Area Airport signing on freeways

[J N Winkler]

I don't think airports get to call themselves "international" unless they have facilities available to land regularly scheduled international flights, but I don't know if there is a regulator or industry association that steps in to sanction misbehaving airports that label themselves as "international" when they don't in fact have the facilities to handle such flights.

The distinction is mostly an American one in any case--in most European countries airports that do actually handle international traffic (and have permanent facilities for immigration and customs clearance) are not called "international."  The main truth-in-advertising problem on that side of the Atlantic arises from small airports far from a major city advertising themselves as an airport for that city (Frankfurt Hahn and Rome Ciampino being classic examples of this).

[Big John]

An explanation from an "international" airport that doesn't have any regularly scheduled international flights:

http://www.flygrb.com/about-us

For an airport, the designation international is not necessarily related to flight activity. An airport earns the title of international when U.S. Customs offices operate on the premises. Austin Straubel International Airport received this designation in 1988 when U.S. Customs opened their offices within the main terminal.

[briantroutman]

I remember hearing rumors years ago when I lived in Harrisburg that MDT would have to drop the "International" from their name if Air Canada discontinued their once-a-day puddle jumper to Toronto.

[english si]

The distinction is mostly an American one in any case--in most European countries airports that do actually handle international traffic (and have permanent facilities for immigration and customs clearance) are not called "international."

There's not a huge number of airports that deal with domestic traffic only. Inside Schengen/Common Travel Area, yes, but not within the country. Exceptions are on islands, where the distinction matters little - at least in Western Europe where you are never that far from another country.

The main truth-in-advertising problem on that side of the Atlantic arises from small airports far from a major city advertising themselves as an airport for that city (Frankfurt Hahn and Rome Ciampino being classic examples of this).

Brussels Charleroi was quite a good one.

London Oxford (not the fictional Abingdon plans, but the commercial services from, IIRC, RAF Brize Norton) was also a silly one as was London Manston (now Kent International).

[myosh_tino]

For a long time (I don't know if this is still true), San Jose (California)'s airport had no international flights, but still called itself San Jose International.  So it became known as San Jose Intergalactic.

From what I understand, the San Jose airport was originally classified as a "Municipal" airport until airlines began regular flights to Mexico sometime in the 80's.  When those flights began, the airport was changed to "San Jose International".

Today, two airlines fly to Mexico on a regular basis and ANA began regular flights to Tokyo, Japan earlier this year.

[architect77]

Back in the late '80s when RDU got its first international flight, they added this carat to the entrance sign. I drove a Hilton airport shuttle while in college, and people used to chuckle at its understated-ness.

[Mark68]

Denver International Airport

Advance signage on I-70 EB at I-225:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.772634,-104.830964&spn=0.004164,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.772603,-104.83066&panoid=vzIdJVAgo7FLnUo1pM5ENQ&cbp=12,98.72,,0,0.07

At the Chambers Rd exit, 1/4 mile in advance of the exit:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.771248,-104.815149&spn=0.004164,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.771231,-104.814927&panoid=gFmO8Xl01ldAXcpIyJ2T8Q&cbp=12,115.07,,0,-0.64

At the Pena Blvd exit (sign on the Chambers Rd overpass):
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.770861,-104.810611&spn=0.004164,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.77085,-104.810518&panoid=GTECrNUwhHCICuKpn3nmsA&cbp=12,88.4,,0,-0.18

The only advance sign on WB I-70 (ahead of the E-470 Tollway exit-the most direct route from points east):
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.740252,-104.705651&spn=0.004166,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.740259,-104.705982&panoid=GCcIun9WIT4AE5mpEGSPzg&cbp=12,280.71,,0,0.55

Directional sign on the offramp. A right turn to Gun Club Rd (at the light), brings one to this reassurance sign:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.741028,-104.715886&spn=0.004166,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.741193,-104.715881&panoid=ZAUROaYEwpSSMiRHiXzWSA&cbp=12,34.32,,1,8.31

Once past the next light (19th Ave), Gun Club becomes a northbound onramp for E-470.

Advanced signage on NB E-470 ahead of the cloverleaf interchange at Pena Blvd:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.82126,-104.74376&spn=0.004161,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.821445,-104.743947&panoid=SPkPOKiUVF0UNb0RxacLjA&cbp=12,340.66,,0,0.82

At the exit from NB E-470:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.825086,-104.746384&spn=0.004161,0.010568&t=h&z=17&layer=c&cbll=39.825086,-104.746384&panoid=fBYwmLX9PV88iScnjlGlPQ&cbp=12,339.91,,0,0

SB I-25 at E-470/Northwest Pkwy (E-470 is first access to DIA from the north):
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.989155,-104.986811&spn=0.016605,0.042272&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=39.988925,-104.986942&panoid=rz5lMKzJZywIb98NsCxeJA&cbp=12,211.58,,0,0.09

WB I-76 at E-470 SB:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.930768,-104.79691&spn=0.016619,0.042272&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=39.930709,-104.79698&panoid=ZAgFvDZacjaaS_p9Ww3ptg&cbp=12,238.57,,0,1.28

SB E-470 at Pena Blvd. The ramp becomes a C/D for the cloverleaf at Pena Blvd. The exit to the airport is the second one:
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.847492,-104.747&spn=0.016639,0.042272&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=39.848028,-104.746987&panoid=WdjkeSXOjgyaDSiMLvBfwQ&cbp=12,180,,0,0

Pena Blvd is the airport access road. Just east of the E-470 interchange, it enters airport land.