Closest Airport to Arches National Park: 10 Best Options

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Utah boasts five incredible national parks (nicknamed the Mighty Five) but all that open space means there aren’t many well-connected major cities in the state. If you’re looking for the closest airport to Arches National Park, you might assume there aren’t any all that close!

Luckily, there are some smaller domestic airports in southeastern Utah. Plus, Arches is much closer to the Colorado border than Utah’s capital Salt Lake City. Don’t rule out flying into other major airports in the United States like those in Nevada, New Mexico, or even California.

The best airport that makes sense for your trip might not work for others, so it’s good to know your options.

That said, if you are a family traveling to the park, there is one airport that is usually going to be a clear winner for you…

For families, the best airport for Arches National Park is

Though not the closest…the easiest, most affordable, and most convenient airport for a family trying to get to Arches is Salt Lake City, Utah (SLC). It will have the most flights and airlines to fit your schedule, and a ton of rental car options. Other airports are closer, but much, much smaller (so less flight options, and typically more $$).

This guide covers all the different airports that you should consider flying into to reach Arches National Park in order of mileage to the park entrance. It also includes airlines, cities with direct flights to each airport, and info to help both domestic and international national park travelers have the best time.

mom and three kids on the Park Avenue trail in Arches National ParkPin
me and my kiddos on the Park Avenue trail in Arches, NP

1. Canyonlands Field Airport (CNY) – 14.5 Miles

Canyonlands Field Airport (sometimes known as Canyonlands Regional Airport) is the closest airport to Arches National Park, bar none. You’ll get incredible views of the dusty red natural sandstone arches and the Colorado River from the plane window!

This is the closest airport if you want to visit Canyonlands National Park too. It’s also the best airport for those who don’t want a long drive before getting to Arches National Park or those who don’t want to drive at all (it’s not convenient but it is possible).

While it’s the closest airport to Arches National Park, it’s one of the minor airports in the area. There are only domestic flights from Salt Lake City and Denver to this airport.

However, unlike other small airports nearby like Green River, these flights are via major airlines. Booking a Delta connection via Salt Lake City International Airport is a great option as there are daily flights. Take note that ticket prices are higher in the summer months and can fluctuate depending on the day of the week.

Canyonlands Airport CNY - the closest airport to Arches National ParkPin
Canyonlands Airport CNY | LittleT889, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How to Get Around Arches National Park Without a Car

The Moab Express is an airport shuttle connecting passengers arriving at Canyonlands Field Airport to anywhere in Moab. You can take the private shuttle to the main street, a hotel, or anywhere in the surrounding area.

There is no public transport in Arches National Park. However, you can take a taxi to the Visitor Center/Park Entrance and hike to certain places in the park from there. Or, you can book commercial tours (Adrift Adventures, NAVTEC Expeditions, and Moab Scenic Adventures are recommended by the National Park System).

In all honesty, with a family, it’s going to be easiest/best to spend the extra $$ and just rent a car. You’re already committing to the cost of a vacation…your family will be way more comfortable traveling around in a minivan or SUV rental than worrying about public transportation schedules.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 15 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to CNY: Delta Air Lines and United Airlines
panoramic view of Park Avenue trail in Arches National ParkPin
Panoramic view of Park Avenue trail in Arches NP

2. Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT) – 110 Miles

As the nearest airport to Arches National Park in Colorado, Grand Junction Regional Airport is also a good choice for those who want a short drive. It takes less than four hours to drive to Arches round-trip.

Plus, it’s usually easier to drive in and out of smaller, local airports. It could be the best option for domestic travelers.

Grand Junction Regional Airport welcomes direct domestic flights from Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, and Las Vegas via major airlines. As these cities all have busy international airports, Grand Junction offers more options for travelers visiting Arches from further afield.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 1 hour and 45 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to GJT: American Airlines, Allegiant, and United Airlines
little boy looking out window at Salt Lake City airport with trusty moose stuffed animal companion next to himPin

3. Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) – 177 Miles

Similar to Grand Junction, Durango-La Plata County Airport is another regional airport in Colorado with daily domestic flights to a handful of cities via major airlines. You can book direct flights to this airport from Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix.

