For years, many airports have framed competition as a battle against major hub airports. In reality, air travelers aren’t choosing between airports; they’re choosing between convenience thresholds — and that threshold includes more than just how long the drive is.

Drive time often serves as the first filter in an air traveler’s decision-making process. Before price, before loyalty, before departure times, air travelers ask a simpler question: how much friction does this trip create before they even get on the plane? But once that threshold is set, they quickly move to the next set of trade-offs: will this airport get me where I want to go with the least complexity and the most schedule flexibility?

For many air travelers, especially those weighing a regional airport against a larger hub, the willingness to bypass the closer airport isn’t about preference alone. It also comes down to:

• Direct flight options: Hub airports typically offer more non-stop flights to key business and leisure destinations, which air travelers value for simplicity and time savings. Direct connectivity reduces total travel time and eliminates the stress of connections.
• Multiple route options: Larger hubs often have a wider range of routings and airlines, giving air travelers flexibility if they need to change plans, join codeshares, or find competitive pricing. This breadth of choice can make a longer drive feel worthwhile compared with more limited regional schedules.
• Flight schedules and frequency: Frequent flights throughout the day — especially early morning and late evening — increase convenience and reduce the friction that occurs when an air traveler feels locked into a narrow departure window. The perception of reliable, spread-out schedules can heavily influence decisions, particularly for business travelers and multi-segment journeys.

For many air travelers, these network advantages — paired with the perception that a hub can get them there sooner or with fewer stops — outweigh the additional drive. The result? Local catchment leakage as potential passengers choose the airport perceived to deliver the most options with the least hassle.

Understanding true drive-time tolerance, connectivity expectations, and schedule preferences unlocks smarter catchment retention strategies, more compelling airline conversations, and marketing that speaks to real air traveler behavior — not assumptions.

As airports and airlines plan for 2026, the winners will be those with the clearest understanding of who is willing to fly local, why they choose one airport over another, and what connectivity features matter most.