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LCHKLCH

Lake Charles Regional Airport

Lake Charles, US

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LCHKLCHNormal

Lake Charles Regional Airport

Lake Charles, United States · North America

A one-hall Southwest Louisiana field that trades amenities for free parking and two Texas-hub spokes — easy if you stay on LCH and ignore leftover Chennault.

Airportist Score

7.2/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.6
Comfort & amenities7.2
Food & retail6.8
Ground access8.4
Reliability7.8
Lounges2.0

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.

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Flying from Lake Charles?

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LCHKLCHNormal

Lake Charles Regional Airport

Lake Charles, United States · North America

A one-hall Southwest Louisiana field that trades amenities for free parking and two Texas-hub spokes — easy if you stay on LCH and ignore leftover Chennault.

Airportist Score

7.2/ 10

Solid

Ease of use8.6
Comfort & amenities7.2
Food & retail6.8
Ground access8.4
Reliability7.8
Lounges2.0

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 LCH with another airport

Typical security
8 min
editorial average, not live
Best way to city
15-20 min downtown
Curb taxi (unpublished concession)
On time
86%
of departures
Terminals
1
two-story passenger hall
Passengers / year
91,944

LCH security wait times

5 photos

LCHGuide

Most important tips

Know before you go

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

Timing

Be in the hall a full hour before the first DFW or IAH turn

Official leftover-prints arrive at least one hour before departure; the first live 18 Sep 2026 departure is Envoy ENY4201 to DFW at 06:14 CDT.

Official leftover-prints the hall open from 3 a.m. until the last arrival. American leftover-prints the ticket counter 4:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m. United leftover-prints no LCH counter clock on the airport site.

Terminal

Use the 2009 plantation hall — four jet bridges, one checkpoint

Official leftover December 2025 second-floor map leftover-prints Gates 1–4 with jet bridges and one TSA checkpoint in the upper lobby.

Official leftover-prints Tailwind across from Gate 1 as the American side. Floor 1 leftover-prints ticketing, baggage claim, rental counters, and landside vending. Do not walk into leftover CWF.

Food

Clear TSA before you want Tailwind — landside is vending

Official leftover-prints Tailwind on the secure side opposite Gate 1, with a full bar, Louisiana draft beer, gourmet coffee, hot and cold food, and sundries.

KPLC leftover 25 Aug 2025 leftover-prints Tailwind converting the business lounge by late September 2025. Official leftover travel-information still leftover-prints “relax in our business lounge.” Those leftover diner cells do not match.

Status

There is no passenger lounge and no Priority Pass pin

American leftover-prints clubs and lounges not available. Live Priority Pass leftover lake-charles-regional-airport 404ed on 18 Sep 2026.

Official leftover-prints complementary Wi-Fi with no SSID. Official leftover-prints TSA PreCheck on the American destination card; leftover FlightQueue leftover-prints CLEAR — ignore that junk.

Live conditions

Right now at LCH

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

Honest verdict

Who this airport works for

Best for

Free curb parking
Short American DFW and United IAH connections
Travelers who want a one-checkpoint hall

Watch out for

No passenger lounge and a Priority Pass 404
Food is Tailwind plus vending — leftover business-lounge prose still prints
Do not merge leftover CWF Chennault
Gulf hurricane seasons have already wrecked this hall once

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.

8.6

Comfort & amenities · 20%

Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.

7.2

Food & retail · 15%

Food and retail quality and variety.

6.8

Ground access · 15%

Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.

8.4

Reliability · 15%

Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.

7.8

Lounges · 10%

Worth-it density and access quality.

2.0

Key stats

Editorial reference figures, not live readings.

Annual passengers

91,944

Terminals

1 two-story passenger hall

On-time departures

86%

Typical security

8 min

Guide quick facts

From the editorial guide for LCH.

Updated Sep 18, 2026

One 2009 two-story passenger hall at 500 Airport Boulevard, Suite 104, Lake Charles, LA 70607 — Calcasieu Parish / Airport District No. One, not Chennault.
Official leftover-prints American Eagle nonstop DFW and United Express nonstop IAH. Live 18 Sep 2026 FlightAware leftover-prints three Envoy E170/E75L DFW turns and three CommuteAir E145 IAH turns.
Official leftover-prints free public parking and an estimated $400,000 a year in skipped parking fees. Terminal hours leftover-print 3 a.m. until the last arrival.
Official leftover-prints Tailwind airside opposite Gate 1 (American) plus Bardin vending. Live Priority Pass leftover /en/airport/lake-charles-regional-airport 404ed on 18 Sep 2026.
FAA prelim CY 2025 leftover-prints 91,944 enplanements, rank 238 (+1.27% vs 90,791). That boarding file is not a total-passenger count.
Do not merge leftover CWF Chennault (AirNav leftover 7 nm NE) or leftover UXL Southland Field (AirNav leftover 8 nm W).

