Akron-Canton Airport (CAK)

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) is a small-hub commercial airport serving Northeast Ohio that is strategically located between the cities of Akron and Canton. The commercial airport is situated within the city of Green in southern Summit County, Ohio, roughly 11 miles southeast of Akron and 10 miles northwest of Canton, but with a little bit of its runway system crossing into Stark County. The airport is managed by Summit and Stark Counties, and is located just off Interstate 77, making it conveniently accessible from both metro regions as well as the Massillon area and beyond.

CAK has defined its brand through the concept of “being a better way to go” through the airport, marketing itself as a hassle-free alternative to bigger and more crowded hub airports in the area like Cleveland Hopkins International Airport roughly an hour to the north. Convenience offered by a small airport makes CAK one of the easiest airports in the area to navigate, getting travelers from their cars to the gates in minutes.

How To Contact CAK Airport?

Address: 5400 Lauby Rd, Canton, OH 44720

Contact Number: +18884342359

Website: http://www.akroncantonairport.com/

Airlines Serving Akron-Canton Airport (CAK)

There are four airlines flying scheduled passenger service to and from Akron-Canton Airport with both leisure and business oriented flight routes.

• Allegiant Air serves CAK from the main terminal, where the airline has been running primarily leisure flights to vacation destinations across the country at affordable prices helping establish CAK’s reputation as one of the cheapest airports in Ohio.
• American Airlines has greatly expanded its services at CAK in the past few years. Notably, American has reintroduced non-stop flights to its Midwest hub located at Chicago O’Hare (ORD). The mentioned route was previously operated until its cancellation.
• Breeze Airways has been among the fastest growing airlines serving CAK starting with its first arrivals at CAK in 2021. The airline introduced non-stop services from Akron to Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans; and Tampa in June 2021, and later expanded its services to Las Vegas, Nashville, and West Palm Beach.
• United Airlines is completing the list of airlines serving CAK airport by providing connection flights to United hub network.

Alongside the top four airlines, CAK has continued to introduce new destinations and revive those that have been discontinued. New additions include a direct route to Daytona Beach (DAB), which is referred to as their 24th direct destination, and the re-introduction of their popular seasonal flight to West Palm Beach (PBI).

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Baggage Claim

The baggage claim at CAK is located inside the airport’s terminal facility near the security checkpoint, just off to the side of the ground transportation pickup point. Due to the simple configuration of CAK in that the airport has only one centralized concourse structure and 11 gates, travelers do not have to walk as far as at many other airports since the luggage will be deposited on the carousel, which is close to the arrival gate soon after the aircraft parks there.

Another feature which makes the airport quite convenient for travelers is that the baggage claim area at CAK is conveniently connected with all necessary facilities. The ground transportation area is situated right outside of the baggage claim facility, which means that one does not have to go through a labyrinth of corridors, shuttles, and trains to get to the car rental agency. Travelers who opt to rent a car will easily find the following car rental agencies located at the airport: Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and National.

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Amenities

Even though it is a regional airport, CAK offers an amenity which is rare at an airport of this type – a free business lounge. As per the information provided by CAK on their website, visitors have access to a free business lounge, Kids PlayPort, and a nursing room inside the terminal building.

• Free Business Lounge: It is a free area inside the terminal building for passengers to work, relax, and even spend their time in case of having a layover in the airport without having to pay for membership or day passes.
• Kids PlayPort: It is a special place for kids to play around inside the airport.
• Nursing Room: It is a private room which is available inside the terminal building to provide comfort to mothers traveling with infants.
• Observation Deck: This deck is situated past the security checkpoint. Passengers can watch plane activities on the runway and tarmac while eating or drinking something.
• Free Wi-Fi & Expanded Dining Space: Available at all times within the terminal, enhancing the lounge experience of travelers who have longer wait times or layover periods.

Although CAK offers a lounge program that is not as expansive as those of the networked lounges available at big international airports, CAK’s free admission policy sets it apart from the competition in terms of small hub airport lounges.

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Shopping & Dining

Shop and dining at CAK embody the overall approach taken at this airport. The number of dining and shopping facilities is lower compared to big international airports, yet all facilities are conveniently close to each other without the need to walk for miles.

