Arizona has one large hub airport, a handful of smaller ones and two Amtrak routes, none of which stop in Phoenix itself. For most trips that means flying into Phoenix Sky Harbor and driving. The smaller airports and the trains are worth a look if you are heading straight to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon, to Tucson and the southeast, or if the journey itself is part of the trip.
This guide lists who flies where, how to get from the terminals to a car or the light rail, and which towns the Southwest Chief and Sunset Limited serve. Airline lists change with every season, so check the airport's own site before you book.
Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
Sky Harbor says 25 commercial airlines serve it, with more than 130 domestic and 24 international nonstop destinations. It handled more than 51.6 million passengers in 2025, and March 2026 was the busiest month in its history.
There are two passenger terminals. The airport's passenger airline list (November 2026) puts the airlines here:
| Terminal 3 | Terminal 4 |
|---|---|
| Advanced Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Denver Air Connection, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Porter Airlines, Southern Airways Express, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines | AeromÃĐxico, Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, China Airlines, Contour Airlines, Southwest Airlines, STARLUX Airlines, Volaris, WestJet |
PHX Sky Train: a free automated train that runs 24 hours a day between the two terminals, the 24th Street and East Economy parking areas, the Rental Car Center and the Valley Metro Rail station at 44th and Washington streets. From 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. the wait averages about 3Â― to 7 minutes; overnight, maintenance can stretch it to 15 minutes or more.
Rental cars: more than ten rental companies share the Rental Car Center, reached by the Sky Train.
Light rail: at 44th and Washington you can change to Valley Metro Rail for downtown Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa.
Tucson International (TUS)
Tucson's airport is about 9 miles (14 km) by road south of downtown. Its airline pages could not be checked for this guide, so look up current routes on flytucson.com. If the fare into Tucson is high, Sky Harbor is about 113 miles (182 km) and two hours away by Interstate 10.
Smaller airports
| Airport | Airlines (Nov 2026) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa Gateway (AZA), Mesa | Allegiant, Sun Country | 43 nonstop destinations; about 33 miles (54 km) from downtown Phoenix |
| Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG), Flagstaff | American Airlines | Daily flights to Phoenix and Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Grand Canyon (Tusayan) | â | The National Park Service notes an airport in Tusayan, just south of the park; check what, if anything, flies there on your dates |
Flagstaff Pulliam is about 87 miles (140 km) by road from the South Rim. In autumn 2026 the city's airport page also warned that airspace restrictions for wildland firefighting aircraft could delay or cancel some flights, and it pointed passengers to American's travel alerts. The airport has paid parking, including an economy lot added in 2023.
Mesa Gateway sits in the far southeast of the Phoenix area. It suits East Valley stays, Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains, or onward drives to Tucson.
Amtrak in Arizona
Two Amtrak routes cross the state. Neither stops in Phoenix; the nearest station to the city is Maricopa, about 35 miles (56 km) south of downtown by road.
Southwest Chief
- Route: Chicago to Los Angeles via Kansas City and Albuquerque, more than 40 hours end to end.
- Frequency: daily in each direction.
- Arizona stations: Winslow (WLO), Flagstaff (FLG) and Kingman (KNG).
Flagstaff's station is downtown, at 1 East Route 66. Amtrak's route page lists no station at Williams; for the Grand Canyon it points to Amtrak Connection buses to the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams. Otherwise, leave the train at Flagstaff and continue by car or tour. Winslow is about 58 miles (93 km) east of Flagstaff and is the nearest stop to Homolovi State Park; Kingman is about 60 miles (96 km) by road from Lake Havasu City.
Sunset Limited and Texas Eagle
- Route: New Orleans to Los Angeles, Amtrak's southernmost route.
- Frequency: three trains a week in each direction.
- Arizona stations: Benson (BEN), Tucson (TUS), Maricopa (MRC) and Yuma (YUM).
- Texas Eagle: the daily Texas Eagle runs Chicago to San Antonio; Amtrak sells connecting service from San Antonio to Los Angeles on the Sunset Limited, about 65 hours 20 minutes from Chicago to Los Angeles. From November 6 to 9, 2026, trains 421 and 422 were scheduled to wait two to five hours in San Antonio while cars are coupled.
Tucson's station is the historic depot at 400 North Toole Avenue, downtown, which Amtrak says also houses a museum, a restaurant and offices. Benson, about 48 miles (77 km) east of Tucson, is the closest station to Tombstone, Bisbee and Kartchner Caverns.
The train to the South Rim
The Grand Canyon Railway runs from Williams to the South Rim's historic depot, and the National Park Service lists it among the ways to reach the park. It is a heritage excursion, not an Amtrak service, with its own fares and schedule. Williams is about 34 miles west of Flagstaff by road; Amtrak's Southwest Chief page mentions Amtrak Connection buses to the railway, otherwise you need a car.
Which to choose
| Trip | Best option |
|---|---|
| Phoenix, Sedona, Tucson, a loop of the state | Fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor and rent a car |
| Grand Canyon first, short on time | Fly to Flagstaff, or to Phoenix and drive about four hours |
| Tucson, Saguaro and the southeast | Compare Tucson and Phoenix fares; the drive between them is two hours |
| Rail journey with a few days in Arizona | Southwest Chief to Flagstaff, or Sunset Limited to Tucson, then rent a car |
Before you go
- Check your airline's terminal at Sky Harbor before you arrive; the Sky Train links Terminals 3 and 4.
- Allow extra time for the Sky Train overnight.
- Confirm Sunset Limited days of operation before building a trip around it; it does not run daily.
- Book a car at Flagstaff or Tucson ahead of a train arrival; neither town is easy to explore without one.
Details checked November 6, 2026.
