Chippewa Valley Regional Airport

Last updated

Chippewa Valley Regional Airport
Chippewa Valley Regional Airport Logo.jpg
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner Eau Claire County
Serves Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Location Chippewa County
Time zone CST (UTC−06:00)
  Summer (DST)CDT (UTC−05:00)
Elevation  AMSL 913 ft / 278 m
Coordinates 44°51′57″N091°29′03″W / 44.86583°N 91.48417°W / 44.86583; -91.48417
Public transit accessAiga bus trans.svg ECT:   3  
Website www.chippewavalleyairport.com
Maps
KEAU FAA Airport Diagram.svg
FAA airport diagram
USA Wisconsin relief location map.svg
Airplane silhouette.svg
EAU
Location of airport in Wisconsin
Usa edcp relief location map.png
Airplane silhouette.svg
EAU
EAU (the United States)
Runways
Direction LengthSurface
ftm
4/228,1012,469Concrete/treated
14/325,0001,524Asphalt/concrete
Statistics (12 months ending May 2025 except where noted)
Passenger volume43,100
Departing passengers21,640
Scheduled flights416
Cargo (lb.)0
Aircraft operations (2022)18,897
Based aircraft (2024)91

Chippewa Valley Regional Airport( IATA : EAU [2] , ICAO : KEAU, FAA LID : EAU) is a public use airport in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States. [1] Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (EAU) is a non-hub primary commercial service airport owned by Eau Claire County and located three miles north of downtown Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It serves as the largest airport in northwestern Wisconsin, covering 1,100 acres with two runways and providing facilities for general aviation, air cargo, and commercial flights. The airport offers scheduled service to Chicago O'Hare through United Express, operated by SkyWest Airlines, and seasonal service to Florida through Sun Country Airlines. [3]

Contents

It is the largest airport in the 30-county northern Wisconsin area and serves primarily the Chippewa Valley region, operating on a budget approved by a commission equally representing the interests of Chippewa, Dunn and Eau Claire counties.

The airport is mainly used for general aviation and business travel; the Eau Claire-based Menards corporation uses CVRA to base their fleet of aircraft to serve their stores throughout the Midwest. It is occasionally used as an alternative landing site for flights bound for Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. As of December 2022, only one commercial airline, Sun Country Airlines, provides service for CVRA to Minneapolis International. In December 2024, United Airlines announced the start of regional service to its hub at Chicago O'Hare. [4]

The airport is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2025–2029, in which it is categorized as a non-hub primary commercial service facility. [5] It is the eighth busiest of eight commercial airports in Wisconsin in terms of passengers served.

History

In 1923, 80 acres (320,000 m2) of land in Putnam Heights were purchased to build an airport. In 1929, Eau Claire Airways was started at the airport, offering training and scheduled taxi service to destinations in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

In 1939, work on a new airport started north of Eau Claire. In 1940, Eau Claire County Airport started operations at its current site. Eau Claire Municipal Airport opened in 1945, while Chippewa Valley Regional Airport was officially opened in 1947 with the arrival of a Northwest Airlines DC-3. At this time, Eau Claire had three airports. Upgrades at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport were made in further decades, with a terminal addition in 1981. Another terminal remodeling and expansion was completed in 2009. [6]

A new $3.9 million 65 feet (20 m) control tower was built in 2005 and opened in November 2006. Passenger loading used to be from the ramp [7] until a jetbridge was installed in the spring of 2011.

In 2015, the Airport Commission Room was renamed the Duax Commission Room after long-time airport supporter and former airport commissioner David Duax.

In July 2024, the airport board voted to support the return of SkyWest Airlines despite the community's overwhelming support for keeping the incumbent carrier, Sun Country Airlines. Sun Country's bid would have continued service to four nonstop destinations from Eau Claire in contrast to SkyWest's one city, Chicago. Sun Country posted the highest number of enplanements seen at the airport in the last 15 years in 2023.

SkyWest previously served the airport as an Essential Air Service provider until November 2022, before choosing to leave the market. The Essential Air Service bid was approved by the Department of Transportation, SkyWest resumed with flights to O'Hare International Airport on December 13, 2024.

