Airport for Sedona, AZ

December 29, 2022

Matthew

You’re headed to Sedona. Congratulations! You’re going to love this astounding red rock country. But you still have to book your flight. What’s the best airport to fly into for your trip to Sedona, Arizona? Let’s run through the options.

Sedona Airport

David Broad, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If you have a private airplane, you can land right in the middle of town at the Sedona Airport (SDX). Now, we’re guessing most of you don’t have a private jet waiting for you in a hangar. But, we bring up this airport because it sits right on top of a mesa in the middle of the city, and it’s actually one of Sedona’s best tourist attractions. You can drive up the mesa, park the car, and hike the desert trails surrounding the airport, which looks over some of Sedona’s coolest red rock formations. And you won’t want to miss a sunset at the Airport Scenic Lookout, one of the best places in Sedona to catch a sunset.

RELATED: One-Day Itinerary: Sedona, AZ

Flagstaff Pulliam Airport

Americasroof at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The closest airport to Sedona that welcomes commercial flights is Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG), only 25 miles north of Sedona. The 40-minute drive between the airport and Sedona is a scenic trip through Oak Creek Canyon on AZ-89A, one of the state’s most beautiful drives. While this sounds ideal, Flagstaff is a small airport with a limited number of flights, which means airfare is likely going to be more expensive. But, it’s definitely worth looking into. If your priority is time versus money, Flagstaff may be the way to go. This is also the closest airport to the Grand Canyon, if that’s part of your itinerary.

RELATED: 15 Things to Do in Sedona

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport

Cygnusloop99, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The nearest airport to Sedona that you’re most likely to use to fly to Arizona is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX). This airport is gigantic, and one of the busiest in the world, which means that no matter where you’re coming from, it’ll be easy to find a flight to Phoenix. The airport is 120 miles south of Sedona. The trip north from the airport to Sedona takes about two hours, and it’s a stunning interstate highway drive through a changing desert landscape. You’ll start in the middle of Phoenix, drive through Saguaro-filled low desert vegetation, then climb higher and higher in elevation as the Saguaro disappear and the desert turns to mountains and low-lying brush and grasslands.

If you want to make a day of it, you can check out our article about driving from Phoenix to Sedona. There’s plenty to do, including overlooks, ancient ruins, and even a safari park.

So Which Airport?

So which airport are you going to choose? If you’re looking to save time and land as close as possible to Sedona, then consider Flagstaff. If you need the flexibility and don’t mind a two hour drive, then Phoenix is the most likely place you’ll land. If you’re one of the lucky people that have a private jet, then what are we even talking about? You’re going to land in Sedona. Either way, you’re going to love Sedona’s red rocks and desert scenery.

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