

When the airport was expanded around 1960, we were able to offer flights to Canada. It was designated Spokane International, and the name stuck.

It also has a CBP office, and allows international (inbound and outbound) private flights.

https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2016/nov/21/then-and-now-spokane-international-airport/

3

u/idsnowghost 1d ago

You used to be able to fly direct to Calgary and Edmonton in the 90s.

2

u/PettyPride 1d ago

Thank you so much! I couldn't find really anything out online and was baffled by it lol.

8

u/CrackHaddock Newman Lake 1d ago

I’m pretty sure airports only need to be able to handle customs and immigration in order to be considered ‘international’. They don’t even need to actively fly to other countries

3

u/PettyPride 1d ago

Thank you! My ignorance about aviation is definitely showing. Just one day was like oh GEG is international I wonder where the flight goes in Canada? Lol. Appreciate it!

2

u/nice_lookin_vehicle 1d ago

This is the correct answer

2

u/welkover 1d ago

An international airport is one where after you check in your plane can fly to another country and all of the luggage and visa complications will be in order. Same for it you fly in from Japan or whatever and land in Spokane, they have the capability to physically accommodate an immigration process even if at the current time there are no such flights. Some airports are just a landing strip basically and can't handle this even with extra staff.

2

u/PettyPride 1d ago

Gotcha! Thank you!

2

u/JohnnyEagleClaw 1d ago

Man, I remember non-stops to Vancouver BC. 😢

1

u/Discountviking1 15h ago

My home town of Ione washington has a small airstrip with a couple of hangers for private use, it's deemed international as well just because it's used on occasion as a refuel for military/forest service aircraft on occasion and you could fly to Canada from there in a single engine.