Facilities and aircraft

Chippewa Valley Regional Airport covers an area of 1,100 acres (450 ha) at an elevation of 913 feet (278 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: the primary runway 4/22 is 8,101 by 150 feet (2,469 x 46 m) with a concrete surface and the crosswind runway 14/32 is 5,000 by 100 feet (1,524 x 30 m) with an asphalt/concrete surface. [1]

For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 18,897 aircraft operations, an average of 52 per day: 88% general aviation, 10% air taxi, 2% military and less than 1% scheduled commercial. In August 2024, there were 91 aircraft based at this airport: 63 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, 15 jet, 2 helicopter and 1 military. [1]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

On behalf of United Airlines, SkyWest operated 1-2 daily flights to Chicago-O'Hare until 2022. On March 10, 2022, SkyWest announced its intention to end its service into EAU. [8] After the announcement, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation began seeking bids for a new carrier to provide service. Three airlines submitted bids to provide service to the regional airport: Boutique Air, Southern Airways Express, and Sun Country Airlines. [9]

After an endorsement from the airport, as well as a recommendation from the airport commission, [10] [11] the United States Department of Transportation selected Sun Country Airlines to provide service to EAU. [12]

In 2024, SkyWest resumed flights at Eau Claire, taking back over from Sun Country for regular service. [13] Sun Country remained with seasonal service to Florida through April. [14]

AirlinesDestinations
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Fort Myers [ citation needed ]
United Express Chicago–O'Hare [15] [16]

Throughout the years, numerous airlines have served Eau Claire including North Central Airlines, Republic Airlines (1979-1986), Lakeland Airlines, Northwest Airlines, Mesaba Airlines, Skyway Airlines, Air Wisconsin, American Central Airlines, Great Lakes Aviation, Big Sky Airlines and charter airlines. Allegiant Airlines and Sun Country Airlines often run charter service to popular destinations.

Sun Country Boeing 737-800 in the newest livery Sun Country Airlines- New Livery.jpg
Sun Country Boeing 737-800 in the newest livery

Statistics

Carrier shares (June 2024 – May 2025) [17]
Carrier  Passengers (arriving and departing)
Sun Country
25,560(59.30%)
SkyWest Airlines
17,540(40.70%)
Top domestic destinations (June 2024 – May 2025) [17]
RankAirportPassengersAirline
1 Chicago–O'Hare International (ORD) 8,750United
2 Orlando International (MCO) 3,920Sun Country
3 Fort Myers Southwest Florida International (RSW) 3,760Sun Country
4 Minneapolis−Saint Paul International (MSP) 3,000Sun Country
5 Las Vegas International (LAS) 2,210Sun Country

Ground transportation

Public transit to the airport is provided by Eau Claire Transit. Route 3 runs from the Airport to downtown Eau Claire on weekdays. On Saturdays, Route 3/4 stops on Starr Avenue outside the airport, while no service to the airport is provided on Sundays. [18]

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 FAA Airport Form 5010 for EAU PDF . Federal Aviation Administration. effective August 8, 2024.
  2. "IATA Airport Code Search (EAU: Eau Claire)". International Air Transport Association . Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  3. "Chippewa Valley Regional Airport" . Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  4. Gallaher, Bob (December 11, 2024). "SkyWest flights offered at Eau Claire airport starting Friday" . Retrieved December 16, 2024.
  5. "NPIAS Report 2025-2029 Appendix A" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration . October 28, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  6. "Chippewa Valley Regional Airport - History". Archived from the original on March 21, 2007. Retrieved March 29, 2007.
  7. "Tower Struggle". Leader-Telegram . March 5, 2006. p. 1A.
  8. 90-Day Notice of SkyWest Airlines, Inc.'s Intent to Terminate Essential Air Service (PDF) (Report). US Department of Transportation. March 9, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2022.
  9. Blough, Maria (May 17, 2022). "Three airlines submit bids to serve Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". weau.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  10. "News for Airlines, Airports and the Aviation Industry | CAPA". centreforaviation.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  11. WEAU Staff (May 20, 2022). "Commission recommending Sun Country Airlines to serve Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". weau.com. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  12. "Sun Country gets OK to serve Eau Claire airport". Leader-Telegram. July 14, 2022. Retrieved July 14, 2022.
  13. Giffey, Tom (July 17, 2024). "CHANGING PLANES: SkyWest Will Return to E.C. Airport With Chicago Flights". volumeone.org. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  14. Fristed, Sam (December 13, 2024). "United Airlines cleared for takeoff at Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". WQOW. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
  15. "US DOT chooses SkyWest to service Chippewa Valley Regional Airport". September 11, 2024.
  16. https://www.regulations.gov/document/DOT-OST-2009-0306-0076 [ bare URL ]
  17. 1 2 "Eau Claire, WI: Chippewa Valley Regional (EAU)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), U.S. Department of Transportation. May 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  18. "3 - North High" . Retrieved May 31, 2023.
  19. "Quad City Challenger II, N30796: Fatal accident occurred April 11, 2015 near Rosenbaum Field Airport (3WI9), Chippewa County, Wisconsin". Kathryn's Report. Retrieved November 9, 2022.

Other sources