Urban Indiana

What's the best airport in the country? Indy tops national poll

Indianapolis International Airport has flown off with the USA TODAY's 10BEST Readers' Choice Award for the best large airport in the United States.

Winners are determined by a nationwide public vote.

Besides the Shake Shack and the chance to run into some Hoosier celebs —  The Golden Bachelor and Indianapolis' Mike Epps among them — the airport has plenty going for it, according to readers.

Voters took into account amenities, concessions, and number of destinations served.

More below:
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/transportation/2023/10/16/indianapolis-international-airport-tops-usa-today-10best-list-named-indianapolis-international-airpo/71207558007/

New sculpture at Indianapolis airport is a testament to travel

The idea of homecomings and new adventures associated with air travel inspired recent IUPUI Herron School of Art and Design graduate Brenna McCarty when she designed a sculpture being dedicated Thursday at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Made up of 205 blue acrylic spheres suspended from the ceiling of the airport's terminal, "Blue Skies" occupies a 40-feet-by-100-feet space above escalators and stairs leading from the ticketing area to baggage claim.

"The spheres represent human beings coming together and also going out into the world," McCarty said. "You'll see that in the center the number becomes more dense. The further they go out, it becomes more separated—representing people leaving this airport."

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/new-sculpture-at-indianapolis-airport-is-a-testament-to-travel

Huse Culinary to take over Champps spot at Indianapolis International Airport

The last Champps in central Indiana—inside Concourse B at Indianapolis International Airport—is set to close at the end of February, but a well-known local restaurant company is poised to fill the void.

Huse Culinary Inc. (best known for St. Elmo Steak House) and its partners are expected to open a dual-branded HC Tavern and 1933 Lounge restaurant by the end of the year in the 5,238-square-foot space, which occupies a prominent spot across from the entrance to the concourse after the security checkpoint.

According to filings with the Indianapolis Airport Authority, whose board is set to consider a formal lease for the space during its meeting Friday morning, the space would be filled by a joint venture made up of airport dining operator SSP America Inc., Huse Culinary, Erin Clarke & Co. and Air Ventures.

More below:
https://www.ibj.com/articles/champps-set-to-depart-ind-huse-culinary-to-step-in

Indianapolis airport saw record-setting traffic in 2023

Indianapolis International Airport welcomed an airport-record 9.7 million passengers through its terminal in 2023, which surpassed pre-pandemic numbers.

The airport's traffic marked a 2.6% increase from 2019, its previous record year, and a 12.6% increase from 2022. About 52% of the traffic in 2024 was associated with leisure travel and 46% with business; the remaining 2% was from passengers identifying their trips as a blend of the two categories.

Indianapolis' recovery from the pandemic—meaning how its traffic compares to pre-COVID levels—now stands at 102%, according to Indianapolis Airport Authority officials. Other similarly sized airports in the Midwest average around 96% recovered when compared to figures from 2019, Indianapolis officials said, although they did not immediately provide that data to IBJ.

More below:
https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/indianapolis-airport-saw-record-setting-traffic-in-2023