Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is in the census-designated place of Weyers Cave, Virginia, United States, west of the Town of Grottoes and northeast of the City of Staunton. It is used for general aviation and is served by one airline, subsidized by the Essential Air Service program.
The airport is operated by the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission, with members from the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro and Harrisonburg, and the counties of Augusta and Rockingham.
Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 7,746 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 8,364 in 2009 and 10,408 in 2010. The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a non-primary commercial service airport based on enplanements in 2008/2009 (between 2,500 and 10,000 per year).
Facilities The airport covers 433 acres (175 ha) at an elevation of 1,201 feet (366 m). Its single runway, 5/23, is 6,002 by 150 feet (1,829 x 46 m) asphalt.
In 2021 the airport had 37,204 aircraft operations, average 102 per day: 95% general aviation, 4% commercial, and <1% military. 64 aircraft were then based at this airport: 49 single-engine, 12 multi-engine, 2 jet, and 1 helicopter.
History Early history Rockingham and Augusta counties and the cities of Harrisonburg, Waynesboro and Staunton formed a commission to build a regional airport in the 1950s.Wright, Dan. "Five Decades After First Flight, Airport Came to Valley". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). December 17, 2003. Construction was completed in 1958; the 4000-foot runway was extended to after a few years, and to by 1970. Piedmont Airlines DC-3s arrived in 1960; the last Piedmont YS-11 left in 1981.
Additions and renovations In 1991 a $900,000 renovation project was completed.Churn, Virginia. "Rising Demand: Terminals' Designer Busy Regional Airports Are a Specialty: One Opens Today". Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia). November 15, 1992. The commuter terminal was enlarged by and lounge space, secure areas, and concession areas were added.
In 1993 Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Commission closed its 25-year-old aircraft maintenance shop because it was barely breaking even."Airport Gives Up Repairs Aviation Company to Operate Shop". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). May 20, 1993. The Commission decided that a private company, Classic Aviation Services Inc., would provide aircraft maintenance services at the airport.
In 1996 the airport completed a $2 million project to enlarge public-use areas of the terminal, add an observation area, expand the apron, and add new hangars.Kushner, Cathy. "Expansion of general aviation terminal at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport is nearing completion". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). February 12, 1996.
A regional visitor information center was added to the airport in 1996.Valley Airport Adds Regional Visitor Information Center". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). December 2, 1996.
The Transportation Security Administration took over security screening at the airport in August 2002."Feds Take Charge Of SVRA Security". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). August 28, 2002.
In September 2003 the airport was awarded a $100,000 federal grant to add on-demand ground transportation within Rockingham County and Augusta County.Wright, Dan. "SVRA Lands $100K Federal Grant". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). September 23, 2003.
Free bus service between the airport and Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Waynesboro began in March 2004."SVRA Kicks Off Free Airport Shuttle Service". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). March 3, 2004. Bus stops included James Madison University, Eastern Mennonite University, and a Courtyard by Marriott in Harrisonburg.
The airport was awarded a $4.6 million federal grant to repair its runways in May 2004.Wright, Dan. "SVRA Gets $4.6 Million Grant For Runway Repairs". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). May 4, 2004. A $2.9 million federal grant to repair the airport's taxiway was awarded in July 2005.Wright, Dan. "Airport - Gets Grant To Repair Taxiway - Pavement May Be Renovated By Winter". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). July 30, 2005.
The airport repaired its transient aircraft aprons with a $1.2 million federal grant in 2009.Mitchell, Tom. "Paving The Way: Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport Getting A $1.2 Million Face-Lift". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). October 12, 2009.
The airport completed a $2 million project to add seating and lobby space for passengers, add space for security inspectors, add modern restrooms compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act, and replace its 50-year-old mechanical and utility systems."Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport finishing $2 million upgrade". The News Virginian. December 20, 2011.
The airport received a $1.6 million federal grant to buy two snow removal vehicles and an airport fire-rescue vehicle in August 2016."Valley airport gets $1.6 million in federal funds". The News Virginian. (Waynesboro, Virginia). August 23, 2016.
Airline service Chatauqua Airlines ran US Airways Express' connector service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport from July 1996 to June 2000."Valley Airport Still Trying To Replace USAirways Flights". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). April 3, 2000.
United Express began service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in April 2000.New Air Carrier Takes Flight In Valley". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). April 3, 2000. United Express service at the airport ended in December 2001."United Bids Farewell To SVRA". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). December 12, 2001.
Air Midwest offered US Airways Express' connector service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport in June 2000."New US Airways Carrier Signs On". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). April 24, 2000. Its service ended in April 2003.Bradshaw, Vic. "Colgan Air Lands In The Valley". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). March 5, 2003. Colgan Air began offering US Airways Express' connector service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Pittsburgh International Airport in April 2003, when the airport became eligible for federal subsidies under the Essential Air Service program.Chebium, Raju. "Shenandoah Regional likely to lose subsidies". USA Today. August 12, 2011. The service to Pittsburgh ended in July 2004 when US Airways downgraded Pittsburgh's status from a hub to a focus city.Wright, Dan. "Valley Airport To Add Service To Dulles". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). February 12, 2005.
