City: Richmond, VA

Category: Getting Here, Getting Around

Telephone: (804) 226-3000

Address: 23250

Description: The ease of flying in and out of Richmond International Airport (RIC) cannot be overstated. It’s a 10-minute drive to downtown, and though it served 3.35 million passengers in Fiscal Year 2009, you’ll rarely hit traffic, have trouble parking, or wait in long lines at ticketing or security. The airport is served by eight commercial carriers. Recently renovated and expanded, with lots of natural light and brick accents, the airport is perhaps the best example of regionalism run right. There’s just one terminal, and it’s bright, airy, and compact, making navigating it a breeze, with ticketing on the upper level and baggage claim on the lower. Arriving 1½ hours before your flight is usually sufficient. The airlines serving RIC combine to provide direct service to Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Toronto, and Washington, D.C., among other cities, and connecting flights to many more destinations. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminal, and RIC also has a business center on the lower level of the terminal, open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Next door, a new USO center opened in 2010 to smooth the travels of thousands of Armed Services members who fly in and out every year. A full-service bank is on the second floor, and a small Richmond Visitors Center, moved to more visible digs in 2010, is now between baggage claim areas on the lower level. If you have time and the inclination, an interfaith chapel is on the lower level as well. The options for a bite to eat or shopping are more limited than in larger airports, but it’s easy enough to grab a burger or vegetarian meal, coffee, beer, or sweet treat at the carts and restaurants. Hudson News has multiple outlets stocking books, periodicals, toys, and Virginia souvenirs.