When you’re planning your trip to Shenandoah National Park, one of the things you’ll need to decide is where to fly into.
In this guide, we’ll look at the airport closest to Shenandoah National Park’s four entrances.
‼️ It’s worth noting that although these are the closest airports to each of the park’s four entrances, another nearby airport might be better for your trip. For more detailed information about other nearby airports, read my Guide to all the Airports Near Shenandoah National Park. ‼️
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Closest airport to Shenandoah National Park
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Table of Contents
The Closest Airport to Shenandoah National Park’s Front Royal and Thornton Gap Entrances
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Washington Dulles International is a major airport located in Virginia near the nation’s capital. It’s the nearest international airport with to access to the national park. It’s a quick and easy drive from Shenandoah National Park to Washington DC and vice versa.
The nearest park entrance is in Front Royal, which is about an hour’s drive away. Drive west on I-66 going to Front Royal and exit to Route 30 South until you see the signs to the park and Skyline Drive.
Thornton Gap is also accessible – it’s just an extra 30 minutes or so. You can drive west on I-66 and take the 43A exit. Head to US-29 South towards Warrenton and take US-211 West to the park.
The airport is serviced by multiple domestic and international airlines, so there are plenty of flight options. The airport also offers several transportation services like bus and taxi services, limousine and sedan services, and car rentals to get you around the area if you’re visiting DC before or after your Shenandoah trip.
Location:
Washington Dulles International is located in Loudoun County and Fairfax County just 26 miles from Washington’s downtown area.
Distance Dulles Airport to Shenandoah National Park:
🔰 Distance to Front Royal Entrance Station: 57 miles ** nearest **
🔰 Distance to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 68 miles
🔰 Distance to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 97 miles
🔰 Distance to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 124 miles
Travel time from Washington DC to Shenandoah National Park:
⌚ Time to Front Royal Entrance Station: 1 hour and 5 minutes ** nearest **
⌚ Time to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 1 hour and 25 minutes
⌚ Time to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 1 hour and 50 minutes
⌚ Time to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 2 hours and 20 minutes
What airlines fly out of Washington Dulles International Airport? Which airports connect to there?
✈️ Multiple domestic and international airlines fly to and from Washington Dulles International Airport.
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options:
🚗 Onsite (Car Rental Facility): Enterprise, National, Alamo, Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty (has free shuttle bus services within the airport area), AVIS, SiXT
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Washington Dulles International Airport to Shenandoah National Park:
🚘 Rental car direct to the Front Royal Entrance (the nearest entrance you can access)
🚍 Bus service to Charlottesville (Megabus) or Virginia Breeze (Shenandoah Valley), then rent a car
Pros
- Wide range of flight options both domestic and international
- Connecting flights to major US and international cities
- Plenty of car rental service options
- Budget flights are available at this airport
Cons
- Driving around DC can be a bit much if you’re not used to driving in big cities (if that’s the case, consider connecting to one of the smaller regional airports)
The Closest Airport to Shenandoah National Park’s Swift Run Gap Entrance
Charlottesville – Albemarle Airport (CHO)
The largest regional airport in the area, Charlottesville – Albemarle Airport is located just eight miles north of Charlottesville, near the southern end of the national park.
The airport offers daily non-stop flights to several major US cities.
For car rental services, you can head to the car rental center within the airport and choose from companies like AVIS, National Car Rental, Budget, and Enterprise.
The closest entrances to Shenandoah National Park are Swift Run Gap and Rockfish Gap, both about 30 minutes away.
Location:
The airport is located just eight miles north of Charlottesville, Albemarle County.
Distance Charlottesville to Shenandoah National Park:
🔰 Distance to Front Royal Entrance Station: 66 miles
🔰 Distance to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 49 miles
🔰 Distance to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 23 miles ** nearest **
🔰 Distance to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 30 miles
Travel time to Shenandoah National Park:
⌚ Time to Front Royal Entrance Station: 1 hour and 25 minutes
⌚ Time to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 1 hour and 5 minutes
⌚ Time to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 30 minutes ** nearest **
⌚ Time to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 36 minutes
What airlines fly out of Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport? Which airports connect to there?
