Chippewa County International Airport
Soaring to new heights with the passenger in mind
Focused on streamlining services and welcoming more aviation traffic, this airport is flying into the new year
With strong military roots that trace back to a previous Air Force Base that closed its doors in 1977, Chippewa County International Airport is redefining itself as it continues to grow.
Much of this growth can be attributed to the tireless efforts of the airport staff currently led by Airport Manager, Tami L. Beseau at the helm.
A dedicated and passionate aviation professional, Beseau has the knowledge and strategic mindset to take this airport to new heights.
The airport’s current success can also be attributed to the county’s Economic Development Corporation’s leadership, and Airport Manager Beseau’s vast experience, which guided it to take off successfully into another year ahead.
“As a former Air Force Base, we have a mammoth runway that at one time was 12,000 feet for civilian use,” Beseau begins. “It was reduced down to 7200 feet but it is still a runway that would handle Air Force One and smaller type aircraft as well.”
Growing Airport Operations
Chippewa County International Airport is a commercial airport that also sees significant General Aviation and corporate traffic land at its doorstep.
“We are served by a Delta connection airline, Sky West Airlines, that operates the route for Delta Airlines in that they are a Delt connection operator seven days a week,” Beseau offers. “We go to both Minneapolis and Detroit once a day round trip and this year we will be working up to 50,000 total passengers.”
For a community that is roughly 30,000, these passenger numbers are very significant, Beseau notes. She does add that if the area is to include their Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario partners, “We are up to about 100,000 or more folks in the demographic area that we are serving here.”
“There is also the business traveler,” Beseau adds. “ It is a great setup because this is a beautiful area and we have lots of islands, lots of summer cottages and there are several folks that can fly charter to get to some of these locations.”
“We also get many large charters throughout different times of the year such as hockey teams during the NCAA championships.”
“So we are busy on both sides, both with the Commercial Service and the charter activity,” Beseau summarizes.
Landing at a new terminal with ease
To welcome passengers flying into Chippewa County International, the airport has recently built a new general aviation terminal that also caters to major freight operators including FedEx and UPS that frequently utilize the facility with larger aircraft.
Beseau highlights that the primary motivation for building the terminal came down to streamlining the aviation experience for its passengers and to the aesthetics of the facilities they would be greeted by.
“We knew we could do better. Make the terminal more user friendly, provide better amenities so we worked for many years with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to see what type of funding would be available to the airport,” Beseau describes.
“I asked the FAA if it would ever consider funding a general aviation terminal and they said that all of our airside improvements need to be completed and in great shape [see this happen].”
After approaching the FAA in 2013, in response to the FAA’s request to secure the necessary funding, the airport set forth to address any airside improvements that needed to be immediately addressed.
“We concentrated on anything pavement-wise that needed to be upgraded and we did any lighting projects that needed to be completed within the next couple of years,” Beseau recalls.
In 2019, Beseau approached the FAA again and said, “Come take a look. We believe all of our airside improvements have been upgraded and they agreed.”
With an initial budget of close to $5 million provided by the FAA and additional local funding of $1.5 million through COVID due to escalating construction costs, the impressive new terminal was completed in 2022.
“The building is about 10,000 square feet and is a one-and-a-half-story building.”
Aiming to incorporate the airport’s long and distinguished history and military roots was an important aspect, Beseau points out, that is reflected in the aesthetics of the new terminal building.
“First of all we wanted to make it very pleasant for people who are flying in and then we included a lot of the history throughout the building,” Beseau says.
“We are a port of entry airport and customs is not on site, but they will come and clear airplanes so part of what we wanted to do is also make it comfortable for the passengers with a room within the terminal, international seating where they are allowed to then get off the airplane and go into that area.
The international seating area includes a restroom and a television for passenger entertainment and although they can not bring any luggage with them it keeps them segregated from the other passengers until customs can arrive.
“This represents an important amenity for our international travelers.”
The new terminal also included LED lighting and was built to be energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing for the weary traveler, Beseau points out.
Economic Ties to the region
Several years after the Air Force Base closed its doors in 1977 the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation was formed with the primary intent to provide an economic direction for the airport.
“The EDC was formed to try to fill that economic void that was gone and we were trying to look at the vision for the industrial park at the airport and what to do be done with the many assets that were left,” Chris Olson, President of the Chippewa County Economic Development Corporation, relays.
“We now have 24 buildings that range from 5000 square feet to 77,000 square feet so these are tremendous assets and we continuously find areas of business that can be conducted out here for economic development,” Olson adds.
In 1984 the airport was turned over to the EDC to manage and operate, and as Olson accurately points out, “There are not a whole lot of situations like that where you have an economic development corporation that oversees an airport operation; so we are very unique.”
“I think it is a great combination because with the connectivity to the Sault, we have some fairly large infrastructure projects like the Sault Locks which represents a $3 billion infrastructure project and we have connectivity with the major hubs of Detroit and Minneapolis,” Olson elaborates.
The airport is also home to a major car manufacturer that has operated out of its facilities for decades and leases from the airport. The airport also helps to facilitate the company’s operations by providing the staff.
“They are an exclusive partner and having that revenue derived, allows us to not have to draw money from the county to run the airport,” Olson continues.
With manufacturers such as this, and as Olson draws attention to, the region’s propane distribution capabilities, the county is able to offset some of its shortfalls through the funding that they have at the airport.
The airport also generates revenue through other valuable tenants including a major steel fabricator, a cyber security company, and a wood products business.
“This is a great balance of that revenue offset any potential losses that we have and we can have that connectivity to this region,” Olson summarizes.
Taking off into the new year
With the construction of the new terminal behind them, Beseau is now turning her sights to upgrades that are in the airport’s master plan ahead.
“We are talking about doing some lighting upgrades with our signs that we would like to make LEDs and this would be less costly to operate and there would be less likelihood of breakdowns requiring maintenance.”
Another project for this upcoming summer is the airport’s planned concrete replacement on its general aviation ramps.
“We are going to do a crack ceiling project and cut out some of the cement pads that need to be fixed.”
“We are also looking into having a boarding bridge. A jet bridge is always a pleasant amenity for our passengers when it is raining or snowing and you do not have to walk across the concrete to get to your airplane.”
Last, on the upcoming list, Beseau highlights are on the land side. The airport is planning through the monies left in the Airport Improvement Grant (AIG) to redo its parking lots and expand its commercial terminal parking lots in the process.
On the horizon, Olson also points to future partnerships with the Department of Defense and the Michigan National Guard to look into the region’s strategic location for satellite tracking and data transmission. Unlocking the potential the airport and the region have to further this activity is an exciting prospect, Olson and Beseau agree.
“We have so many great assets, we are two miles off of the I 75 major interstate and we are served by air and rail. The connectivity to this region is like no other that I could ever imagine,” Olson says.
“I think that people would kill to be in our location,” he concludes.
AT A GLANCE
Chippewa County International Airport
What: Leading Commercial and GA airport with international traffic and a new terminal to welcome passenger growth numbers
Where: Kincheloe, Chippewa County, MI
Website: www.airciu.com
PREFERRED VENDORS

Sault Ste. Marie Convention & Visitors Bureau – www.saultstemarie.com
Unlock the charm of Sault Ste. Marie, where adventure meets history. Marvel at the iconic Soo Locks, embrace outdoor beauty in every season, and explore the heart of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. From stunning waterways to vibrant local culture, discover the perfect destination to meet, connect, and flow with nature’s wonders.