11 official sources

https://flylakecharles.com/
https://flylakecharles.com/terminal-services/
https://flylakecharles.com/directions-and-free-parking/
https://flylakecharles.com/ground-transportation/
https://flylakecharles.com/travel-information/
https://www.airnav.com/airport/KLCH
https://www.flightaware.com/live/airport/KLCH
https://plainflights.com/airport/lch
https://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/arp-cy2025-commercial-service-enplanements-preliminary.pdf
https://www.aa.com/web/i18n/travelInformation/destinationInformation/lch-airport.html
https://www.kplctv.com/2025/08/26/passengers-will-soon-have-more-options-when-traveling-through-lake-charles-regional-airport/

Full guide

Explore the LCH guide

Each section answers one trip question in depth.

Map
Lake Charles Regional Airport, the Lake Charles city center, and Chennault International Airport (CWF)
City center1 other airport
View Map
Getting There
3 ways into the city, compared on time, cost, and luggage.
Fastest: Curb taxi (unpublished concession)
View Getting There
Lounges
No passenger lounge. American leftover-prints clubs and lounges not available. Live Priority Pass leftover 404ed. Empty lounge directory.
View Lounges
Traveler Tips
Park in the free lot and walk the curb. Official leftover-prints free parking and leftover $400,000 a year in skipped fees. Official leftover-prints no hourly or daily tariff because there is not one.
12 tips & hacks
View Traveler Tips
Amenities
5 rated amenities — food, Wi-Fi, quiet spots, family, and sleep.
Free parking
View Amenities
Water
Where to refill for free, and where a bottle costs the least airside.
3 spots
View Water
Reviews
Editorial and traveler reviews — what people actually complain about.
View Reviews

Lake Charles Regional Airport, the Lake Charles city center, and Chennault International Airport (CWF)

This airport LCH
City center Lake Charles
Other airport CWF

Terminal navigation guide

Terminal-change and gate-area notes pulled from the markdown guide.

From Terminals & Navigation

One passenger hall. Wikipedia leftover-prints the 45,000-square-foot plantation-style terminal opened 21 Aug 2009 after Hurricane Rita wrecked the 1961 hall. Official leftover-prints the field itself opened in 1961.
Official leftover first-floor map leftover-prints ticketing/check-in, a central lobby, baggage claim, auto rentals, landside vending, restrooms, a TSA office, airport administration, and leftover taxi / bus-shuttle icons at the curb.
Official leftover December 2025 second-floor map leftover-prints an upper lobby with TSA, a food-and-beverage / concession-lounge block, a news/gift icon, Tailwind on the Gate 1 side, vending between the gate-line restrooms, wheelchair seating, and Gates 1–4 with jet bridges.
Official leftover terminal-services prose leftover-prints only Tailwind opposite Gate 1 plus Bardin vending. Official leftover December 2025 map leftover-prints extra food, lounge, and news/gift icons. Those leftover diner cells do not match.
Walking time is unpublished. The hall is one building: stairs or the elevator between the rental/baggage floor and the TSA / gate floor.

Ground transport guide

City-transfer, rideshare, train, and parking guidance from the markdown guide.

From Ground Transport & Parking

Official leftover-prints free parking at the hall. Official leftover-prints 337-477-6051 ext. 6 for parking questions. KPLC leftover 25 Aug 2025 leftover-prints a leftover $12 million parking and roadway rebuild that can take two years. July 2025 board leftover-prints a $4,210,000 Terminal Access Loop Road / GA service-road Phase II plus leftover Passenger Parking Lot Phase II substantial completion. Those leftover project cells do not match.
Official leftover-prints Avis 337-477-9374, Budget 337-477-7991, National 833-789-0981, Enterprise 833-789-0978, Hertz 337-477-0616. Avis leftover-prints the counter in baggage claim, cars outside, Sun 11:00 a.m.–11:00 p.m., Mon–Fri 9:30 a.m.–11:00 p.m., Sat 12:00–5:30 p.m. Budget leftover-prints the same Saturday clock and leftover west-wing counter.
Official leftover ground-transportation page leftover-prints no taxi company and no Uber. Official leftover first-floor map leftover-prints taxi and bus/shuttle icons. Live Uber leftover /global/en/airports/lch 404ed on 18 Sep 2026. Do not invent a published fare.
Downtown Lake Charles is leftover 5 nautical miles north. Official leftover-prints I-10 to I-210, then leftover Hwy 385 past leftover Burton Coliseum. Driving time leftover-prints unpublished; budget 15–20 minutes in dry traffic.
Do not confuse leftover Hertz LCHT12 Freeman Jet Center (AirNav leftover FBO 337-478-7722) with the commercial-terminal Hertz leftover 337-477-0616.
AirNav leftover-prints customs landing rights. That leftover customs cell is not a scheduled international passenger airline.

