South Rim pick
Gateway → Grand Canyon South Rim
Drive · Loop 202 → I-17 → AZ-64
- Cheapest fares into Phoenix, then drive north
- Pass Sedona & Flagstaff en route
- On-site rental cars at the terminal
245 mi
~3h 50m drive
Grand Canyon is Open. South Rim hotels in Tusayan are open for business.
Scenic · Airport Guide · Mesa, Arizona
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA): The Low-Cost Gateway to Arizona's Canyon Country
IATA AZA
ICAO KIWA
FAA LID IWA
FORMERLY Williams AFB
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) is the Phoenix area's low-cost airport, in Mesa about 20 miles southeast of downtown — Allegiant's western base and a budget alternative to Sky Harbor. It's about 245 miles, a 3-hour-50-minute drive, from the Grand Canyon's South Rim. There are no scenic flights to the canyon from AZA; Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines flies the canyon from Boulder City near Las Vegas, where we've operated since 1927.
Jump to canyon routes ↓
§ 01
Quick Facts
The spec snapshot. Sources: FAA / airport authority, May 2026.
Codes
AZA · KIWA
FAA LID: IWA
Elevation
1,382ft
421 m · East Valley
Runways
3 parallel
longest 10,401 ft
Operator
Gateway Authority
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway
To downtown PHX
~30 min
≈ 20 mi northwest
Commercial
Allegiant
+ seasonal low-cost
Time zone
MST
UTC−7 · no DST
To South Rim
245 mi
≈ 3h 50m drive
—:—
Local time · Mesa, AZ
MST year-round — Arizona does not observe DST.
§ 02
What Gateway Gates
Tap a landmark to highlight it. Distances per Google Maps, June 2026.
Gateway is the Phoenix area's budget door — in Mesa's East Valley, about 20 miles southeast of downtown Phoenix and close to Gilbert, Chandler and Queen Creek. Built on the former Williams Air Force Base, it's smaller and calmer than Sky Harbor, and it's where Allegiant concentrates its low-cost leisure flying.
For the Grand Canyon it's a 245-mile, roughly 3-hour-50-minute drive to the South Rim — a bit farther than Sky Harbor because you start east of the city. Many canyon travelers fly the cheaper AZA fare, then drive or connect via Flagstaff. To fly over the canyon, route to Las Vegas and connect to our Boulder City scenic flights.
§ 03
From Gateway to the Grand Canyon
The signature view. Toggle canyon access vs. who flies into AZA.
Canyon access
★ = Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA)
Canyon access from Gateway
Gateway isn't a scenic-flight base — it's a low-cost gateway. For the South Rim, drive (3h 50m) or connect via Flagstaff (FLG) and drive the last 90 minutes. Sedona is about 2 hours by road. To fly over the canyon itself, route to Las Vegas and connect to our Boulder City scenic flights.
Flight · Allegiant / connection
Drive · highway
Airport / city
South Rim pick
Rim airport →
Via Flagstaff or Sedona
Drive north · break the trip
- Flagstaff is the closest commercial airport to the rim
- Sedona's red rocks make an easy stopover
- Then ~90 minutes on to the South Rim
2 hrs+
break the drive
Fly the Canyon (via Las Vegas)
Connect AZA → LAS → Boulder City scenic
- The way to actually fly over the canyon
- Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines from Boulder City
- West Rim from $259 · South Rim from $305
See routes
via Boulder City (BLD)
* Allegiant and other airline schedules & fares are set by the operating carriers and vary. Scenic flights are operated by Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines from Boulder City (BLD), near Las Vegas; West Rim from $259, South Rim from $305 (starting at, as of June 2026; fuel surcharges may apply). Confirm current schedules & fares at booking.
| Route | Time | Mode | Operator | Best for | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway → Grand Canyon South Rim via Loop 202 / I-17 / AZ-64 |
3h 50m | Drive | — | Cheapest fare in, then road trip · 245 mi | — |
| Gateway → Flagstaff → South Rim break the drive north |
2h 25m + 1h 30m | Drive | — | Sedona & Flagstaff stopovers | — |
| Who flies into AZA low-cost leisure |
varies | Air | Allegiant + seasonal | Budget fares to/from the Midwest & West | Fares vary |
| Gateway → Las Vegas → Boulder City connect to scenic flights |
~1h 10m + transfer | Air + scenic | Carriers → GCSA | Flying over the canyon | see routes |
§ 04
Airlines & Commercial Service
A low-cost leisure airport — Allegiant's western stronghold.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway is built around low-cost leisure flying, led by Allegiant Air, which bases aircraft here and flies nonstop to dozens of small and mid-size cities across the country. Other ultra-low-cost and seasonal carriers come and go. The trade-off versus Sky Harbor: fewer destinations and a longer drive to the canyon, but often noticeably cheaper fares and an easier, smaller terminal.
