BURL Southeastern Iowa Airport

In 1929 when the Burlington City Council adopted a resolution to establish a Municipal Airport on an “L”-shaped 55-acre sod field on Summer Street in Burlington, Iowa. Regularly scheduled commercial passenger service started two years later in 1931 when the National Air Transport company added Burlington to its Chicago to Kansas City route. National’s two Ford Trimotor planes made two daily flights to Burlington carrying ten passengers each and lumbering across the sky with a top speed of 152 miles per hour. In 1943, a contract was signed with the U.S. Government to pave the runways and expand the site to 500 acres. Braniff Airlines began offering two daily departures to Kansas City to carry passengers and cargo in 1944. Three years later in 1947, a long-range Airport development plan was created for building a Quonset-hut administrative building, a U-shaped entrance road with parking, a gasoline service station for aircraft, a tourist court with recreational facilities, a maintenance building and hangers for aircraft. The Airport’s hours of operation were extended in 1959 when runway lights were installed, enabling flights to take off and land at night. In 1967 an aviation easement was established, and the North-South runway was widened and extended 1,351 feet to a total length of 6,700 feet. The terminal building was remodeled for the comfort of Burlington’s passengers in 1989. In 1996, The Burlington Regional Airport’s name was changed to the Southeast Iowa Regional Airport to reflect the entire area that we serve. Currently, the airport employs about 20 people who provide personal service to our customers. Passengers tell us that the laid back, inviting atmosphere at our Airport reminds them of the “Wings” TV show.