Northern Maine Has Its Own International Airport
Most people driving to Presque Isle from southern Maine spend three-plus hours on I-95 and Route 1, arriving road-weary and ready to check in immediately. There’s a better option that most visitors from Boston and beyond overlook entirely: fly direct.
Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) sits less than a mile from downtown, offers daily nonstop flights to Boston Logan, and is in the middle of the most significant infrastructure transformation in its history, a $52.6 million overhaul that will replace a terminal built when Eisenhower was president with a modern, 33,000-square-foot facility designed for the airport’s next 50 years.
Whether you’re a first-time visitor to Aroostook County or a returning traveler who’s always driven, here’s what you need to know about flying in and the remarkable history of the airport you’ll be landing at.
Presque Isle Northern Maine Airport
From Grass Strip to World War II Hub: How PQI Began
Air service in Presque Isle began in 1931 with a small hangar and a grass runway, owned by the Presque Isle Airport Company. One of the first flights carried a shipment of Maine potatoes to President Herbert Hoover in Washington, D.C. a fitting origin story for a region where agriculture and community pride have always gone hand in hand.
A decade later, everything changed. During World War II, the federal government appropriated the airport, establishing an air base for planes bound to and from Great Britain. Almost overnight, Presque Isle Army Airfield became a vital air transport installation and the city found itself a busy war center. The scale of the transformation was staggering, a small northern Maine airfield became one of the key transit points for transatlantic operations, handling cargo and personnel heading to Europe at a pace the town had never seen.
During the Second World War, Clark Gable was briefly stationed at Presque Isle before being sent to England. The base also figures in aviation history through pilot and author Ernest K. Gann, who wrote about his experiences here as part of the Air Transport Command in his memoir Fate Is the Hunter. This was not a quiet backwater, it was a critical node in the Allied war effort, and the surrounding community felt every bit of it.
The airport was later featured in an aviation magazine as one of five small airports that played vital roles in American aviation.
After the Base Closed: Reinvention and Resilience
When the United States Air Force closed Presque Isle Air Force Base in 1961, the former base was redeveloped. Rather than leaving a military ghost town behind, the city turned the footprint into something lasting. Northern Maine Community College, closely integrated with the nearby University of Maine at Presque Isle, was developed on one portion of the former base. The airfield side became what is now Presque Isle International Airport.
The adjacent Skyway Industrial Park grew directly from that redevelopment. The Skyway Industrial Park sits adjacent to Presque Isle International Airport, which offers commercial airline as well as general aviation services to the entire region. FedEx and United Parcel Service augment park accessibility by air to and from major markets. Today, over 60 companies have located in the park, which has become a dominant feature in the local and regional economy and is financially self-sufficient.
The airport itself kept a long runway from its military days. PQI has the second longest active commercial service runway in Maine at 7,439 feet, infrastructure that remains a practical advantage for larger aircraft, cargo operations, and general aviation.
The airport serves not just Presque Isle but a region of roughly 200,000 residents across northern Maine and parts of northwestern New Brunswick, Canada.
JetBlue Arrives: A New Chapter for Aroostook County
For decades, the airport’s commercial service quietly kept northern Maine connected to the national air network, most recently through United Express. Then, in September 2024, something historic happened: Presque Isle became the first Essential Air Service destination for JetBlue.
That’s not just a change of airline logos on the departures board. JetBlue now provides the airport’s commercial flight service under a federally subsidized contract, operating daily flights between Presque Isle and Boston Logan. And the aircraft is a step up in scale: JetBlue serves the airport with Airbus A220-300 aircraft, a 100-seat jet that replaced the smaller regional aircraft Presque Isle travelers were accustomed to.
Airport Director Scott Wardwell described the moment plainly: “The airport is seeing growth and opportunities to push that growth even further that has not been seen since the 1980s or maybe ever.” The arrival of a nationally recognized carrier brought attention to Aroostook County that no marketing campaign could manufacture, and it validated what locals have always known: northern Maine is worth the trip.
The Essential Air Service program, which has connected smaller communities to the national air network since Congress created it after airline deregulation in 1978, makes this service economically viable. Flights are subsidized specifically so that Presque Isle doesn’t get left behind when airlines gravitate toward larger, more profitable markets.
From Boston Logan, JetBlue connections open access to flights across the country and internationally. For visitors flying in from beyond New England, the itinerary looks like this: book to Boston, connect to Presque Isle, land in Aroostook. The whole trip, depending on your origin city, can take less time than the drive would from southern Maine.
