Cleveland Burke Lakefront Airport (IATA: BKL, ICAO: KBKL, FAA LID: BKL) spreads along the shore of Lake Erie in front of you, a city-owned airfield in the northeast part of downtown Cleveland. Picture its role: a general aviation airport and an FAA-designated reliever to Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE), Greater Cleveland’s primary airport. In 2018, based on FAA data, Burke Lakefront ranked as the seventh busiest airport in the state of Ohio.
It’s named for former Cleveland mayor and U.S. senator Thomas A. Burke, and it’s one of three airports serving the Cleveland area alongside Cleveland Hopkins International and Akron–Canton Airport. The city of Cleveland owns Burke and operates it through the Department of Port Control, the same city that runs Hopkins. The airport’s activity has shifted over two decades — total operations fell from 100,321 in 2000 to 40,185 in 2019, although operations rose 16.5% between 2018 and 2019, up from 34,497 in 2018.
You’ll also notice why teams use Burke: its proximity to Huntington Bank Field makes it convenient for professional sports charter flights. Its closeness to Huntington Bank Field makes Burke a favorite for pro sports charter flights landing near you.