Before Security Checkpoint

• Akron Coffee Roasters – a local cafe that serves a good cup of coffee right before passing through security
• Vending Machines – a quick choice for travelers who arrived at the airport earlier and have time before the security checkpoint to buy a bite to eat

After Security Checkpoint

• Great Lakes Brewing Co. – a sit-down restaurant for travelers who have extra time before the flight
• CAK Café – a café that offers a wide range of coffee and light snacks
• Café Express – a fast place to get a drink and snack
• The Observation Deck – the place to grab food and drinks and watch planes take off from the observation deck
• Grab-and-Go Stands – a place to find travel necessities, snacks, and light foods

Whereas CAK does not have the extensive array of shops and restaurants that one would expect to see at large hub airports, the limited number of eating places and shops provides for all the necessities without being overwhelming to the traveler. In addition, the airport has shops that sell Ohio-related souvenirs.

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Maps

The CAK airport features only one concourse in its terminal building, thus making orientation at this airport much easier in comparison to hub airports with several terminals. There are 11 gates in total at the CAK airport; G1-G11 gates extend from the main concourse of the terminal, and different parts of the gates are usually reserved for particular carriers according to the schedule of flights.

In the pre-security area, passengers can see the check-in desks of all four carriers, along with the Akron Coffee Roasters and vending machines that offer beverages. On the other hand, after passing security, the passenger finds an opportunity to enjoy amenities such as Great Lakes Brewing Co., CAK Café, Café Express, the Observation Deck, various food stalls, and beverage kiosks.

Parking at Akron-Canton Airport (CAK)

One of the most distinguishable features of CAK from that of the larger competitors lies in its parking options that vary from one lot type to another, balancing such variables as closeness, cost, and convenience. According to CAK, there are three options: Convenient parking for every budget at CAK, which includes short-term, long-term, and Economy parking, while parking spots in most lots are in easy walking distance from the terminal and a complimentary shuttle is provided to the Economy and Long-Term lots.

Currently available parking options and costs:

• Short-Term Parking: Charging is done on an hourly basis and can be expected to cost about $3.00 an hour, suitable for short-term parking and pick-ups.
• Covered Short-Term Parking: Situated right in front of the terminal building, it has a covered walkway; the closest to the terminal building, the most expensive ($2 per hour, with a daily max of about $19-$20); great during winter and hot summer months in Ohio.
• Long-Term Lots A and B: These lots are made for the traveler planning to leave his car parked there for a period of more than two days. These lots provide very cheap parking fees compared to the short-term parking facilities, with Lot B being the cheapest of all at an average of $10 per day.
• Economy Lot: This is one of the newest additions and is found at the junction of Lauby and Mt. Pleasant Roads. The parking lot was opened in 2023 and holds a capacity of 750 spaces; this is the cheapest parking place in terms of cost.

Apart from the normal parking facilities, CAK provides a Cell Phone Waiting Lot on Lauby Road for travelers waiting for passengers arriving at the airport at no charge. Another facility within the airport premises is the Hug Zone, which is a waiting area at no cost whatsoever.

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Smoking Area

As per the regulations enforced by the majority of commercial airports in America, CAK’s terminal is smoke-free in its entirety – from the gates to the business lounge and the dining area. If one wishes to smoke inside CAK’s terminal, he/she will have to leave the building and go to smoking areas outdoors. Typically, there are usually smoking areas located away from the main entrance of the terminal.

Due to CAK being a one-storey small-size terminal, the distance between a gate and the smoking area is rather small; hence, the return from the smoking area takes no time in comparison with other, larger airports. Nevertheless, one has to keep in mind that there is a necessity to pass through the screening procedures again once you get back to the terminal. Due to the focus of CAK on providing a stress-free experience to the passengers, most of them find leaving the airport building and going back to it not time-consuming at all.

Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) Security Wait Times

One of the best aspects about CAK that gets mentioned frequently is its fast and reliable security waits, which comes from the fact that CAK sees fewer passengers than other large regional hubs. CAK has improved the security facility for efficient processing of passengers because it has four TSA lanes that can be increased up to six, with the presence of Advanced Imaging Devices and TSA PreCheck lane.

Conclusion

As an airline traveler in Northeast Ohio, the Akron-Canton Airport (CAK) stands out as a small yet efficiently operated airport where time is of the essence. With an increasing list of direct flights through Allegiant, American, Breeze, and United Airlines, along with extras like a complimentary business lounge, Kids PlayPort, and nursing room, CAK always manages to exceed expectations despite its smaller size. In addition, with convenient baggage retrieval service, cost-effective parking services with grace periods, limited dining and shopping facilities, and quick security checks, CAK is the obvious choice for travel for residents of Akron, Canton, and other areas around the region.

Frequently Asked Questions