✈️ American Airlines: New York-LaGuardia, Charlotte
✈️ Delta: New York-LaGuardia, Atlanta
✈️ United: Washington – Dulles
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options:
🚗 Onsite (Car Rental Center): AVIS, National Car Rental, Budget, Enterprise
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport to Shenandoah National Park:
🚘 Car rental
🚖 Taxi services: Yellow Cab of Luray, Colonial Taxi Service
Pros
- Quick access to the park via the Swift Run Gap and Rockfish Gap
- Connecting flights to New York-LaGuardia, Charlotte, Atlanta and Washington-Dulles
Cons
- Limited airline options
- Limited connecting flights
- International flights are not offered here
- Limited car rental companies available
The Closest Airport to Shenandoah National Park’s Rockfish Gap Entrance
Shenandoah Valley Regional (SHD)
Shenandoah Valley Airport is close to the Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro areas. There are daily direct flights from Shenandoah Airport, Virginia on United Airlines to Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare.
The airport also has three major car rental companies onsite.
The nearest entrance to Shenandoah National Park is Rockfish Gap, roughly 30 minutes away. It’s an additional 15 minutes to the Swift Run Gap entrance.
Location
Shenandoah Valley Airport is located at Weyers Cave, Virginia.
Distance to Shenandoah National Park
🔰 Distance from Shenandoah Valley Airport to Front Royal Entrance Station: 70 miles
🔰 Distance to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 56.7 miles
🔰 Distance to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 41 miles
🔰 Distance to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 24 miles ** nearest **
Travel time to Shenandoah National Park
⌚ Time to Front Royal Entrance Station: 1 hour and 25 minutes
⌚ Time to Thornton Gap Entrance Station: 1 hour and 5 minutes
⌚ Time to Swift Run Gap Entrance Station: 55 minutes
⌚ Time to Rockfish Gap Entrance Station: 34 minutes ** nearest **
What airlines fly out of Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport? Which airports connect to there?
✈️ United Airlines (SkyWest) with connecting flights to Washington Dulles (IAD) and Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options
🚗 Onsite: Avis, Budget, and Enterprise
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport to Shenandoah National Park:
🚘 Car rental services
Pros
- Close to the Rockfish Gap Entrance
- Still a short travel to other park entrances with approximately an hour to an hour and a half drive
- Connecting flights to Washington Dulles and Chicago O’Hare airports.
Cons
- Limited flight options
- Few car rental options
- No international flights available
Map of Airports Near Shenandoah National Park
Travel Insurance for Shenandoah National Park
When you’ve booked your flights to Shenandoah National Park, consider getting travel insurance too. Make sure it includes trip cancellation, in case you need to cancel your flight before your travel, so that you can get a refund.
➡️ A great insurance option is Travelex. It has coverage for all you’ll need. You can choose the best travel insurance plan for your trip here or get a quote right now:
Have a great trip to Shenandoah! I hope this guide has helped you decide what airport to fly to Shenandoah National Park.
More Planning Resources for Shenandoah National Park
⭐ Shenandoah National Park Guide
⭐ Planning A Trip to Shenandoah National Park: 7 Mistakes to Avoid
⭐ 25 Best Overlooks On Skyline Drive
⭐ Skyline Drive Mile Markers
⭐ Best Things To Do in Shenandoah National Park
⭐ The Best Waterfalls in Shenandoah National Park
⭐ Best Hikes in Shenandoah National Park
⭐ How To Get to Shenandoah National Park
⭐ All The Airports Near Shenandoah National Park
⭐ 10 Tips For Visiting Shenandoah National Park
⭐ Best Time to Visit Shenandoah National Park
⭐ Visiting Shenandoah National Park: What To Expect Throughout the Year
⭐ 10 Fun Facts About Shenandoah National Park
Which airport did you choose? I’d love to know. Join my private Facebook group National Parks Collectors and comment and let me know (you can also pick up extra planning tips, share your photos and stories with other national park lovers and more).
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Closest airport to Shenandoah National Park
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About the Author
James Ian is a national park, camping and hiking expert.
He has dedicated his life to travel, visiting more than 80 countries, all 7 continents and most of the national parks in the United States. With over 35 years experience in the travel industry, James has worked on cruise ships, at resorts and hotels, and as a travel planner who’s helped hundreds of people plan successful trips to US national parks.
Based on his experience visiting our national parks multiple times, in-depth research and expertise as a travel planner, James has published detailed itineraries for many of the major national parks in the US. These itineraries, as well as in-depth park guides, and other resources will help you have your own incredible trip to US national parks without stress and hassle.
As a national park expert, James has contributed to many publications, including USA Today, Newsweek, Time Business News, Savoteur, Best Trip, and Wired.
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