This month’s airport spotlight is on Meridian Regional Airport, a joint civil-military public use airport located at Key Field, a joint-use public/military airfield. The airport is owned by Meridian Airport Authority.
Established in 1928 and opened in 1930, the Meridian Regional Airport is mostly used for general aviation and military traffic. However, one commercial airline serves the area with scheduled passenger services subsidized by the Essential Air Service program. The airport has the distinction of having the longest public-use runway in Mississippi.
Hosting the longest runway in Mississippi isn’t the only special distinction about Meridian Regional Airport. The airport’s old terminal, hangar, and powerhouse form the earliest surviving airport complex in the state. Key Field is also home to Mississippi Air National Guard’s 186th Air Refueling Wing and the Mississippi National Guard’s 111th Army Aviation Support Facility. During World War II, the airport was controlled by the United States Army Air Corps.
Meridian Regional Airport and Key Field also have their place in Aviation history, thanks to the Key brothers of Meridian. The brothers set a world-record endurance flight that began at Key Field on June 4, 1935. You can learn more about the Key brothers by visiting the Key Brothers Aviation Museum located in the Meridian Regional Airport’s terminal.
For more information or to book a flight at Meridian Regional Airport, visit their official website here.
