Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County

A Legacy of Private Aviation

DTW originated in 1927, as Wayne County began planning an airport in the western townships. A $2 million bond was issued, and in 1929 construction was completed at the corner of Middlebelt Road and Wick Road in Romulus, with the first landing on February 22nd, 1930. Service began that year through Thompson Aeronautical Corporation (later bought by American Airlines). Between 1931 and 1945, the airport was home to the Michigan Air National Guard, and the base was named Romulus Field during WWII. The U.S. Army used the airport as a staging base for the transport of military aircraft to Europe. Furthermore, the Army constructed hangars, runways, and other facilities at the base. Following the war, the airport was expanded by Wayne County with the intention that it was to serve as Detroit’s primary airport. In 1947, it was renamed Detroit-Wayne Major Airport, and the airport tripled in size over the next three years, with three runways added in that time (these included 3L/21R and 9L/27R in 1949 and 4R/22L the following year). In 1954, the first passenger airline arrived at DTW (Pan Am). In 1958, DTW was included in the FAA’s plan to receive new long-range radar equipment, allowing DTW to become the first inland airport certified to receive jet airliners. That same year, the South Terminal (named after Leroy C. Smith) was completed, and the airport was renamed Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Furthermore, American Airlines moved to DTW (from Willow Run, another Detroit airport), with Northwest, Delta, and Allegheny in tow within a few months. In 1966, the North Terminal (later renamed the James M. Davey Terminal) opened (this is currently the location of the Evans Terminal). In 1974, the Michael Berry International Terminal opened, whereas Runway 3R/21L was completed in 1976. In 1993, Runway 9R/27L opened as a parallel crosswind runway. In 1984, Republic Airlines began a hub at DTW, and its merger in 1986 with Northwest Airlines expanded the hub (the hub remained until Northwest merged with Delta in 2010, which has a hub there today, its second largest after ATL). Finally, in December 2001, the sixth runway (4L/22R) was completed, and the following year the $1.2 billion McNamara Terminal opened. At that point, the Wayne County Airport Authority was established to DTW (among others). In 2011 DTW became Lufthansa’s first North American gateway, with a service for premium customers that allowed for check-in and baggage check service from the curb (the only airline allowing international passengers to do so). Whereas the City of Detroit (and consequently, DTW) was hurt by the Great Recession of 2008, DTW has been on the rebound. JetBlue began service in 2014, with United resuming nonstop flights to San Francisco in 2017. Furthermore, Spirit has expanded at DTW, and its market share at the airport is over 10%, making it the second largest carrier at DTW after Delta. On December 1st, 2014, Royal Jordanian scheduled a Boeing 787 Dreamliner into DTW, the first airline to do so. Furthermore, in May 2017, Spirit opened a new maintenance facility, which would allow it to maintain its presence at the airport and bring in more flights. Connection to the City of Detroit began in January 2018 through the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) Bus, providing a direct connection to the Rosa Parks Transit Center in downtown Detroit. The bus stops at both the Evans and McNamara terminals.