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BHMKBHM

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Birmingham, US

Airportist Score

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BHMKBHMNormal

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Birmingham, United States · North America

A compact, walkable one-terminal Alabama hub with CLEAR/PreCheck, on-deck rentals, and solid local food—traded against zero passenger lounges and no fixed-route transit to downtown.

Airportist Score

6.9/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.3
Comfort & amenities7.2
Food & retail6.7
Ground access6.6
Reliability7.6
Lounges2.5

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare BHM with another airport

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Cheapest

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On time

BHMGuide

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All airports Official site

BHMKBHMNormal

Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport

Birmingham, United States · North America

A compact, walkable one-terminal Alabama hub with CLEAR/PreCheck, on-deck rentals, and solid local food—traded against zero passenger lounges and no fixed-route transit to downtown.

Airportist Score

6.9/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.3
Comfort & amenities7.2
Food & retail6.7
Ground access6.6
Reliability7.6
Lounges2.5

How the score works

An editorial 0–10 score. The overall is exactly the weighted sum of six traveler categories — not a Google rating and not a poll.

25%Ease of use — Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
20%Comfort & amenities — Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
15%Food & retail — Food and retail quality and variety.
15%Ground access — Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
15%Reliability — Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
10%Lounges — Worth-it density and access quality.

Compare BHM with another airport

Arrive
90 min
before departure
Typical security
15 min
editorial average, not live
Fastest to city
15–25 minutes to downtown (≈4 miles NE)
Uber / Lyft (Arrivals lower curb)
Cheapest to city
No fixed-route curb bus published
N/A · Not applicable / not published
On time
82%
of departures
Terminals
1
terminal with Concourses A/B/C

12 photos

Alternatives

Nearby airports

Passenger airports within about 150 km. Scored airports show their Airportist Score so you can weigh a switch.

PLRSt. Clair County Airport
Pell City
47 km
ASNTalladega Municipal Airport
Talladega
65 km
GADNortheast Alabama Regional Airport
Gadsden
77 km
ANBAnniston Regional Airport
Anniston
83 km
TCLTuscaloosa Regional Airport
Tuscaloosa
88 km
ALXThomas C Russell Field
Alexander City
103 km

PLRSt. Clair County Airport
Pell City
47 km
ASNTalladega Municipal Airport
Talladega
65 km
GADNortheast Alabama Regional Airport
Gadsden
77 km
ANBAnniston Regional Airport
Anniston
83 km
TCLTuscaloosa Regional Airport
Tuscaloosa
88 km
ALXThomas C Russell Field
Alexander City
103 km

BHMGuide

BHMGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

A compact traveler cheat sheet for timing, terminals, food, and disruption checks.

Timing

One TSA portal; official advice is 90 minutes

CLEAR + PreCheck stack at BHM. Shops open 04:00; restaurant closing tracks the last flight.

Official TSA page: single central security entrance for all concourses; arrive at least 90 minutes out. CLEAR lane/enrollment 04:30–20:00 daily; PreCheck enrollment available at the CLEAR kiosk.

Layout

Upper ticketing, lower bags, A/B/C after one clear

Compact Alabama mid-size: curb to gate is short if you are on the right level.

Walk A to B to C airside without reclearing. Rentals are deck 1B — no rental shuttle. Map lists A1–A8, B1–B3/B5–B6, C1–C6.

Food

Local names beat the national defaults

Clear first — the interesting kitchens are airside.

Official dining: Red Mountain Grill (B, airfield view), Tacos Locos (C), Scoreboard (A), plus Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, American Bagel, Burger King.

Lounges

No Priority Pass room — and BHX is the wrong airport

Use meditation/sensory rooms or a quiet gate; do not walk looking for a club.

Live Priority Pass USA has no BHM row. Aspire/No1/Clubrooms hits are Birmingham UK (BHX). 2020 Primeclass news is not on today's Amenities page.

Live conditions

Right now at BHM

Security waits and operational status from official feeds, where the airport publishes them.

