Zion National Park is one of the most spectacular national parks in the US. It’s also one of the busiest, so a trip there requires some planning.
One of the trickiest things about planning a trip to the national park is finding an airport near Zion National Park.
There are no obvious major airports right next door. In addition, the park has three main entrances. The Northwest (Kolob Canyons) Entrance is located east of Interstate 15. The main Zion Canyon section is accessed through the East Entrance from Zion-Mount Carmel Highway and the main South Entrance on Utah State Route 9, right next to Springdale, Utah.
This guide is here to help make this important decision easier. It will help you discover the closest and best airports for Zion National Park.
We’ll look at all the closest airports to Zion National Park, so you can make the right decision.
‼️ If you just want to know the nearest airport, read my guide to the Airport Nearest Zion National Park. ‼️
No time right now to discover what the airports closest to Zion National Park are? Pin It and save it for later:
What are the best airports for flying to Zion National Park?
The best airports for flying into Zion National Park are:
🛫 St. George Regional Airport, Utah
🛫 Cedar City Regional Airport, Utah
🛫 Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport, Nevada
🛫 Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah
🛫 Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Arizona
What airport to fly into for Zion National Park?
There are several airports near Zion National Park. A better question than “What airport is near Zion National Park?” might be “What is the best airport for my particular vacation?” Your budget, your plans and itinerary, your car rental preferences, etc. will all influence your decision. Let’s a take a more detailed look.
St. George Regional Airport (SGU)
St. George Regional Airport is the closest airport to Springdale, which lies just outside the park’s South Entrance.
However, it’s a small airport and has only limited commercial flights.
Location
Located in Washington County on top of a mesa in the city of St. George.
Distance to Zion National Park
46 miles
Travel time to Zion National Park
It’s around 45 minutes to an hour’s drive to the park.
What airlines fly out of St. George Regional Airport?
✈️ Delta: Salt Lake City
✈️ American Airlines: Phoenix, Dallas
✈️ United: Denver, Los Angeles
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options
🚘 Onsite: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from St. George Airport to Zion National Park
🚖 Local taxi services like Uber and Lyft are available at the airport to the shuttle station.
🚍 The George Shuttle offers a frequent shuttle bus service to Springdale. From Springdale, there is a free shuttle into the national park.
Pros
- It’s the closest airport Zion National Park has
- Paid parking with daily fee. Arrangements can be made if you plan to park for 30 days or longer.
Cons
- Limited range of flights
- No non-stop flights from most destinations
- Flights tend to be more expensive
- No budget airlines fly here
This is the best airport for Zion National Park ...
✔️ If you have limited time for travel.
✔️ If you don’t want to hire a rental car.
Cedar City Regional Airport
Cedar City Regional Airport is a small airport about an hour from Zion National Park. While St. George is slightly closer to Springdale, Cedar City Regional Airport is the closest airport to Zion’s Kolob Canyons area. It’s also the closest airport to Bryce Canyon National Park
The airport is small, so it doesn’t have many flight options. Flight services are provided exclusively by Delta Airlines. And you can only access flights with connections to and from Salt Lake City International Airport.
Location
Cedar City Regional Airport lies two miles northwest of Cedar City, in Iron County, Utah.
Distance to Zion National Park
59 miles to Springdale. 25.2 miles to Kolob Canyons
Travel time to Zion National Park
1 hour to Springdale. 30 minutes to Kolob Canyons entrance
What airlines fly out of Cedar City Regional Airport?
✈️ Delta (operated by Sky West): Salt Lake City
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options:
🚘 Onsite: Enterprise, Avis/ Budget
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Cedar City Regional Airport to Zion National Park
Airport shuttles, taxi services, regular scheduled buses and Dial-A-Ride paratransit vans are available into Cedar City. However, there is no direct public transportation from Cedar City to Zion National Park. You’d either need to go via St. George (you might as well just fly into SGU in that case) or rent a car.
