Kansas City International Airport Departures (MCI)

Kansas City International Airport is found just northwest of central Kansas City, in the state of Missouri. This American airport is recognised by its IATA code of MCI, which stands for its previous name of the Mid-Continent International Airport. It has many facilities for its passengers inside uniquely designed terminal buildings, and there are several forms of ground transportation available as well. There are also a number of airline companies that offer Kansas City International Airport departures, although the airport is not a hub for any airline carrier, and over ten million passengers use the airport on a yearly basis.

Passengers on departure flights from this airport of Kansas City can arrive in their own vehicles as plenty of parking spaces are available. There are short-term parking facilities outside of each terminal building, as well as long-term parking lots which are referred to as the Economy Lots A, B and C. These areas are further from the terminals and require the transport of a shuttle bus. Free shuttle buses (the Blue buses) are used for transport between the passenger facilities and the further parking lots. Passengers can travel to the airport on public buses as well, from the downtown Kansas City bus centre. The bus Route 129x is available approximately twenty-five times a day, between the hours of 06:00am and 06:00pm, and will cost just $1.50 per person for a one-way trip. These buses are the cheapest way to travel to the airport for a departure flight.

Private shuttle transport could be arranged as well, from several companies that offer services to the airport. They travel from all regional cities, as well as from all areas within Kansas City. A taxi is another convenient option, but could be more pricy than the shuttle services. At this present time, Kansas City has no light rail system, and there is no train station at the airport.

Kansas City International Airport is located approximately fifteen miles, or 24km from downtown Kansas City, and is particularly nearby the Tiffany Green Golf Club, the Platte Purchase Park and Tiffany Springs Park. Platte City, Smithville and Leavenworth are nearby as well. In a private vehicle, it should take no longer than twenty minutes in usual traffic conditions to travel to the airport from the downtown area of the city, and along the Interstate 29. The Interstate 435 is an important road for airport access as well. Always ensure that you are early for your departure flight from the airport, with sufficient time to reach the terminal should one of the economy parking lots be used. At least fifteen minutes should be allocated for the transfer. Passengers should arrive at least ninety minutes prior to a domestic departure, and two hours prior to an international departure.

The airport spans an area of more than 10,000 acres, and has three runways and three terminal buildings. It is currently of an adequate size for the number of passengers handled on a daily basis, and little congestion will be experienced. It has even been rated as one of the top five airports in a North America Satisfaction Survey. The three terminals (Terminal A, B and C) are ring-shaped, with a design that brings their departure gates just a few steps from the curb. There is no central terminal building at the airport, therefore, each terminal has its own facilities, including baggage claim halls, check-in counters and airline gates. There are also a number of restaurants and shops in each terminal, for example, Fresh Attractions, Starbucks Coffee and Deli, Missouri Vineyards, Pork and Pickle, California Pizza Kitchen, Burger King and Home Turf Sports Bar and Grill, which are a few of the restaurants and fast-food outlets available, while Babies On The Go, KC Marketplace News and Gifts and CNBC News and Gifts are a few retails stores available.

Further facilities for departing passengers include free wireless internet connections, public telephones, lost and found offices and services for disabled travellers. Curbside assistance can be arranged from the airline company concerned, there are dedicated disabled parking spaces in each parking lot, higher levels of the buildings are accessible by elevators and there are many Braille signs for passengers with visual impairments. Service dog relief areas are available as well. Various check-in options may be available to passengers. Certain airline companies could provide on-line check-in services, which many find to be convenient, or there may be self-service check-in kiosks installed within the terminals. The airport does not have any people mover system. The departure gates are within walking distance of the check-in facilities, and if a transfer to another terminal is required, there are ‘Red’ buses available which are free of charge.

Passengers on Kansas City International Airport departure flights should ensure that their luggage items conform to the regulations as set by their airline carrier. A couple of hold luggage items are usually permitted, and one piece of carry-on luggage can be taken aboard, as well as items such as a coat or laptop. Keep in mind that all electronic items are scanned separately, and airport security officials will need to inspect any liquid substances carried in hand luggage. The new regulations surrounding the carrying of liquids are applicable at American airports.

From Kansas City Airport, there are non-stop flights to forty-five cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and the main airline carrier of the airport is Southwest Airlines. Delta Air Lines is another busy carrier, with flights to Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St.Paul, New York City and Salt Lake City. Air Canada Express operated by Jazz Air takes passengers to Toronto in Canada, Frontier Airlines flies to Cancun and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico and American Airlines offers several flights to Chicago and Dallas/Fort Worth. Additional, busy, local routes are those to Denver, Phoenix, Las Vegas and Charlotte, and other important airline carriers present include US Airways, United Airlines, AirTran Airways, SeaPort Airlines and Alaska Airlines.

Live Kansas City International Airport departure flights can be viewed online, or the airport can be contacted for further information at 816-243-5237.