Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport
Rogue Valley International Medford-Airport | |||||||||
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 USGS 2006 orthophoto | |||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||
| Owner | Jackson County Airport Authority | ||||||||
| Serves | Rogue Valley | ||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 1,335 ft / 407 m | ||||||||
| Coordinates | 42°22′27″N 122°52′25″W / 42.37417°N 122.87361°W | ||||||||
| Website | flymfr.com | ||||||||
| Map | |||||||||
 Interactive map of Rogue Valley International Medford-Airport | |||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||
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| Statistics (2024) | |||||||||
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| Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1] |
Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport[note 1] (IATA: MFR[2], ICAO: KMFR, FAA LID: MFR) is a public-use airport three miles north of downtown Medford, in Jackson County, Oregon, United States.[1] Owned and operated by Jackson County's Aviation Authority, the airport serves southwest Oregon. Originally named Medford–Jackson County Airport, it was renamed to Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport after it became an international airport in 1994.[3][4]
In December 2018, the airport celebrated its 1 million+ annual passenger milestone. In doing so Medford joined both PDX and EUG as the only Oregon airports to have surpassed 1 million passengers in a year.[5] By virtue of annual commercial passengers, Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport (MFR) is the third busiest airport in Oregon, with 1,032,704 passenger enplanements and deplanements in 2024 (behind Eugene and Portland).[6][7] The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023–2027 categorized the Rogue Valley International–Medford Airport as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year)..[8]
Facilities
[edit]The airport covers 938 acres (380 ha) at an elevation of 1,335 feet (407 m). Its runway, 14/32, is 8,800 by 150 feet (2,682 x 46 m) asphalt.[1][9]
The airport underwent renovations which included a new 110,000 sq ft (10,000 m2) terminal building with room for expansion; work completed in 2009 and designed by CSHQA and the Abell Architectural Group Inc.[10] The terminal has an observation deck on the second floor, a restaurant for screened and unscreened passengers, and second-story loading bridges. Now that the terminal is complete, there is a main concourse, and two open air concourses. A new control tower was completed in late 2008; the $3.6 million, 100-foot-tall (30 m) tower uses a state-of-the-art geothermal system to heat and cool the building.[11]
Two fixed-base operators (FBOs) provide general aviation services on the field: Jet Center MFR, and Million Air Medford.
The Medford Air Tanker Base plays a key role in wildfire response across southern Oregon and northern California. Operated by the U.S. Forest Service, it serves as a launch point for single engine air tankers (SEATs), large air tankers (LATs) and very large air tankers (VLATs) during the busy summer fire season.
Medford’s setup includes both a main air tanker base and a dedicated VLAT ramp, which is the only VLAT base in the state of Oregon, capable of handling some of the biggest firefighting aircraft in service. On any given day during fire season, you might see: MD-87s operated by Erickson Aero Tanker, Arvo RJ-85s from Aeroflite, BAe-146s from Neptune Aviation, C-130 Hercules tankers operated by Coulson or National Guard units, and DC-10 “VLATs” from 10 Tanker Air Carrier using the larger ramp on the east side of the field.
In the year ending December 31, 2024, the airport recorded approximately 45,200 aircraft operations, averaging about 124 per day: 57% general aviation, 23% airline, 18% air taxi, and less than 1% military. At that time, 205 aircraft were based at the airport: 142 single-engine, 26 multi-engine, 22 jet, 10 helicopter, and 5 glider.
The Medford airport continues to post favorable passenger statistics; following steady year-over-year gains, the facility served 1,032,704 arriving and departing passengers in 2024 — an increase from 979,211 passengers in 2023.
Airline service present and past
[edit]Alaska Horizon operated by Horizon Air offers nonstops to Portland, Seattle/Tacoma, Los Angeles and San Diego. United Airlines offers nonstop flights to Denver and San Francisco. United Express operated by Skywest Airlines flies non stop to Denver and San Francisco. Delta Connection, operated by SkyWest Airlines, flies nonstop to Salt Lake City and Seattle. American Eagle operated by Skywest Airlines flies nonstop to Phoenix. Allegiant Air flies nonstop to Las Vegas and Santa Ana.