Pros
- Very close to Kolob Canyons
- Free long-term parking
Cons
- Flight service is limited
- Connecting flights are only accessible to and from Salt Lake City International Airport
- Budget flights are not available here
- Flights tend to be expensive
This is the best airport for Zion National Park …
✔️ If you are going to stay in the Kolob Canyons section of the park.
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) (formerly called McCarran International Airport)
If you are looking for more flight options on your trip, the closest international airport to Zion National Park is Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport. This is also a good choice to get to the park if you’re coming from the Vegas area or want to include a stop in Las Vegas before or after Zion.
This is the most convenient option to fly into Zion as long as you don’t mind a short road trip. A bonus: the drive from Las Vegas to Zion National Park goes right past the Valley of Fire State Park, which is definitely worth a visit on the way.
Harry Reid Airport is also a lot more convenient to fly to other states and anywhere in the world than the closer regional airports because there are so many more flights available, including many cheaper flights.
Location
Las Vegas Harry Reid is located in Paradise, Nevada just outside Las Vegas.
Distance from Las Vegas Harry Reid/ McCarran International Airport to Zion National Park
170 miles
Travel time from Las Vegas airport to Zion National Park
2 hours 45 minutes
What airlines fly out of Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport?
✈️ Multiple airlines fly from this airport with connecting flights from domestic and international cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Seoul, and Syracuse.
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options
🚘 Offsite (at the nearby Rent-A-Car Center): Ace, Advantage, Avis, Budget, Economy, Enterprise, Europcar, EZ, Fox, Green Motion, Hertz, Sixt, Payless, Alamo, Dollar, Thrifty, National, Nu
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Las Vegas Harry Reid/ McCarran Airport to Zion National Park
Transport from Harry Reid/ McCarran Airport to Zion National Park includes shuttle buses, public buses, and rental cars.
Pros
- Budget airlines fly here
- Las Vegas is a fun place to stop over
- Flights tend to be cheaper
- Plenty of car rental options
- Plenty of things to see and do on the way to Zion e.g., Valley of Fire State Park
This is the best airport for Zion National Park …
✔️ If you have other places to visit on your trip aside from the park like visiting Las Vegas.
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)
Salt Lake City International Airport is another major airport with easy access to Zion National Park. Although it’s further than the smaller regional airports, it has multiple options for foreign and domestic flights. Flying on budget airlines is available here, too.
This can also be a great choice if you plan to visit the other national parks in Utah like Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef and Arches National Parks. If you’re also stopping by to visit Salt Lake City, this is the best route to take.
From the airport, the drive to Zion National Park takes around four and a half hours. The route may be a bit less exciting compared to the route to Vegas, but it does offer scenic views on the way.
Location
Salt Lake City International Airport is located four miles west of Downtown Salt Lake City
Distance from Salt Lake City Airport to Zion National Park
311 miles
Travel time to Zion National Park
4 hours 30 minutes
What airlines fly out of Salt Lake City International Airport?
✈️ Aeromexico: Mexico City
✈️ Air Canada: Montreal, Toronto
✈️ Alaska Airlines: Seattle/Tacoma, Portland (OR), San Diego
✈️ American Airlines: Charlotte, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Chicago-O`Hare
✈️ Delta Airlines: multiple cities around the US
✈️ Eurowings Discover: Frankfurt
✈️ Frontier Airlines: Denver
✈️ JetBlue Airways: Boston, New York- JFK
✈️ Spirit Airlines: Orlando
✈️ Southwest Airlines: Las Vegas, Denver, Chicago-Midway, Phoenix, San Jose (CA), Orange County, Dallas-Love Field
✈️ United Airlines: Denver, Newark, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston-Bush
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options
🚘 Onsite (Gateway Center): Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty
🚘 Offsite: ACE Rent-A-Car, Affordable, Fox Rent-A-Car, Go Rentals, NU Car Rentals, Rugged Rental
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Salt Lake City Airport to Zion National Park
The easiest way is to hire a rental car and drive
Pros
- A good starting point to Utah’s Big Five national parks
- Budget airlines fly here
- Plenty of car rental options
Cons
- Further away
- Gas can be more expensive
This is the best airport for Zion National Park …
✔️ If you’re also traveling to see Salt Lake City.