The $53 Million Transformation Already Underway
Here’s the thing about the current terminal: it was built in 1952 as a fire rescue building for the Air Force base. It was never designed to be a passenger terminal. For generations it served its purpose, but when JetBlue brought a 100-seat aircraft to Presque Isle, the math got stark fast. The FAA requires approximately 30,000 to 35,000 square feet of terminal space for an aircraft seating 100 passengers. The current terminal is approximately 10,000 square feet.
That gap, between a 10,000-square-foot Cold War-era fire station and a modern regional airport terminal, is exactly what the current project is fixing.
Presque Isle officially broke ground on the new airport terminal on May 10, 2025, a $38 million building that’s been in the works for more than two years. The County The ceremony drew U.S. Senator Susan Collins, JetBlue representatives, state transportation officials, and community members who understand what this building represents for the region’s future.
The new 33,065-square-foot terminal will feature enhanced amenities, expanded parking, and EV charging stations to improve passenger flow, efficiency, and sustainability. The design uses a hybrid mass timber frame, triple-pane windows for northern Maine’s demanding winters, and fully ADA-compliant facilities throughout, an upgrade with real meaning in a community where accessibility has long been limited by an outdated building.
The total project comes in at $52.6 million, covering not just the terminal itself but a $4.3 million renovation of the airport parking apron and $5.2 million in site preparation and utility services, with engineering handled by Hoyle Tanner & Associates. Most of the project cost is covered by the FAA. Senator Collins secured $20,462,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending in Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations legislation for the new terminal construction, the largest single request of her career to that point.
The terminal at Maine’s northernmost commercial airport will replace the outdated facility, incorporate modern features, be fully ADA compliant, and meet updated FAA design standards. The project is being built off-line, meaning the airport stays fully operational throughout construction. When it opens, travelers will arrive in a facility that matches the caliber of what you’d expect in Bangor or Portland, right here in Aroostook County.
Senator Collins put it in terms that resonate: “I can’t wait to come back for the ribbon cutting for the new terminal. I think this is going to be a wonderful boost to Aroostook County. It will create jobs and opportunity. It will bring more tourists to the region. It will improve the experience of every traveler that goes through the airport and it will create an image of the County that’s worthy of the County.”
Practical Travel Guide: How to Fly Into Presque Isle
Planning a trip through PQI is simpler than most travelers expect. Here’s what to know before you book.
Flights: JetBlue operates daily service between Presque Isle (PQI) and Boston Logan (BOS). From Logan, you have connections to virtually anywhere JetBlue flies. Book directly through JetBlue’s website or any major travel platform. The flight itself is about 50 minutes.
Getting to the Hotel: The Northeastland Hotel is less than a mile and a half from the terminal, a five-minute drive. Rental cars are available at the airport, and taxi and rideshare options serve the terminal. If you’re staying with us, call ahead and we can point you toward the easiest ground transportation options, including our partner Aroostook Limo.
Parking: The airport offers surface parking with competitive daily and weekly rates, making it a practical option for Aroostook residents flying out and returning.
Ground Transportation: Aroostook Limo, Rental cars, taxis, and rideshare services are available.
Travel Cost Calculator: The airport’s website includes a travel cost calculator that lets you compare the true cost of flying out of Presque Isle versus driving to a larger airport. When you factor in fuel, parking, time, and wear on your vehicle, the numbers often surprise people.
What’s Coming: Once the new terminal opens, travelers will find a full post-security experience with concessions, upgraded restrooms, and a passenger lounge, a significantly different arrival and departure experience than what exists today.
Why This Matters for Visitors to Aroostook County
Flying into PQI isn’t just about convenience,it’s the difference between arriving ready to explore and arriving exhausted from a four-hour drive. When you land at Presque Isle International Airport, you’re minutes from downtown Main Street, five minutes from The Northeastland Hotel, and the same afternoon away from Northern Maine Community Trails, Big Rock Mountain, or 2,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. The airport puts you directly in the heart of Aroostook County without the highway fatigue, and the new terminal will make that arrival feel like the beginning of something real rather than a stopover at a dated facility.
The investment happening here a $53 million airport transformation, JetBlue service, an adjacent aerospace research park breaking ground nearby, reflects a region that’s moving forward with intention. Aroostook County has always had the landscape, the outdoor recreation, and the authentic community character. Now it’s getting the infrastructure to match.
If you’ve been thinking about a trip to The County, this is the moment. And if you can fly, you should.
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