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Short connections and same-day turnarounds in a single walkable terminal
Families needing nursing rooms, Kidzone, and sensory/meditation spaces
Drivers who want on-site rentals in the deck and cheap Economy parking

Watch out for

No Priority Pass or airline club—quiet rooms only, and BHX (UK) lounge hits are the wrong airport
No fixed-route city bus to the curb; plan taxi, rideshare, or rental
Limited airside food depth once chains and the three local spots are busy

Airportist Score

Why this score

Overall is the published weighted sum of six categories. No holistic fudge on top.

Ease of use · 25%

Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.

8.3

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.2

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

6.7

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

6.6

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.6

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

2.5

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

3.28 million (2025)

Terminals

1 terminal with Concourses A/B/C

On-time departures

82%

Typical security

15 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for BHM.

Updated Sep 11, 2026

IATA BHM / ICAO KBHM. Birmingham Airport Authority, 5900 Messer Airport Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35212. Phone 205-595-0533. Official https://www.flybirmingham.com/. AirNav elev 650 ft, 4 mi NE of downtown; runways 06/24 12,007x150 and 18/36 7,099x150 (AirNav, 11 Sep 2026). Passenger terminal only — ANG ramp is PPR/separate.
Official statistical report: 3,283,164 total passengers in calendar 2025 (+1% vs 2024). Alabama's busiest commercial airport by passengers.
Official airlines (11 Sep 2026): American, Delta, Southwest, United, Breeze (service starting July 2026); 22 nonstop airport destinations. One terminal, Concourses A/B/C after a single central TSA entrance.
TSA PreCheck yes; CLEAR yes with lane/enrollment 04:30–20:00 daily and on-site PreCheck enrollment at the CLEAR kiosk (official TSA page). clearme.com lists Birmingham-Shuttlesworth. Arrive at least 90 minutes (official).
No Priority Pass lounge on live USA list (11 Sep 2026). Official Amenities has meditation/sensory/nursing/Kidzone — not a club. 2020 Primeclass Concourse B announcement is not a live listing. Do not confuse with BHX (UK) lounges.
Parking since 1 Jul 2025 (official): Hourly deck $26/day, Daily deck $17/day, Economy $10/day 24/7 shuttle, Valet $28/day. Rentals in parking-deck section 1B. Free Cell Phone Lot at 5600 Airline Drive.

14 official sources

https://www.flybirmingham.com/
https://www.flybirmingham.com/airlines-and-destinations
https://www.flybirmingham.com/parking-and-ground-transportation
https://www.flybirmingham.com/rental-cars
https://www.flybirmingham.com/taxi-service
https://www.flybirmingham.com/rideshare-and-peer-to-peer
https://www.flybirmingham.com/tsa
https://www.flybirmingham.com/amenities
https://www.flybirmingham.com/dining-options
https://www.flybirmingham.com/shopping-options
https://www.flybirmingham.com/terminal-maps
https://www.flybirmingham.com/statistical-report
https://www.airnav.com/airport/KBHM
https://www.prioritypass.com/en-GB/lounges/united-states-of-america

Full guide

Explore the BHM guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport and the Birmingham city center
City center
View Map
Getting There
4 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Uber / Lyft (Arrivals lower curb)Cheapest: No fixed-route curb bus published
View Getting There
Lounges
No confirmed operating passenger lounge for airport_lounges. Priority Pass USA has no BHM row. Official Amenities lists quiet rooms, not a club. 2020 Primeclass news is historical only.
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Empty the bottle at the single TSA portal; official amenities page does not map fillers.
11 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
6 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Red Mountain GrillKidzone & nursing roomsLiving Wall
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
4 spots2 free or refill
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Security wait times

A current security estimate is not available. Check the official airport site or MyTSA before travel.

Official airport site TSA screening guide

Operational status

Normal operations

No Flighty-reported operational issues for this airport.

Status update: 07:53 CDT

Source: Flighty Airports

Status response Oct 26, 12:53 UTC · Confirm live conditions with official sources before travel.

⛅12°C / 54°F