It’s located further south near the border with New Mexico so it’s not the most popular route to reach Arches National Park. However, if you find cheap domestic flight deals to Durango-La Plata County, you could turn it into a memorable road trip by taking detours through fun places like the Four Corners and other national monuments.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 3 hours
  • Airlines Flying to DRO: American Airlines and United Airlines
Durango La Plata County Airport in Colorado (DRO) - 3 hours from Arches NPPin
Durango La Plata County Airport (DRO) | Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

4. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) – 235 Miles

Overseas travelers aren’t looking for the closest airport to Arches National Park, they’re looking for the closest international airport. Since Salt Lake City is the closest city to Arches (well, the closest big city as Moab is much nearer), Salt Lake City International Airport is the closest major airport.

This airport receives direct flights from at least 87 US cities from Charlotte to Anchorage. Some of the international destinations that have direct flights to Salt Lake City Airport include multiple cities in Mexico, Canada, Paris in France, London in the UK, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Frankfurt in Germany.

You can easily find connections to Canyonlands Field Airport, the closest airport to Arches National Park. Or, expand your national parks trip to Yellowstone National Park as you could enjoy a scenic drive or hop on a direct flight to West Yellowstone Airport from Salt Lake City Airport.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 3 hours and 45 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to SLC: American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, SkyWest Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
salt lake city airport in Utah with city and mountains in distancePin
Salt Lake City Airport in Utah

5. Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC) – 286 Miles

Located in Southwest Utah, Cedar City Regional Airport is a super small airport. Honestly, it only receives direct flights from Salt Lake City so it wouldn’t make sense for most travelers to fly here even if it was the closest airport to Arches National Park.

However, Cedar City Airport is right next to Zion National Park. It could be the perfect place for domestic travelers to fly into if you’re planning a Mighty Five Utah National Parks road trip.

You could visit Zion before hitting up Bryce Canyon National Park, then Capitol Reef National Park before reaching Canyonlands, and finally Arches.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 4 hours and 15 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to CDC: Delta Airlines
kids hanging out at airport waiting for a flightPin

6. St. George Regional Airport (SGU) – 341 Miles

There’s not much difference between St. George Regional Airport and Cedar City. It’s only a one-hour drive south of Cedar, so it’s also one of the best places to fly into for a Utah National Parks road trip for domestic travelers.

However, it does have the extra benefit of welcoming direct flights from Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix as well as Salt Lake City via more airlines. It’s also right on the Arizona border if you want to sneak in a trip to the Grand Canyon National Park too!

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 5 hours
  • Airlines Flying to SGU: American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines
from the air shot of st. george utah with mountains in the backgroundPin
St. George Utah – a beautiful town, and convenient to Utah national parks Mighty Five

7. Denver International Airport (DEN) – 372 Miles

After Salt Lake City, Denver International Airport is the second closest airport to Arches National Park for international travelers. Denver receives direct flights from 183 US cities which is more than twice as many as Salt Lake City. Plus, there are direct flights to Denver from many Central American countries and seven cities in Europe.

Flying into Denver can be more convenient depending on your home airport, but it’s also the best way to extend your travel time and visit some awesome places in Colorado. You could get a rental car at the airport and take a short detour to check out Rocky Mountain National Park as well as the Colorado National Monument on your way to Arches.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 5 hours and 45 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to DEN: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines
denver international airport at sunsetPin
Denver International Airport

8. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) – 374 Miles

Only marginally further away from Arches National Park than Denver, Albuquerque International Sunport is another great place to consider flying into when researching the best and closest airport to Arches National Park. It receives direct, domestic flights from around 30 US airports including Kansas City, Houston, and New York City.

But there’s not much evidence that this is an ‘international’ airport as it doesn’t currently have any direct flights in or out of the USA! This airport is better for domestic travelers who can find good flight deals from their home city to New Mexico.

It’s also ideal if you’d like to visit Mesa Verde National Park in southwest Colorado because it’s en route to Utah from Albuquerque.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 6 hours and 15 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to ABQ: Advanced Air, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines
Albuquerque original airport terminal from 1939Pin
Albuquerque airport’s original terminal building circa 1939 | Chuska03, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

9. Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) – 465 Miles

Formerly the McCarran International Airport, the Harry Reid International Airport is the main airport serving Las Vegas and the valley. It’s by far the largest, closest airport to Arches National Park and an option worth considering for international travelers.

