Omaha Eppley Airfield - DISCUSSION

[ricko]

or re-name it Malcolm X Field and watch everyone’s heads explode.

[CrankyOldDude]

Or Omaha Steaks Airfield and watch this forum explode. Most would then fly out of Lincoln.

[GenX]

Omaha and Des Moines compete, but Sioux City has to bow down because it has a horrible airport code.

Sioux City has a whopping two gates, and you have to go through either Denver or Chicago to get anywhere.

[Padre]

We could sell naming rights. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom International!

[riceweb]

We could sell naming rights. Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom International!

Going Singapore-style with a bunch of attractions at our airport seems like a solid idea tho

[Brad]

Jeff made it sound like a minor tweak to the name/branding, not a complete redo.

I like Eppley Airfield, because its unique. Only other "field" in the top 60 US airports is Dallas Love Field. But I would also be onboard with Eppley International or Eppley International Airfield. The vast majority of the top 60 all have "International" in the name and I'm not sure that's even necessary in 2026.

They could always go with something short and sweet like "Omaha International" and then it could be the "Eppley Terminal" or something if they wanted to drop Eppley from the name, but still pay tribute to him.

[arch_RP_planner]

"Eppley International Airfield"

Personally, I think the main option the city should be considering is to simply add Int'l... I feel like Eppley is synonymous with Omaha as the airport, and people call it "Eppley" which is branding that you just can't mess with. On top of that, Airfield is such a unique naming device for a modern airport, and it fits Omaha very well imo...

Omaha's airport code is already top tier; OMA

Updating the naming to reflect our growth into an international airport, maintains the existing naming that is sorta baked into the metro's mind, which is once again, IMO, iconic, and it doesn't require some multi-thousand dollar survey/study that will just amount to some basic name.

[nebugeater]

If they remove the "Eppley" from the name, that would be plain stupid

[Brad]

If they remove the "Eppley" from the name, that would be plain stupid

I don't disagree. My point was more of Its going to me a slight modification of what we already have. They are not going to remove Mayor Eppley's name and put someone else's name on the building.

[nebugeater]

If they remove the "Eppley" from the name, that would be plain stupid

I don't disagree. My point was more of Its going to me a slight modification of what we already have. They are not going to remove Mayor Eppley's name and put someone else's name on the building.

Ya, I wasn't implying you sugested it was being changed that much. Just adding my thoughts. A minor change is no big deal.

[CrankyOldDude]

From "Eppley Airfield" to "THE Eppley Airfield" Kind of like "THE Ohio State University"

[ricko]

From "Eppley Airfield" to "THE Eppley Airfield" Kind of like "THE Ohio State University"

We ain’t just any old Eppley Airfield, we’re THEE Eppley Airfield.

[Greg S]

Parking:

[BuildTaller]

Just take the bus if the parking is full. Oh...wait.

[Louie]

Parking:

Is this construction-related or due to high traffic?

[riceweb]

Just normal spring break-season traffic

[Mr.Nuke]

Parking:

Is this construction-related or due to high traffic?

There is nothing construction related going on in the garages or surface lots as far as I know right now. It is likely high traffic, which in and of itself is interesting as February his historically Eppley's weakest month.

[Erik]

NIMBY International

[HskrFanMike]

Just normal spring break-season traffic

Nobody is on spring break in February. That's usually mid-March through mid-April.

[Mr.Nuke]

February up 3.5%, 1.2% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[nativeomahan]

I’m curious as to whether Southwest’s numbers will tail off now that they have severely changed their business model and how they treat their customers. We used to fly them 75+% of the time we fly but lately we have been flying American more than SWA.

[Bearcat06]

I’m curious as to whether Southwest’s numbers will tail off now that they have severely changed their business model and how they treat their customers. We used to fly them 75+% of the time we fly but lately we have been flying American more than SWA.

Looks like they were down about 1% over 2025 so far, so maybe they won't lose too much. They still fly nonstop to some markets the big 3 don't and if they are somewhat competitive where the big 3 do go, they may just keep trucking along at 33%+.

[Papio1972]

I normally fly Delta but just flew to Ft Lauderdale on SW and we were treated very well. Excellent service, flights, timeliness. I'm not sure what nativeomaha is referring to. One constant will always be change. From my perspective, the change was an improvement.

