Traveling via plane is fun — jet-setting over beautiful blue waters or rolling hills, taking in the cloud formations, and landing in a completely different location in a matter of hours.
The whole navigating the airport part? Less exciting, and sometimes pretty stressful. To help make your time at the Chattanooga Airport as smooth as possible, we’ve created a guide that covers everything from gates and parking to details on the airport’s 11 nonstop flights.
What to know
- TSA | According to the Chattanooga Airport’s website, it takes ~10 minutes to get through during off-peak hours and ~20 minutes during peak hours (5-8 a.m., Monday-Friday).
- Map it out | If you’re like us and need to completely visualize a place before you step foot inside, these maps of the entire airport will be your saving grace.
- Food and drink | Grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner at Tailwind Concessions or Skyline Views after clearing the security checkpoint.
- Reminder | You will need a REAL ID to board commercial flights in the US.
- Flight status | While we recommend staying updated via your respective airline, you can also check the airport’s dashboard for your flight status in a pinch.
Current airport updates
- A second parking garage is being built and is expected to open in early 2027. To make room for the new garage, the Long Term 1 parking lot closed and an Economy lot (with a free shuttle) is now open at the corner of Rosedale Drive + Airport Road.
- In September, Spirit Airlines announced it was ending service in Chattanooga and 11 other cities as part of its bankruptcy proceedings.
- An aviation-themed park set to open at the airport by late 2026. The 4.5-acre space will include a playground, walking trails, a World War II pilot memorial, and an observation deck where families can watch planes take off and land.
Parking and shuttles
Not everyone has a bestie who will drop everything to pick them up from their 3 a.m. landing. Each lot and garage offers 15 minutes of free parking, 16-30 minutes for $2, and each additional 30 minutes for $2. Beyond that, the price per day is as listed:
- Short term parking | $20/day
- Covered parking garage | $15/day
- Long term | $12/day
- Economy (Rosedale Dr. & Airport Rd.) | $10/day + one time $0.85 transaction fee
Bonus: Because the Chattanooga Airport only has one terminal, most of these parking options are within walking distance of TSA and your gate.
Hate the thought of driving yourself? Try out a shuttle or taxi service that will take you to and from the terminal. These services are suggested by the Chattanooga Airport:
- A-1 Taxi & Transportation | Taxi and shuttle — bonus: This service will also take you to and from Atlanta.
- Ave Taxi | Taxi
- CARTA GO | Shuttle — bonus: Get a connection to the #4 Eastgate/ Hamilton Place bus route where you can easily transfer to the downtown area.
- Lookout Limousine | Premier shuttle — bonus: This service will also take you to and from surrounding airports in Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama + there are no mileage fees or max stops.
- Mercury Cab | Taxi
- Nooga Shuttles | Shuttle
- Nooga Taxi | Taxi
- Bonus: You can also use Uber + Lyft ride share services
Top flights
Chattanooga currently offers 11 nonstop flights, with four more on the way. Remember that flight times and schedules will often change — you should rely on your respective airline for exact timing and to stay updated on any changes.
- Atlanta, GA | Delta | Daily
- Charlotte, NC | American Airlines | Daily | Bonus: Check out our sister city, CLTtoday, for fun things to do.
- Chicago, IL | United + American Airlines | Daily
- Dallas, TX | American Airlines | Sunday-Friday | Bonus: Check out our sister city, DALtoday, for fun things to do.
- Detroit, MI | Delta | Daily
- Ft. Lauderdale, FL | Allegiant Air | Returning Feb. 12, 2026
- Houston, TX | United | Daily | Starting March 30, 2026
- Las Vegas, NV | Allegiant Air | Thursday and Sunday
- Miami, FL | American Airlines | Returning February-September 2026
- New York, NY (LGA) | Delta | Daily
- New York, NY (EWR) | United | Starting January 2026
- Orlando, FL | Allegiant Air | Three days a week, schedule changes frequently | Bonus: Check out our sister city, ORLtoday, for fun things to do.
- Punta Gorda, FL | Allegiant Air | Up to three days a week, schedule changes frequently
- Tampa, FL | Allegiant Air | Up to four days a week, schedule changes seasonally | Bonus: Check out our sister city, TBAYtoday, for fun things to do.
- Washington, DC | American Airlines | Sunday-Friday | Bonus: Check out our sister city, NOVAtoday, for fun things to do.
Fly comfortably
While we may not be able to offer solutions for crying babies or mysterious in-flight meals, we do have some tricks up our sleeves for upping your comfort while flying. Browse some of our favorite travel essentials:
- The AirFly Pro | Make sure you can always access in-flight entertainment (while avoiding the wired headphones airlines pass out) by using an AirFly. It plugs into your seat’s headphone jack and connects to your earbuds or headphones via Bluetooth.
- Trtl travel pillow | The Trtl pillow is scientifically designed to provide a better head position when sleeping upright, thanks to an internal support system comfortably cushioned in cozy fleece.
- Bose Noise Canceling Headphones | These headphones are tried-and-true traveling companions, beloved for their crisp sound and ability to block exterior noise.
- Cozy Earth joggers | These Oprah-approved joggers are polished enough to navigate the airport in, but comfy and stretchy enough for long flights.
- Anti-nausea wristbands | Some simple anti-nausea wristbands might relieve a nervous stomach or sensitivity to turbulence while flying.
