When most people in Upstate South Carolina start looking for a flight, Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport is probably the first airport they check.

But if you live closer to Pickens, Table Rock, Travelers Rest, or the northern part of the Upstate, there is another airport that deserves a serious look.

Asheville Regional Airport.

We recently flew through AVL and came away impressed. The airport is in the middle of a major transformation; parts of the terminal already feel completely new, and there is another feature you may not think about when choosing an airport: the views.

Flying into or out of Asheville can be spectacular.

Asheville Regional Airport Is Changing Fast

Asheville Regional Airport is located in Fletcher, just south of Asheville and conveniently located near Interstate 26.

Although AVL still feels like a relatively small regional airport, it is anything but sleepy. More than 2.24 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2025, and five airlines currently provide nonstop service to 26 destinations.

That growth is also why the airport looks very different today than it did just a few years ago.

AVL is undergoing a roughly $400 million terminal redevelopment called AVL Forward, the largest infrastructure project in the airport’s history. When finished, the new terminal will encompass about 335,000 square feet. Completion is expected around late 2027 or early 2028.

Our First Impression of the New AVL

Walking through the newer portions of the airport, it doesn’t feel like the small Asheville airport many travelers may remember.

The concourse is bright and open, with large windows, high ceilings, and plenty of natural light. Wood accents and earth-tone finishes give portions of the terminal a distinctly Western North Carolina feel without making it look overly themed.

It also feels surprisingly spacious.

That may be one of AVL’s biggest advantages. You get access to a growing number of destinations without having to navigate an enormous airport like Atlanta or Charlotte.

There is a catch right now, though.

AVL is still an active construction site.

The North Concourse and new TSA checkpoint opened in 2025. A portion of the new baggage claim opened in April 2026, followed by the new rental-car facility in May. Phase 2 of the terminal work is now underway.

So depending on where you are going inside the airport, you may walk through a beautiful new concourse and then encounter temporary routes or construction areas.

AVL currently recommends arriving two hours before your scheduled boarding time, which is good advice while all of this work continues.

The Views Might Be the Best Part

This was something we didn’t fully appreciate until flying through Asheville ourselves.

AVL sits right in the mountains of Western North Carolina, and that makes both takeoff and landing unusually scenic.

On our arrival, we descended across the Blue Ridge as the evening light started to fade. Mountains stretched across the horizon below the wing while the sunset turned the clouds orange and gold.

It was one of those times when the window seat was absolutely the right choice.

Our photos were taken during landing, but the scenery isn’t limited to arrivals. Depending on the runway, weather, and your flight path, departures can offer similarly impressive views almost immediately after leaving Asheville.

If you’re flying through AVL, keep the window shade open.

Where Can You Fly From Asheville?

AVL is currently served by five airlines and offers 26 nonstop destinations.

Current service includes a combination of major hubs and vacation destinations, with cities such as:

• Atlanta
• Boston
• Charlotte
• Chicago
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Denver
• Miami
• New York
• Newark
• Orlando-area destinations
• Philadelphia
• Washington, D.C.

Routes vary by airline and season, so check AVL’s current schedule when you’re planning a trip.

Allegiant has a particularly strong presence at Asheville and helps give the airport an unusually large selection of leisure destinations for an airport its size.

For longer trips, American, Delta, and United also provide connections through their larger hubs.

What About Parking?

Parking at AVL is fairly easy to understand, although construction can make the airport approach look more complicated than it actually is.

The airport currently lists remote shuttle parking at $12 per day, while garage parking is listed at $17 per day.

We also noticed something that may interest EV owners.

AVL has electric-vehicle charging spaces near the terminal, and during our visit, they were in active use.

For someone driving up from the Upstate in an EV, having charging available at the airport is a nice addition, particularly for longer trips.

Is Asheville Airport Worth Using Instead of GSP?

For some Upstate travelers, absolutely.

GSP still makes more sense for many people, especially if you live in Greenville, Spartanburg, or farther south.

But geography changes quickly once you get into northern Greenville County and Pickens County.

From areas around Travelers Rest, Pumpkintown, Table Rock, and northern Pickens County, Asheville isn’t nearly as far away as many people assume.

And distance isn’t the only thing that matters.

When we book flights, there are really four things worth comparing:

Price, nonstop availability, departure time, and total travel time.

Sometimes GSP will win easily.

Other times, AVL may offer a cheaper fare or a nonstop flight that saves several hours compared with making a connection elsewhere.

That is why we wouldn’t automatically choose one airport over the other.

Search both AVL and GSP before booking.

A slightly longer drive to the airport can make a lot of sense if it gives you a better flight.

AVL Still Has Some Growing Pains

There is no hiding the fact that Asheville Regional Airport is in transition.

The airport is growing faster than its old terminal was designed to handle, which is why AVL Forward is underway. Airport officials describe growth as the primary reason for building the new terminal, noting that the existing facility had simply run out of room.

For the next couple of years, that means passengers should expect some construction, temporary walking routes, and occasional inconveniences.

But what has already opened gives a pretty good indication of where AVL is headed.

The new concourse feels modern and comfortable, the airport remains relatively easy to navigate, and the setting is difficult to beat.

Final Thoughts

After flying through Asheville Regional Airport, we wouldn’t consider AVL just a backup option for Upstate travelers.

For people living along the northern edge of South Carolina, it can be a legitimate alternative to GSP.

The airport is growing rapidly, the new terminal is taking shape, and there are already enough nonstop destinations to make it worth checking when planning a trip.

And then there are the views.

Watching the Blue Ridge Mountains pass beneath the wing while descending into Asheville at sunset was a pretty good reminder that sometimes the trip starts before you ever leave the airport.

Before booking your next flight from the Upstate, check GSP and AVL.

You may be surprised which one comes out ahead.