[CBJason]

I normally fly Delta but just flew to Ft Lauderdale on SW and we were treated very well. Excellent service, flights, timeliness. I'm not sure what nativeomaha is referring to. One constant will always be change. From my perspective, the change was an improvement.

Due to new board of directors they changed their business model essentially that they were no longer a low cost carrier. Prices were raised while at the same time making you pay for every little thing like the ultra low cost carriers. There were other policy changes that people don’t like such as now using assigned seating. Not sure what other issues there might be.

[damonhynes]

Channel 7 did its Chamber of Commerce duty today and teased an "American Airlines Non-Stop Flight" at the start of the morning newscast. Once they got to the actual story, it's Omaha-to-Eugene--in October--to watch the Ducks eviscerate the 'Skers. Surprised they didn't flag it as "BrEaKiNg NeWs!!!111!!!"

Channel Sicks and Eppley Airfield on Facebook termed it as flights, while 7 said one flight to Eugene and one back.

Heaven forfend that American lays on a 777-300 for the flight, my money's on an Embraer E175. But best case, 300 seats on the 777, and Autzen seats 54K. I wonder why airlines do this--maybe 27K Husker fans at best and probably a lot less. I'll answer my own question--AA will charge a premium. If it's an Embraer, they'll fill it.

[GenX]

Hopefully with the expansion we can get some 777, 787 and A350 flights, but that’s a bit of a pipe dream currently.

[Mr.Nuke]

March up 4.7%, 2.5% YTD.
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[Bearcat06]

Just take the bus if the parking is full. Oh...wait.

Just take the streetcar...oh...wait...

[joleo]

Just take the bus if the parking is full. Oh...wait.

Just take the streetcar...oh...wait...

Couldn't agree more! Extend it to the airport and watch the rundown area between Eppley and downtown explode if you ad two stops in between!

[Stargazer]

Omaha still isn't a destination city, but on 2 weeks of the year.. people drive their car to the airport. It would make more sense to send the street car up 24th for actual transit use/economic development.

[Mr.Nuke]

Allegiant moving to the South/A concourse presumably for the duration of the split terminals.

[Brad]

Random question. When these planes get put in a holding pattern for weather, are they flying these loops on Auto Pilot or are they hand flying?

Screenshot 2026-05-15 232349.jpg

.

[GenX]

Random question. When these planes get put in a holding pattern for weather, are they flying these loops on Auto Pilot or are they hand flying?

Screenshot 2026-05-15 232349.jpg

.

Modern aircraft (glass cockpits) can use autopilot, older aircraft can partially use autopilot for holding patterns.

[Mr.Nuke]

Random question. When these planes get put in a holding pattern for weather, are they flying these loops on Auto Pilot or are they hand flying?

Typically autopilot or at the very least computer aided hand flying. The pilots can enter a hold at a given navigational aid and specify the radius of the hold.

Modern aircraft (glass cockpits) can use autopilot, older aircraft can partially use autopilot for holding patterns.

Re: commercial aviation a glass cockpit really has nothing to do with it. Boeing and Airbus have had flight management computer systems for 40+ years now.

[SkyWarrior55]

https://www.allegiantair.com/route-announcements-5-19

OMA to FLL

[NEDodger]

Great to have another connection….

…..but my god, can it be somewhere other than yet another Florida destination.

[Mr.Nuke]

April up 3.2%, up 2.7% YTD
https://www.flyoma.com/wp-content/uploa ... istics.pdf

[riceweb]

Great to have another connection….

…..but my god, can it be somewhere other than yet another Florida destination.

I'm happy to have it, hopefully will put some price pressure on United flights to the area. United and even Southwest are outrageously expensive to Florida.

[NEDodger]

Great to have another connection….

…..but my god, can it be somewhere other than yet another Florida destination.

I'm happy to have it, hopefully will put some price pressure on United flights to the area. United and even Southwest are outrageously expensive to Florida.

I get it, I just wish we could get Boston, New Orleans, etc., rather than like a 7th place in Florida.

[CrankyOldDude]

BWI-Baltimore
EWR-Newark
BOS-Boston
IAD-Washington Dulles
JFK-New York
MSY-New Orleans
PDX-Portland