✔️ If you’re visiting all of Utah’s Big Five national parks.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport isn’t that close to Zion National Park, but if you’re including a trip to Sedona and Grand Canyon, this route will work well for you.
You could either do a long loop road trip or fly into Phoenix, drive one way and drop off your rental car at another (closer) airport – or vice versa. As you’re heading northwest, you can pass through Sedona and Grand Canyon’s South Rim. You can also check some things to do in Page and Kanab areas on your way to Zion.
This airport also offers a range of cheap flights so you have plenty of options for budget airlines, both domestic and international.
Location
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is 3 miles east of Downtown Phoenix
Distance to Zion National Park
395 miles
Travel time to Zion National Park
6 hours 30 minutes
What airlines fly out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport?
✈️ The airport offers several flight options with connecting flights to domestic and international cities.
➡️ Find the cheapest flight on Skyscanner
Rental car options
🚘 Offsite (at the nearby Airport Rental Car Center): Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Fox, Hertz, National, NÜ Car Rentals, Payless, Sixt, Thrifty
➡️ Book a car through Discover Cars
Getting from Phoenix International Airport to Zion National Park
You can choose pre-arranged car services, intercity shuttles or pick up a rental car.
Pros
- Good for a southwest road trip (especially one-way)
- Plenty of options for cheap and budget flights
- Non-stop flights are available at the airport
Cons
- It involves a longer drive to Zion compared to other airports
This is the best airport for Zion National Park …
✔️ If you include Zion as part of a longer southwest travel itinerary.
FAQs About Airports Near Zion National Park, Utah
What’s the best airport for Zion National Park?
The nearest airport to get you to Zion National Park is St. George Regional Airport next to Cedar City Regional Airport. You can easily drive from the airport with the least travel time. However, the nearest major airport is Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport.
What’s the best airport for Zion National Park?
The nearest airport to get you to Zion National Park is St. George Regional Airport next to Cedar City Regional Airport. You can easily drive from the airport with the least travel time.
What airport do you fly into to go to Zion National Park?
Flying into St. George Regional Airport offers you the most convenient and fastest way to get to Zion National Park, but Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport gives you more flight and rental car options.
Where is the best place to fly into for Zion National Park?
The best place to fly into for your Zion trip is St. George Regional Airport especially if you have very limited time to travel. For more options on domestic and international flights and car rentals, you can fly to major airports like Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport or Salt Lake City International Airport.
How to Decide the Best Zion National Park Airport
The nearest airport to Zion National Park may not be the best airport to get to Zion National Park. The best choice for you will depend on the specifics of your trip. Some things to consider are:
❓ Where else are you planning to go on your trip? Are you also visiting Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, or the Utah ‘Big Five’? Some airports are more convenient to those other parks or provide easy access to them.
❓ When are you going? Some airports have more limited offerings in winter.
❓ Where are you staying when visiting Zion and which area(s) of the park are you visiting? Choosing an airport near your lodging or campground may make the most sense.
❓ How much time do you have? Your travel time from the airport will be more important if you have less time available for your trip.
❓ What’s your budget? Flight and/ or car rental prices can vary quite a bit between airports.
❓ Do you have a frequent flyer program with a specific airline? Most of these airports have limited airlines flying into them.
❓ Where are you flying from? The larger airports have more connecting flights, which can affect your decision depending on where you are flying from.
❓ What type of car do you want to rent when you arrive? Is there a specific car rental agency you want to use? The selection of rental cars available can vary a lot between airports.
Map of Airports Close to Zion National Park
Travel Insurance for Zion National Park
In addition to choosing the best airport Zion National Park, Utah, 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 compare Travel Insurance plans here or get a quote right now:
Have a great trip to Zion! I hope this guide has helped you decide what airport for Zion National Park to use.
More Planning Resources for Zion National Park
Which airport by Zion National Park 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).
Now you’ve decided which airport close to Zion National Park to fly into, Pin It to your Zion National Park board for easy reference!
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.
Read more…
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