Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport is five miles north of Lubbock, in Lubbock County, Texas. Originally Lubbock International Airport, it was renamed in 2004 for former Texas governor Preston E. Smith, an alumnus of Texas Tech University.The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 classifies it as a primary commercial service airport. Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 562,241 passenger boardings (enplanements) in calendar year 2008, 534,818 in 2009 and 508,858 in 2010.The airport is the 8th busiest airport in Texas. Lubbock International is first among the smaller Texas cities (behind both Dallas airports, both Houston airports, San Antonio, Austin, and El Paso). It is one of 42 airports around the world with CNN Airport Network. Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport is a hub for FedEx and UPS feeder planes to cities around the South Plains.HistoryThe airport opened in November 1937 as South Plains Airport. In 1942 the United States Army Air Forces indicated a need for the airport as a training airfield. After its requisition by the Air Force, it was assigned to the World War II Army Air Forces Flying Training Command, Gulf Coast Training Center (later Central Flying Training Command). The airport was renamed South Plains Army Airfield and a rapid period of construction was begun to convert the civil airport into a military training airfield.