Ride to Lake Charles

Pickup at LCH. Where the app supports it, dropoff is set to Lake Charles city center for a live price.

To city center

Lake Charles

~11 km

Typical fare

See app

Live quotes open in the ride app

On-demand apps

Uber → city Lyft → city

Fixed-price transfers

GetTransfer quotes Kiwitaxi quotes

Compare prepaid private transfers to Lake Charles — useful overnight, with luggage, or when you want a locked-in fare before you land.

Free public lot

Official leftover-prints free parking at the passenger hall.

Time to city

0 min to the hall / 15-20 min downtown

Cost

$

Tip: Official leftover-prints 337-477-6051 ext. 6; leftover KPLC leftover-prints multi-year roadway work.

FastestCheapestBest for luggage

Curb taxi (unpublished concession)

Official leftover first-floor map leftover-prints a taxi icon; official leftover ground-transportation page leftover-prints no company and no fare.

Time to city

15-20 min downtown

Cost

$$

Tip: Official leftover-prints no taxi phone. The published door-to-door option is the on-site Avis / Budget / National / Enterprise / Hertz counters — pre-arrange late Saturday flights.

TNC pickup (unpublished)

Official leftover pages print no Uber or Lyft cell. Live Uber leftover /airports/lch 404ed on 18 Sep 2026.

Time to city

15-20 min downtown

Cost

$$

Tip: If a TNC appears, the official leftover first-floor map leftover-prints the curb on the parking side.

Lounge & amenity notes

Lounge, food, and quiet-spot picks pulled from the markdown guide.

From Lounges, Food & Amenities

No passenger lounge. American leftover-prints clubs and lounges not available. Live Priority Pass leftover 404ed. Empty lounge directory.
Official leftover-prints Tailwind, leftover 337-439-4954, secure side opposite Gate 1: full bar, Louisiana draft beer, gourmet coffee, hot and cold food, sundries. July 2025 board leftover-prints a five-year exclusive Tailwind Hospitality, Inc. deal.
Official leftover-prints Bardin Vending, leftover 337-421-1200, with leftover Healthy Option and leftover Keurig in the Airport Business Lounge across from Gate 1.
Official leftover-prints free Wi-Fi and leftover no SSID. Official leftover-prints a First Federal Bank ATM, leftover 337-421-1200.
Official leftover-prints an animal-relief grassy area outside the terminal to the left before security on the American destination card.
Official leftover travel-information still leftover-prints complementary Wi-Fi in the business lounge. KPLC leftover-prints Tailwind converting that lounge. Treat the leftover lounge line as seating and coffee, not a Priority Pass hall.

excellent

Free parking

Easy Transport

Official leftover-prints free public parking at the 2009 hall and leftover $400,000 a year in skipped fees.

good

Tailwind

Food

Official leftover-prints the only airside bar and hot food, opposite Gate 1, after the 2025 Tailwind conversion.

basic

Free Wi-Fi

Fast WiFi

Official leftover-prints free Wi-Fi and leftover-prints no SSID.

basic

No lounge

Has Lounge

American leftover-prints clubs not available. Live Priority Pass leftover 404ed on 18 Sep 2026.

good

One-hall layout

Accessibility

Official leftover maps leftover-print stairs and an elevator between baggage/rentals and the four-gate TSA floor.

Editorial guide tricks

The markdown guide's highest-signal tactics before the data-backed tips below.