US Airways Express restarted service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in April 2005.Roundy, Elisabeth. "James Madison U. students now can fly to capital from local airport". The Breeze. James Madison University. February 27, 2005. Colgan Air started offering service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in February 2008.LaRoue, Jimmy. "United Express makes return to Weyers Cave". The News Virginian (Waynesboro, Virginia). December 7, 2007.
In 2011 Roanoke's representative to Congress Bob Goodlatte advocated ending a federal subsidy program called Essential Air Service that made it financially viable for private airlines to offer service to small airports such as Shenandoah Valley."Up In The Air: Weyers Cave Airport's Fate Hinges On Future Of Endangered Subsidy Program]". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). August 6, 2011.
In 2012 Colgan Air ended service to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport after the carrier's parent company declared bankruptcy in 2012.Manners, Doug. "Unhappy Landing For SVRA Carrier". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). April 4, 2012. The service was replaced by Silver Airways in July 2012."Silver Airways replaces Colgan Air at Va. airport". Associated Press. July 25, 2012. Silver Airways' service to the airport ended in November 2016.Brown, Tony. "Now Boarding: Service To Florida". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). December 11, 2016.
Frontier Airlines began service between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Orlando International Airport in November 2012."Airline To Offer Flights From SVRA To Orlando". Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Virginia). August 16, 2012. The service was canceled in April 2013."Frontier to drop Orlando-Shenandoah Valley service". Associated Press. February 3, 2013.
ViaAir began flights between Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport and Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in September 2016. ViaAir also began flights from Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport to Orlando Sanford International Airport. In November 2017, it was announced that the EAS routes served by ViaAir would cease and SkyWest, operated as United Express, service would replace ViaAir beginning on April 1, 2018. SkyWest ended service in November 2022.
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Contour Airlines, a partner of American Airlines, a three-year contract to operate service at Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport as part of the Essential Air Service program from November 1, 2022, to October 31, 2025.Bordelon, Lyra (August 26, 2025). Here's why you can't book a flight out of Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport after Oct. 31". Stanton News Leader (Staunton, Virginia].
On September 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation selected SkyWest Airlines to provide service from Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport as part of the Essential Air Service program. SkyWest Airlines has a codeshare agreement with American Airlines. According to SkyWest Airlines' proposal, it will provide 12 roundtrip flights per week from the airport to Charlotte and Chicago O'Hare between November 1, 2025, and October 31, 2029.
Accidents and incidents On September 23, 1985, Henson Airlines Flight 1517 was on approach to the airport when it crashed due to pilot error leading to a CFIT. All 14 people on board the flight died.
Airline and destinations Passenger
Annual Traffic +Annual Traffic Year Passengers Change from Previous Year Airline(s) Destination(s) 200510,271Colgan Air dba US Airways ExpressWashington–Dulles200610,6243.44%Colgan Air dba US Airways ExpressWashington–Dulles20079,20213.38%Colgan Air dba US Airways ExpressWashington–Dulles200814,93262.27%Colgan Air dba US Airways ExpressWashington–DullesColgan Air dba United Express200916,72612.01%Colgan Air dba United ExpressWashington–Dulles201020,71023.82%Colgan Air dba United ExpressWashington–Dulles201123,27012.36%Colgan Air dba United ExpressWashington–Dulles201229,14025.23%Colgan Air dba United ExpressWashington–DullesSilver AirwaysFrontier AirlinesOrlando201338,25031.26%Silver AirwaysWashington–DullesFrontier AirlinesOrlando201418,77650.91%Silver AirwaysWashington–Dulles201510,46244.28%Silver AirwaysWashington–Dulles201610,7712.95%Silver AirwaysWashington–DullesViaAirCharlotteOrlando/Sanford201710,2265.06%ViaAirCharlotteOrlando/Sanford201823,180126.68%ViaAirCharlotteOrlando/SanfordSkyWest Airlines dba United ExpressChicago–O'HareLewisburg (WV)Washington–Dulles201933,54044.69%SkyWest Airlines dba United ExpressChicago–O'HareWashington–Dulles202011,83964.70%SkyWest Airlines dba United ExpressChicago–O'HareWashington–Dulles202126,540124.17%SkyWest Airlines dba United ExpressChicago–O'HareWashington–Dulles202217,99732.19%SkyWest Airlines dba United ExpressChicago–O'HareWashington–DullesContour AirlinesCharlotteLewisburg (WV)202313,60124.43%Contour AirlinesCharlotteClarksburg 202415,45713.65%Contour AirlinesCharlotte
References
Bibliography
Essential Air Service documents (Docket OST-2002-11378) from the U.S. Department of Transportation: