Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport

KITH sits in the town of Lansing at 1,099 feet elevation, about 4 miles north of downtown Ithaca. The airport has commercial service from American and United alongside charter operations, so expect a shared terminal environment rather than a dedicated private aviation facility. The FBO ramp gives reasonable access for light and midsize jets, though the runway length (7,000 feet on 14/32) limits ultra-long-range heavy jets on certain weight and weather conditions.

Ithaca draws private travelers almost entirely because of Cornell University and Ithaca College. Commencement weekends in May and graduation events in December push charter demand sharply higher. If you're flying in for a Cornell event, book ground transport early since the local driver pool is thin and rideshare availability drops fast when multiple flights land at once.

Downtown Ithaca is about 4 miles south and takes 10 minutes by car under normal conditions. Cornell's main campus is roughly 6 miles and about 15 minutes. The airport has rental car counters on site (Avis, Enterprise, Hertz) which is the most reliable option given limited local car service. Rideshare apps work but availability is inconsistent, especially late evenings. Syracuse is about 60 miles northeast, roughly an hour's drive. Rochester is about 90 miles northwest, around 1 hour 45 minutes.