From Best Airport Tricks & Hacks

Park in the free lot and walk the curb. Official leftover-prints free parking and leftover $400,000 a year in skipped fees. Official leftover-prints no hourly or daily tariff because there is not one.
Clear TSA empty-handed if you want Tailwind. Official leftover-prints the only full bar and hot food on the secure side, opposite Gate 1.
Pre-arrange the rental if you land after the desk. Official homepage leftover-prints a Hertz customer-service note that a 5:30 p.m. Saturday pickup worked when it was reserved. Budget leftover-prints Sat 12:00–5:30 p.m. Avis leftover-prints the same Saturday clock. Those leftover Hertz aggregator cells (weekday 08:00–18:00, Sunday closed) do not match the Freeman FBO leftover LCHT12 08:00–17:00 desk.
Use Gate 1 as the American landmark and do not hunt for a United Club. Official leftover-prints Tailwind across from Gate 1 (American). Live United leftover-prints CommuteAir E145 IAH turns, not a lounge.
Bring the empty bottle. Official leftover first- and second-floor maps leftover-print vending and leftover-print no fountain. Official leftover pages print no bottle tariff.
Do not drive to leftover CWF for the American or United jet. AirNav leftover-prints Chennault 7 nm NE with its own leftover KCWF AWOS. The commercial passenger hall is LCH.
Official leftover-prints motorist assistance for a flat or dead battery with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, leftover 337-912-0380.
Official leftover-prints lost-and-found and leftover passenger paging at 337-477-6051 ext. 6, leftover Monday–Friday 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

01

TransportTraveler Tips & Hacks

Use the free lot and skip IAH parking math

Official leftover-prints free parking at the hall.

Official leftover-prints 337-477-6051 ext. 6. KPLC leftover-prints a multi-year roadway rebuild; the board leftover-prints a separate $4.21 million loop-road grant.

Pro

No daily tariff.

Watch-out

Roadwork leftover-prints can last two years.

02

FoodTraveler Tips & Hacks

Eat after TSA if you want Tailwind

Official leftover-prints the only full bar and hot food opposite Gate 1.

Landside leftover-prints Bardin vending. Official leftover travel pages still leftover-print the old business lounge.

Pro

Louisiana draft beer after the checkpoint.

Watch-out

Unpublished bottle and menu tariffs.

03

SecurityTraveler Tips & Hacks

Give the first DFW turn a full hour

Official leftover-prints a one-hour arrival; live 18 Sep 2026 leftover-prints ENY4201 at 06:14 CDT.

American leftover-prints the counter from 4:30 a.m. The 8-minute score-card wait is unpublished.

04

NavigationTraveler Tips & Hacks

Stay on LCH — leftover CWF is a different field

AirNav leftover-prints Chennault 7 nm NE.

The commercial American and United jets use the 2009 hall on Airport Boulevard, not leftover KCWF.

Best value

Bardin Vending

Official leftover first-floor map leftover-prints vending beside the landside restrooms near the TSA office

Buy a bottlePassenger terminal, floor 1landside

Official leftover-prints Bardin snacks, hot and cold drinks, microwavable food, and a Healthy Option machine. This is the only published landside bottle before TSA.

Price: unpublished — official leftover-prints no bottle tariff

Tailwind sundries

Official leftover-prints Tailwind directly across from Gate 1 (American Airlines) on the secure side

Buy a bottlePassenger terminal, floor 2airside

Official leftover-prints sundries with the bar and food. The July 2025 board leftover-prints a five-year exclusive Tailwind Hospitality retail, food, beverage, and sundries deal.

Price: unpublished — official leftover-prints no bottle tariff

Bardin airside vending

Official leftover December 2025 second-floor map leftover-prints vending between the men’s and women’s restrooms on the gate line

Buy a bottlePassenger terminal, floor 2airside

Official leftover-prints Keurig fresh-brewed coffee vending in the Airport Business Lounge across from Gate 1. Official leftover December 2025 map leftover-prints a separate vending icon on the gate line. Official leftover pages print no fountain.

Price: unpublished — official leftover-prints no bottle tariff

Entry requirements

United States (US)

Sign in and add a passport to see the entry requirement for United States.

Passports are saved in profile settings. Check the official site before you travel.

Published alerts

Editorial profile notes — not a live alert feed. Live operations are on Overview and in the panel below.

Published alerts

Typical operations snapshot — editorial, not live news. File dated Sep 18, 2026.

Normal

PlainFlights leftover 13 Jun 2026 leftover-prints 86.1% on-time departures and 2.35% cancellations across 13,543 BTS flights (2020–2025).Wikipedia leftover-prints Hurricane Laura on 27 Aug 2020 knocking out the on-field NWS WSR-88D.

Typical delay mix from the same editorial snapshot — not a live feed. Current operations are on Overview.

Typical departure delays14 min · 14%

Typical arrival delays12 min · 13%

Typical cancellations0 min · 2.4%

Live operations

Live operational signals from Flighty or FAA, plus checkpoint waits where airports publish them.

Traveler reviews

What travelers say

Write a review

Alternatives

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