When you are traveling by plane one of the most important steps is choosing the right airport you will be flying into on your vacation. After all, you do not want to end up too far away from your destination but still want a good value on your flight.
When flying into the Grand Canyon the closest airport is one and half hours away. Flagstaff/Pulliam (FLG) will be the closest airport. The Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) and Las Vegas McCarren (LAS) are under five hours away from the Grand Canyon but typically have less expensive tickets.
The choice is up to you to choose where you would like to fly when visiting the Grand Canyon. A closer airport seems smart, but the flights can cost much higher than one that is a little farther away. You also need to take care of rentals and traffic into consideration.
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What City Do I Fly Into for The Grand Canyon?
Deciding what city to fly into when planning a trip can be very overwhelming. If you are not from the area you are traveling to it takes a bit of research to figure out the perfect airport to land in. While you may be able to get as close as one and a half hours the five hours away airports might not cost as much.
Flagstaff/Pulliam (FLG) is only one and a half hours away from the south rim of the Grand Canyon. This means you will not be on the road as long and will be able to enjoy the views longer at the Grand Canyon. They only have two airlines that come through the airport, United Airlines and American Airlines. If you do not fly with them, you will need to look at the other closet options.
The next closest airports to the Grand Canyon are Las Vegas McCarren (LAS) and Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX). They are roughly five hours away from the Grand Canyon which is a decent drive and can add a whole day to your vacation of only driving. These airports are much cheaper than Flagstaff, however.
Is Las Vegas or Phoenix Closer to the Grand Canyon?
Many people choose to fly into either Las Vegas or Phoenix when flying to the Grand Canyon as you can sightsee quite a bit and they are much cheaper than flying directly into Flagstaff. You may find yourself wondering which one is closer. The Grand Canyon is extremely big so the times can differ depending on what part of the Grand Canyon you are visiting.
Las Vegas McCarren (LAS) is 277.5 miles from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the south entrance road. It will take about 4 hours and 18 minutes to get there. You will need to deal with a little bit of the Las Vegas traffic leaving the airport but the views along your four-hour trip and lower cost ticket will make it worth it.
Some people even choose Las Vegas as their airport and make a day out of exploring Las Vegas before heading to see the Grand Canyon. This makes the most out of your trip. Also, after the hustle and bustle style of Las Vegas, your trip to the Grand Canyon will feel even more serene. From Las Vegas, you will reach the west rim of the Grand Canyon first.
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) is 234.2 miles from the Grand Canyon Visitor Center on the south entrance road. It will take roughly 3 hours and 37 minutes to get there. It is a fairly straight shot from the airport to the Grand Canyon as you will be on 1-17 N most of the time.
Las Vegas airport can put you on the track to see Grand Canyon West which has the Glass Skywalk. It is one of the main attractions as you can walk on a glass bridge to overlook the beautiful views of the Grand Canyon.
Phoenix is beautiful and makes for a nice trip to the Grand Canyon. One other great aspect of flying into Phoenix is the Arizona Shuttle. This shuttle service will have daily shuttles that take five different routes to the Grand Canyon. This can save you the hassle of not only driving but worrying about a rental or parking, which can add a lot to any trip.
It is important to note that the times can differ quite a bit depending on where to arrive at the Grand Canyon and if you take a slightly different route. Traffic and heavy tourists’ seasons can also play a big part in traveling to the Grand Canyon.
Does Southwest Fly to Grand Canyon?
Southwest Airlines among other airlines do fly into the Grand Canyon at many airports including Las Vegas McCarren and Phoenix Sky Harbor. These are two of the closest airports that you can use to fly into the Grand Canyon. Both have a travel time to the Grad Canyon at under five hours.
Many airports only have certain airlines that fly out of them which can be a little frustrating when you have a favorite airline and want to fly to a specific spot. Flagstaff only has the airlines Untied and American Airlines. Unlike Las Vegas McCarren which use the following airlines:
- Allegiant Air
- Frontier Airlines
- JSX
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
There are quite a few options to choose from when flying into Las Vegas McCarren as with Phoenix Sky Harbor who has the following airlines:
- American Airlines
- Delta Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
Las Vegas has a few more well-known airlines that fly through them. You should be able to easily find a flight close enough to the Grand Canyon that you will be able to take a shuttle or drive for under five hours.
What Is the Best Month to Visit the Grand Canyon?
The best time to travel to the Grand Canyon for the optimum weather and activities will be:
- March
- April
- May
- September
- October
- November
These set of months give two different experiences when visiting the Grand Canyon. These times of year are not as crowded as the peak time over the summer.
Many people love to visit the Grand Canyon over the hot summer months, as they also do when visiting a beach. The problem with this is everyone has the same idea, so it makes for huge crowds and long lines. This is why many people travel to the beach during September when most schools are back in and the weather starts to cool.
This is one of the best times to travel to the Grand Canyon because flights will also be far less expensive than peal season months. During each month there are very different weather temperatures they may be too cold for you when visiting. Below you will see the average temperatures for each month that do not have a large crowd. This may help as the weather is a deciding factor for many when traveling.
- March – The temperatures are much cooler and range about 53 degrees during the day and as low as 24 degrees at night. There is the highest chance of rain during this month.
- April – The temperature will be 61 during the day which is perfect for hiking as you won’t get too hot. At night it cools down to 29 degrees.
- May – Warming up a bit at 71 degrees during the day with a low of 36 at night. It is still nice without being too hot. The summer months shoot up to the mid to high 80’s.
- September – After the summer months, it will cool back down to 76 degrees during the day and 43 degrees during the night.
- October – Things start to cool down a little bit in October at around 65 degrees and a low of 33 degrees at night.
- November – This is about the same as March when it comes to temp. 52 degrees at the max and 24 at the lowest.
Summer months can be in the mid 80’s add in the crowds of people, and it can make a trip exhausting for many. It is far more beneficial to go during these months listed. You will not only be able to enjoy all of the trails and excursions that the Grand Canyon has to offer but you won’t be sweating to death either.
You will have the best of both worlds while still sightseeing everything the Grand Canyon has to offer. Flights will also be much less expensive as not many will be traveling during these times. The ideal month can be any on the list but September after the cords die down is a very good choice.
How Far in Advance Should I Plan A Trip to the Grand Canyon?
The time it takes to plan a trip to the Grand Canyon comes down to many different aspects. There are many things you need to take into account when you are planning a trip, the time it takes will be solely up to these:
- Amount of people traveling
- Are you flying in or driving?
- Kids traveling needs more accommodations
- Number of activities you will be wanting to do
- The number of days you will be there
- The amount of money you are spending
- What time of year you are wanting to visit?
- Where are you staying
- Where you are traveling from
- Will you need a shuttle or will rent a car?
If you plan to drive in with one other person you could easily plan a couple of weeks ahead of time. If you are flying in with your family or a bigger party, it is best to plan for at least two months. This will give you time to find all of the excursions you would like to do.
You can typically book and pay for things ahead of time to save even more time on your trip. This is also when you can map out every hour of your day online. Always account for mother nature. Sometimes it will pour when it shouldn’t, and some days will be blistering hot when it should be cold. If you take young children make sure to have some type of stroller or carrier as they will tire easily.
Traveling to the Grand Canyon By Plane
No matter which airport you choose embrace traveling to the Grand Canyon. That is one of the best perks of traveling to the Grand Canyon, it is absolutely beautiful. In under five hours whether by car or shuttle you will be able to sightsee one of the wonders of the world. You may not get to see all of the 277 miles in one trip, but you can always come in from a different airport next time.