By Air in Blue Ridge Pkwy.

By Air

Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), one of the most pleasant and modern airports in the South, is served by ASA/Delta Connection, Continental Express, Northwest, and US Airways. In 2005 the airport completed a $20-million expansion and improvement project. There are nonstop flights to and from Atlanta, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis, Newark, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, and Washington (Ronald Reagan). US Airways Express serves the Hickory Airport (HKY), about 40 mi from Blowing Rock.

In Virginia, the region's three largest airports are small and relatively hassle-free. Regional carriers using small jets and turboprops are the norm, though larger jets sometimes serve Roanoke. The regional carriers primarily offer access to Washington, Charlotte, and Atlanta, but flights to and from Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, New York, and Detroit are also available. Many travelers to western Virginia prefer to fly into international airports in the Washington-Baltimore area (Dulles, Reagan National, Baltimore-Washington International), Richmond, or Greensboro, North Carolina, then commute by rental car; all three areas are within two hours' drive of western Virginia destinations. Tri-City Regional Airport is just across the state line in Blountville, Tennessee, for easy access to the Abingdon area.

Contacts

Asheville Regional Airport (708 Airport Rd., Fletcher. 828/684-2226. www.flyavl.com). Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (8 mi north of Charlottesville at intersection of Rtes. 606/649 off Rte. 29. 434/973-8342. www.gocho.com). Hickory Airport (U.S. 321. 828/323-7408. www.flyavl.com).

Lynchburg Regional Airport (Rte. 29 S. 434/455-6090. ). Roanoke Regional Airport (Off I-581. 540/362-1999. www.roanokeairport.com). Tri-Cities Regional Airport (Blountville, TN. 423/325-6000. www.triflight.com). Van on the Go (Charlottesville-Albermarle Airport. 434/975-8267 or 866/725-0200. www.vanonthego.com).