El Paso International Airport (ELP) — My Honest Take After Several Trips Through
Flying through West Texas has gotten complicated with all the route changes and airline shuffles flying around. I’ve been through El Paso International Airport — ELP, if you’re reading flight boards — more times than I originally planned, and each visit has given me a slightly different impression. My first time there, I was connecting through on my way to a friend’s place in Las Cruces. I expected a bare-bones desert outpost. What I got was a legitimately functional airport with some character to it.
A Little History, Because It Helps
ELP goes way back. It started as a municipal airport in the early 1900s, and by 1928 Standard Airlines — which eventually became part of American Airlines — was running scheduled commercial flights out of there. During World War II, the facility expanded to support military operations, including bomber refitting work. After the war, it transitioned back to civilian use and started modernizing.
Probably should have led with this, because the military-to-civilian pipeline explains a lot about why ELP has the infrastructure it does. A lot of airports in that part of the country have similar histories, and it’s one of the reasons their runways and facilities are more capable than you’d expect for cities of that size.
The Terminal and What’s Inside
ELP is a medium-sized airport with a single main terminal split into several concourses. It’s not going to overwhelm you. The layout is pretty intuitive — you won’t need a map or a trail of breadcrumbs to find your gate.
Food options lean into the local culture, which I appreciate. You’ll find Tex-Mex spots alongside the usual chain restaurants. I grabbed a breakfast burrito from one of the local places last time I was there and it was genuinely good. Not just “good for airport food” — actually good. Shopping is what you’d expect: duty-free stores, gift shops, the basics. There are also lounge options if you’ve got the right membership or ticket class.
Getting To and From ELP
The airport sits right off Interstate 10, so if you’re driving in from anywhere in Texas or southern New Mexico, access is straightforward. I’ve driven there from Las Cruces, which is about 45 minutes, and from Alamogordo, which is a bit longer. Both drives are easy — flat, open highway with mountains in the distance. Kind of beautiful, actually.
Local bus services connect the airport to downtown El Paso. Major rental car companies have counters at the airport. Taxis and rideshare services are available outside the terminal. Nothing unusual there, but everything works the way it should. The airport is also set up with accessibility features — elevators, ramps, designated parking — for travelers who need them.
Airlines and Where You Can Go
Despite being a mid-sized airport, ELP connects you to a decent number of destinations. American, Southwest, and United all operate here, with flights to cities like Los Angeles, Dallas, Denver, and others across the U.S. There are also some international routes — flights to Mexican cities like Chihuahua and Cancun.
The destination list isn’t enormous, but it covers the bases for most travelers in the region. If you need to get somewhere that isn’t served directly, Dallas or Phoenix make solid connecting points. I’ve done the ELP-to-Dallas-to-wherever routing more than once and it works fine.
Sustainability — Yeah, They’re Working On It
ELP has been putting effort into green initiatives. Solar panels have gone up to generate clean energy. They’ve switched to energy-efficient lighting in parts of the facility. Recycling programs are in place, and there are water conservation practices happening behind the scenes. For a desert airport where water is precious, that last one matters a lot. It’s not flashy stuff, but it’s the kind of steady improvement that adds up over time.
Art and Culture Inside the Terminal
This is something that caught me off guard the first time. ELP has art installations throughout the terminal — sculptures, murals, photography by local artists. It gives the airport a sense of place that most airports completely lack. You walk through and you actually feel like you’re in the Southwest, not in some generic tube of fluorescent lights and gray carpet. That’s what makes ELP endearing, honestly. The effort to reflect the local culture shows, and travelers notice it even if they don’t always mention it.
What’s Coming Down the Line
The city of El Paso keeps investing in the airport’s future. Current projects focus on terminal improvements and runway upgrades to handle larger aircraft. The goal is to increase capacity and improve the overall passenger experience. More gates, better facilities, the standard stuff that growing airports need to do.
I think ELP has a real shot at becoming more of a regional player. The location is strategic — it serves West Texas, southern New Mexico, and northern Mexico all at once. As the population in that corridor grows, the airport is going to matter more, not less. The investments being made now should position it well for that growth.
Some Travel Tips From Someone Who’s Been There
Show up at least two hours before departure. I know some people think smaller airports mean you can cut it close, but security lines can be unpredictable and it’s not worth the stress. Check your airline’s baggage rules before you pack — fees vary and they add up fast if you’re not paying attention.
Try the local food options in the terminal. Seriously. You’re in El Paso. Eat something with green chile on it. Use the free Wi-Fi if you need to knock out some work or just kill time. And if you’re picking someone up, the cell phone lot is your friend — park there and wait for the text instead of circling the terminal like a hawk.
El Paso International won’t make any lists of the world’s greatest airports, and that’s fine. It does what it needs to do, it does it reasonably well, and it reflects the culture of the region it serves. For travelers passing through this corner of the country, it’s a solid home base.
