Airports & Flying to the Islands
The islands have runways as well as docks. Short-hop island air service is a scenic summer shortcut and, when the lake freezes and the ferries stop, the only way on or off.
Island airports
- Put-in-Bay Airport (3W2), 1494 Langram Rd, South Bass Island: paved strip minutes from downtown by golf cart.
- Middle Bass and Kelleys Island also maintain small airstrips served by the island air taxis.
Mainland fields
- Erie-Ottawa International (Carl R. Keller Field, PCW), Port Clinton: home of the island air services and charter flights.
- Griffing Flying Service: the island air-taxi operator, based at Erie-Ottawa International in Port Clinton, flying daily charters to Put-in-Bay, Middle Bass, North Bass, Kelleys, Rattlesnake and Pelee Island (Canada). The historic Griffing operation pioneered island flying from Sandusky decades ago; the charters run from the Port Clinton field today (reserve at 419-734-5400).
- Commercial airports: Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) about 75 minutes east, Toledo Express (TOL) about an hour west, Detroit (DTW) about 90 minutes northwest.
Travelling from abroad? Before you leave, compare travel eSIM plans so you can use maps, confirm ferry times and contact your hotel as soon as you land.
Cheapest fares into the region right now
Most visitors drive, but if you're flying in, Cleveland (CLE) and Detroit (DTW) are the two airports with real scheduled service within driving distance of the docks. Here are the lowest round-trip fares turning up into each right now.
Into Cleveland (CLE) — about 75 min east of the ferry docks
| From | Sample date | Stops | Recent low | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | Jul 10 | 1 stop | $146 | Search this fare |
| Miami | Jul 26 | Nonstop | $153 | Search this fare |
| Philadelphia | Jul 29 | 1 stop | $158 | Search this fare |
| Tampa | Jul 11 | Nonstop | $181 | Search this fare |
| Boston | Oct 16 | 1 stop | $191 | Search this fare |
| Dallas | Oct 13 | 1 stop | $196 | Search this fare |
Into Detroit (DTW) — about 90 min northwest
| From | Sample date | Stops | Recent low | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | Aug 27 | Nonstop | $122 | Search this fare |
| Orlando | Aug 27 | Nonstop | $138 | Search this fare |
| New Orleans | Aug 15 | 1 stop | $153 | Search this fare |
| Tampa | Sep 12 | 1 stop | $157 | Search this fare |
| Dallas | Jul 28 | 1 stop | $189 | Search this fare |
| New York | Aug 5 | 1 stop | $193 | Search this fare |
Round-trip lows found via Aviasales, last refreshed 2026-07-09. Fares move constantly and are shown here as a guide only — the live price and dates resolve on Aviasales when you search. Booking through these links may earn us a commission at no cost to you.
You'll want a car from the big airports
CLE, TOL and DTW are all an hour or more from the ferry docks with no transit link, so a rental car is the practical way in. Compare rates before you fly.
Compare rental car pricesRather not drive from the airport?
Landing late, travelling in a group, or would rather not pick up a rental after a flight? A fixed-price private transfer will run you straight from CLE or DTW to the Catawba, Port Clinton or Marblehead ferry docks — price locked in when you book.
Book a private airport transferWinter: the air bridge
Island air taxi service runs year-round and becomes the islands' lifeline from roughly December through March, carrying residents, mail and groceries. For visitors it means a winter trip to a nearly empty Put-in-Bay is genuinely possible, ten minutes in the air from Port Clinton. Griffing Flying Service runs it; winter fares are about $50 one-way for adults (children 3–9 about $25, under 3 free), by reservation.
NOAA has charted Lake Erie ice every winter since 1973, and the average ice season runs 79 days. The full series, with freeze and thaw dates for all 54 winters on record, is in our Lake Erie ice statistics reference.
Once you land, see where to stay and what's open.
Line up a room for landing day
Flying in or driving from Cleveland, Toledo or Detroit, book a Lake Erie Shores & Islands hotel near your arrival point so you are not hunting for a room after a long day.
Check Lake Erie hotel pricesFlying to the islands FAQ
Can you fly to Put-in-Bay?
Yes. Put-in-Bay Airport (3W2) on South Bass Island takes small aircraft and the island air taxis, and it is minutes from downtown by golf cart. Most visitors fly in from Erie-Ottawa International (Carl R. Keller Field) in Port Clinton, where the island air services are based.
How do you get to Put-in-Bay in winter when the ferries stop?
By air. Once ice closes the lake and the ferries shut down (roughly December through March), the Griffing Flying Service air taxi from Erie-Ottawa International in Port Clinton is the only scheduled link, carrying residents, mail and groceries, and the occasional visitor, on a ten-minute hop. Winter fares are about $50 one-way for adults, by reservation (419-734-5400).
What is the closest major airport to the Lake Erie Islands?
Cleveland Hopkins (CLE) is about 75 minutes east and Toledo Express (TOL) about an hour west; Detroit (DTW) is roughly 90 minutes northwest. From any of them it is a drive to the Catawba, Port Clinton or Marblehead ferry docks.