Could Alamogordo Get Commercial Flights? What We Know

Not yet, but people are working on it. The Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce told state lawmakers in September 2026 that it is pursuing regional jet service at Holloman Air Force Base and the Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport, and an air service market study is looking at routes to Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, Denver and Salt Lake City. No airline or start date has been announced.

Who is working on commercial flights for Alamogordo?

At the New Mexico Legislature's Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee meeting in Alamogordo on September 15, 2026, the Chamber presented a briefing on its economic development work. It lists commercial air service as one of its main projects, along with new housing and a stronger partnership with Holloman.

According to that briefing, the Chamber's executive director serves as the liaison between the city and the Airport Advisory Board and meets monthly with Holloman leadership. The briefing quotes a February 2026 letter of support from Col. John T. Ethridge, the 49th Wing commander at the time: “The establishment of this air service is a top priority for our installation and the local community.”

Where could flights go?

The Chamber says it led development of an Air Service Market Study that looks at four possible routes.

A market study is an early step. It helps show an airline whether there is enough demand to make a route work.

What still has to happen?

Quite a bit. According to the briefing, the next phase is to seek funding from the Defense Department's Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation for a new terminal at Holloman.

At the city airport, 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News reported on the Airport Advisory Board's annual report in July. In December 2025, the board authorized a request for proposals for an updated air service market study tied to Holloman travel needs, and to pursue Part 139 certification, the FAA certificate airports need for most scheduled passenger service.

The board's biggest project is rehabilitating Runway 4/22. The estimated cost was about $8 million in February 2026, and by April city aviation officials put a full rehabilitation somewhere from the mid twenties up to $50 million. In May, the board directed its consultant to submit an FAA design grant application.

What else is happening at the airport?

The Chamber says it helped with the sale of Ed's Flying Service to a new operator that is expanding aircraft maintenance and charter operations at the airport. You can see the airport for yourself at its free open house on Saturday, November 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. I have the details in my Alamogordo airport open house post.

What would flights mean for homeowners and people moving here?

Right now there is no scheduled airline service in Alamogordo, so travelers drive to a bigger airport such as El Paso. Flights from home would make it easier for military families to fly in for a PCS, for grandparents to visit, and for businesses to bring people in. Better access tends to make a town more attractive to new employers and new residents, which is good news for the local economy and housing market over time.

It is the same push behind the new apartments coming to Alamogordo. If you are relocating, my Holloman AFB relocation guide covers the basics.

Frequently Asked Questions

Facts are from the Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce briefing to the Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee on September 15, 2026, and 2nd Life Media Alamogordo Town News reporting from July 27, 2026, checked 23 October 2026. Plans can change, and no airline service has been announced.