Las Vegas welcomes direct flights from around 145 US airports and around 30 more via international airlines from cities in Canada, Central America, Europe, and even Singapore.

One of the best things about flying into Las Vegas Airport is that you’re nowhere near the strip so you won’t have to drive straight into heavy traffic after picking up your rental car. The airport has easy access to the Airport Connector Tunnel so you can be on your way to Utah ASAP.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 6 hours and 45 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to LAS: Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Breeze Airways, Delta Airlines, Flair Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, WestJet, United Airlines, and 25 others
three kids getting a taste of the Las Vegas vibe with slot machines inside the LAS airportPin
my three getting a taste of Vegas, baby at the LAS airport terminal

10. Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) – 851 Miles

Okay, on the surface it might sound really bizarre to fly into Fresno Yosemite International Airport if your goal is to visit Arches National Park. But there’s a case to be made!

Fresno receives direct flights from 12 US airports including Dallas, Atlanta, New York City, and Portland plus Guadalajara, Morelia, and León in Mexico. It’s small but still somewhat well-connected.

If you’re from overseas or live on the East Coast, it’s understandable that you may want to tick more than one national park off your bucket list without taking two trips. You could visit Yosemite National Park one day and be in Arches National Park two days later!

Even better, you can completely avoid driving through Los Angeles’ high-traffic areas and pass through a number of other national parks (Zion and Bryce Canyon for example) on your way.

Our family loves this airport…it’s small, and the interior has fake sequoia trees in it! We used this airport when traveling to Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.

  • Driving time to Arches Visitor Center: 12 hours and 15 minutes
  • Airlines Flying to FAT: Aeromexico, Allegiant, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and Volaris
inside of the Fresno, California airport - fake sequoia treesPin
our family loves this smaller, manageable airport in Fresno, CA – complete with (fake) sequoia trees!

Closest Airport to Arches National Park FAQs

What’s the best airport to fly into when going to Moab?

Moab is the closest town to Arches National Park and it’s also where you’ll find the closest airport to Arches National Park which is Canyonlands Field Airport. This is the best airport to fly into when going to Moab if you want to only use public transport or do not want a long drive.

Arches National Park, Utah Park Avenue trail - three children seen walking on the trailPin
our family LOVES hiking in Arches

What’s the best airport to fly into when going to Arches National Park?

Two of the best airports to fly into when going to Arches National Park are Canyonlands Field Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport. Canyonlands Field Airport is the closest airport to Arches National Park and Salt Lake City International Airport is the nearest major airport with international flights.

boy "holding" balanced rock in Arches National Park, UtahPin
Hudson “holding” balanced rock in Arches NP

Do you need a car for Arches National Park?

As a family, it will be much, much easier to explore Arches National Park with a car. But it’s not impossible to explore without one. You can take a shuttle bus from Canyonlands Field Airport into the town of Moab and a taxi from Moab to the Arches National Park Visitor Center and main parking lot.

From there, you can book commercial tours (Adrift Adventures, NAVTEC Expeditions, and Moab Scenic Adventures are recommended by the park) or National Park Service-led tours for the best hikes. Either is a good option if you want to try horseback riding, stargazing, or hiking in the center of Arches National Park without a car. Search for tours suitable for all skill levels if you’re traveling with kids.

view from car driving into Arches National Park on the main road, after you've passed the visitor centerPin
road into Arches National Park from the Moab main visitor entrance

Pin this Arches NP airport information for later! And if you found this article helpful, leave a comment on the pin. That helps others decide whether to use this information, too!

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About Rebecca Sharp

Rebecca Sharp is a freelance writer who splits her time between Utah and the UK where she’s from. When not writing about or exploring national parks, she likes to write about and explore filming locations and film festivals on her blog, Almost Ginger.

She has a master’s in Creative Writing and her work has been featured in Hostelworld, Mashable, BBC Radio, and the Zero to Travel Podcast. Rebecca wants to encourage armchair travelers to get off the couch and turn their silver screen dreams into reality.

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