Medford was served by United Airlines Boeing 727-200s and 737-200s, by Hughes Airwest (formerly Air West) Douglas DC-9-10s and DC-9-30s, by Pacific Express BAC One-Elevens, and by Pacific Southwest Airlines BAe 146-200s. The PSA service was continued by USAir (later renamed US Airways) after it acquired PSA. USAir later ended service to Medford though US Airways Express did serve Medford later with regional jets. The predecessor of Air West and Hughes Airwest, West Coast Airlines, served the airport in the 1960s with Douglas DC-9s and Fairchild F-27s. West Coast merged with Pacific Air Lines and Bonanza Air Lines to form Air West. In the late 1980s and early 1990s United Express operated as NPA, West Air and Mesa flying British Aerospace Jetstreams (19 seat turboprops) directly to both Portland and Seattle. Continental Airlines also served MFR in the late 1980s with MD-82 aircraft. Aha Airlines offered service between Medford and Reno, NV between October 2021 and August 2022 when it declared bankruptcy.[12] Avelo Airlines offered flights to Burbank using the Boeing 737-700, which ended in 2025 after Avelo ended all west coast operations.[13]
Airlines and destinations
[edit]
Passenger
[edit]| Destinations map |
|---|
  Medford Destinations from Rogue Valley International Airport Red = Year-round destination Green = Seasonal destination Blue = Future destination |
Cargo
[edit]| Airlines | Destinations |
|---|---|
| Ameriflight | Klamath Falls, Portland (OR), Roseburg |
| FedEx Feeder | Portland (OR) |
Statistics
[edit]Top destinations
[edit]| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle/Tacoma, Washington | 126,570 | Alaska, Delta |
| 2 | Denver, Colorado | 95,370 | United |
| 3 | San Francisco, California | 83,950 | United |
| 4 | Portland, Oregon | 44,060 | Alaska |
| 5 | Salt Lake City, Utah | 43,900 | Delta |
| 6 | Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona | 43,060 | American |
| 7 | Los Angeles, California | 31,550 | Alaska |
| 8 | Las Vegas, Nevada | 18,290 | Allegiant |
| 9 | Orange County, California | 12,570 | Allegiant |
| 10 | Burbank, California | 11,700 | Avelo |
Airline market share
[edit]| Rank | Airline | Passengers | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SkyWest | 350,000 | 33.72% |
| 2 | Horizon | 312,000 | 30.02% |
| 3 | United | 283,000 | 27.27% |
| 4 | Allegiant | 69,520 | 6.70% |
| 5 | Avelo | 23,520 | 2.27% |
| 6 | Other | 310 | 0.03% |
Annual traffic
[edit]| Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers | Year | Passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 492,065 | 2010 | 639,679 | 2020 | 509,624 |
| 2001 | 464,535 | 2011 | 618,195 | 2021 | 886,670 |
| 2002 | 462,098 | 2012 | 642,569 | 2022 | 1,031,693 |
| 2003 | 481,990 | 2013 | 631,234 | 2023 | 979,211 |
| 2004 | 532,194 | 2014 | 664,423 | 2024 | 1,032,704 |
| 2005 | 594,682 | 2015 | 757,971 | 2025 | |
| 2006 | 597,965 | 2016 | 822,289 | 2026 | |
| 2007 | 647,471 | 2017 | 901,578 | 2027 | |
| 2008 | 604,690 | 2018 | 1,010,920 | 2028 | |
| 2009 | 594,532 | 2019 | 1,087,873 | 2029 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c FAA Airport Form 5010 for MFR PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. Effective January 23, 2025.
- ^ "IATA Airport Code Search (MFR: Medford / Jackson County)". International Air Transport Association. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
- ^ "The History of Aviation in Rogue Valley". Jackson County Airport Authority. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
- ^ Mann, Damian (19 July 2004). "Trade Zone may go dormant". MailTribune.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
- ^ "StackPath". 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Rogue Valley International Airport Dec 18 Pass Flow". Rogue Valley International Airport. Rogue Valley International Airport.
- ^ "Enplanements for CY 2011" (PDF, 1.7 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 9, 2012.
- ^ "2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A" (PDF, 2.03 MB). faa.gov. Federal Aviation Administration. October 4, 2010.
- ^ "MFR airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. FAA data effective January 23, 2025.
- ^ "Medford airport opens new, $35M terminal - USATODAY.com". USA Today.
- ^ Damian Mann. "Funds secured for airport tower". MailTribune.com.
- ^ "Aha Airlines flights grounded by bankruptcy".
- ^ "Avelo Airlines to Exit West Coast, Ending Service at Medford Airport". Medford Alert News. 15 July 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
- ^ a b Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA). "Medford, OR: Rogue Valley International (MFR) Scheduled Services except Freight/Mail". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved October 30, 2025.
- ^ "MFR Historical Passenger Data 1978-Present". jacksoncountyor.gov. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
Notes
[edit]- ^ The airport retains "international" status, though the U.S. Customs Office closed in 2003 .
External links
[edit]- Airport website
- Businesses at MFR: Million Air Medford, Medford Air Service, Jet Center MFR, Mercy Flights
- FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective November 27, 2025
- FAA Terminal Procedures for MFR, effective November 27, 2025
- Resources for this airport:
- AirNav airport information for KMFR
- ASN accident history for MFR
- FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
- NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
- SkyVector aeronautical chart for KMFR
- FAA current MFR delay information