| Carrier | Role at AZA | Network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | Main carrier / base | Nationwide leisure | Base Most of the airport's flights |
| Ultra-low-cost & seasonal | Leisure routes | Varies | Carriers and routes change seasonally |
| Charter & general aviation | GA / training | Regional | Flight schools & business aviation |
| Network hubs / canyon | — | via PHX / FLG / LAS | No nonstop to the canyon |
§ 05
Getting Here & Ground Transport
In Mesa's East Valley, off Loop 202 (Santan). Rental cars on-site.
Terminal
5835 S Sossaman Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212 · 33.3078°N, 111.6556°W
To Phoenix & the East Valley
20 mi · ~30 min
Loop 202 (Santan) and US-60 link Gateway to Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler and downtown Phoenix. Rideshare and hotel shuttles serve the terminal; there's no light rail to the airport.
To the Grand Canyon
245 mi · 3h 50m
Drive Loop 202 to I-17 north, then AZ-64 to the South Rim. Or break the trip in Sedona (~2 hrs) or Flagstaff (~2h 25m), the closest commercial airport to the rim.
Rental cars & parking
On-site
Rental-car counters and economy/covered parking sit steps from the single terminal — quick in and out, which is much of Gateway's appeal for a canyon road trip.
§ 06
Airport Specs & Facilities
The credibility layer. Pilot data in the collapsible block.
Runways · concrete · parallel
| Runway | Length | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 12C/30C | 10,401 ft (3,170 m) | Longest · widebody-capable |
| 12L/30R | 10,201 ft (3,109 m) | Parallel |
| 12R/30L | 9,300 ft (2,835 m) | Parallel |
Field data
Elevation
1,382 ft (421 m)
Coordinates
33.3078°N, 111.6556°W
Terminal
1 · ~10 gates
Airspace
Class D (Phoenix Class B shelf above)
Site area
3,000 acres
Owner
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority
Tower
ATCT · Class D · Phoenix TRACON
Former base
Williams AFB (closed 1993)
Traffic
Heavy flight-training pattern work
FBO
Gateway Aviation Services & others
Runways
Three long parallels · ASR/ILS
Note
Summer density altitude; busy GA mix
Terminal amenities
Rental cars
On-site counters
Parking
Economy & covered
Rideshare
& shuttles
Dining
Café & bar
Free Wi-Fi
Terminal-wide
FBO / fuel
100LL & Jet A
§ 07
By the Numbers
FAA & airport authority data, 2024.
~1.8M
Passengers a year
low-cost leisure traffic
3
Long parallel runways
longest 10,401 ft
1993
Williams AFB closed
reborn as a civilian airport
20mi
Southeast of downtown Phoenix
in Mesa's East Valley
§ 08
Photo Gallery
Drop replacements in. Filenames preset for the image pack.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport
Superstition Mountains
East Valley / Mesa
Grand Canyon South Rim
Sedona red rocks
§ 09
Other Airports Nearby
Which airport should you use? Compare, then pick.
| Code | Airport | To South Rim | Service | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX | Phoenix Sky Harbor Phoenix, AZ |
231 mi / 3h 35m | Commercial | Widest schedule & full-service hub | Guide → |
| FLG | Flagstaff Pulliam Flagstaff, AZ |
81 mi / 1h 32m | Commercial | Closest commercial airport to the rim | Guide → |
| GCN | Grand Canyon National Park Tusayan, AZ |
1 mi to park entrance | Charter / scenic | Arriving at the rim by air | Guide → |
| PGA | Page Municipal Page, AZ |
130 mi / 2h 30m | Commercial | Antelope Canyon & Lake Powell | Guide → |
| LAS | Harry Reid International Las Vegas, NV |
via scenic flight | Commercial | Connecting to canyon scenic flights | Guide → |
§ 10
Frequently Asked
Tap any question to expand.
Flew into Gateway? Here's how to reach the canyon.
Drive or connect to the South Rim and Page from AZA — or route to Las Vegas and fly the canyon with Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, flying the canyon from Boulder City since 1927.
Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) · 5835 S Sossaman Rd, Mesa, AZ 85212
Scenic reservations · (702) 638-3300 · res@flygcsa.com
Scenic flights depart Boulder City · MST year-round
Scenic reservations · (702) 638-3300 · res@flygcsa.com
Scenic flights depart Boulder City · MST year-round