Finding the best airport for Zion National Park isn’t as straightforward as you might think. There are quite a few options, and picking the closest airport to Zion National Park may not be the best option for you. Zion National Park is a great park to visit anytime of the year, so the good thing is that flights to both international and regional airports in the area occur throughout the year and are fairly easy to get.
Depending on where else you may be traveling in Utah, your budget and time available, you may not want to head to the closest airport to Zion National Park. The great thing is that there are a lot of great options within a relatively short drive from the park to choose from.
We hope this guide will help you determine what truly is the best airport for you and your travel group!
AIRPORTS NEAR ZION NATIONAL PARK: OVERVIEW
In this guide we are highlighting six airports for flying into Zion National Park. Based on the airport you are flying into as well as where else you may be visiting on the trip, you will want to use one of two entrances to the park: The South Entrance (which is near Springdale, UT) and the East Entrance (Zion-Mt. Carmel Entrance). Either one will get you to the main part of the park, as the drive from the East Entrance to the South Entrance / Visitor Center area takes only about 15 minutes and is an incredible drive that you will want to take during your visit. There is one other entrance-the Kolob Canyon Entrance. While a beautiful part of the park to visit, most visit the main part of the park accessed through the other entrances.
There are two regional airports that are about an hour from the park (in Cedar City, UT and St. George, UT). If you want to cut your driving short, they may be the best picks for you. However, if you are like us and want to visit some of the other sights in the area, you may want to pick one of the more distant options.
To help give you a visual view of your choices, we put together this graphic to show you the distances and driving times from the area airports to Zion National Park’s various entrances.
THE CLOSEST AIRPORTS TO ZION NATIONAL PARK
St. George Regional Airport:
- Symbol: SGU
- Location: George, UT
- Closest Park Entrance: South Entrance (Springdale) (47 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: While this is the closest airport to the park, unless you are flying in from a major hub, you will have a connection on the way to this airport.
Cedar City Regional Airport:
- Symbol: CDC
- Location: Cedar City, UT
- Closest Park Entrance: South Entrance (Springdale) (61 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: Though not as close as St. George, you pass by the Kolob Canyon area on the way to the main part of the park, which is worth stopping in if you have the time!
Las Vegas International Airport:
- Symbol: LAS
- Location: Las Vegas, NV
- Closest Park Entrance: South Entrance (Springdale) (168 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: Las Vegas is a great spot to fly into since there are a few places to see along the way, including Nevada’s Valley of Fire State Park or checking out Death Valley National Park, which is an hour or so north in California.
Salt Lake City International Airport:
- Symbol: SLC
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
- Closest Park Entrance: East Entrance (Zion-Mt. Carmel) (313 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: Salt Lake City is a great location to fly into if you are making a loop to see all of Utah’s National Parks. You can also drive into the South Entrance which is only a few minutes longer.
Grand Junction Regional Airport:
- Symbol: GJT
- Location: Grand Junction, CO
- Closest Park Entrance: East Entrance (Zion-Mt. Carmel) (370 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: Grand Junction, CO is far away, but makes for a great location if you are going to visit Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park while making your way over to Zion National Park. Another “secret” spot along the way if Colorado National Monument.
Phoenix International Airport:
- Symbol: PHX
- Location: Phoenix, AZ
- Closest Park Entrance: East Entrance (Zion-Mt. Carmel) (390 miles)
- Operating Season: Year-round
- Notes: Though it is not really close to Zion National Park, Phoenix is a great place to fly into to see the Grand Canyon. You can also visit Sedona along the way.
FURTHER INFORMATION ON ZION NATIONAL PARK FROM JUST GO TRAVEL STUDIOS
- Don’t forget to get a copy of your Zion National Park itinerary ahead of your trip! We have a ton of information in there for you, and you can download it!
- We have a lot of other great information on Zion, including: Hiking Angels Landing, the Best Campground in Zion, Hiking to the Emerald Pools and the Watchman Trail, the Best Easy Hikes in Zion National Park and What to See and Do in Zion National Park.
- Finally, be sure and take some great photos! After your trip we’ll create a custom, vintage-style travel poster for you!
