Albert J. Ellis Airport is a county-owned public-use airport in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. It is located in Richlands, 10 nautical miles (19 km) northwest of the central business district of Jacksonville and Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. The airport has a single runway and three gates. Opening on February 15, 1971, the airport is used by general aviation, the military and two commercial airlines, American Eagle and Delta Connection.OAJ Airport Director
American Eagle operates services to Charlotte. These services are operated by PSA Airlines, which operates CRJ-700s and CRJ-900s, and Piedmont Airlines, which operates ERJ-145s.OAJ Airport Director
On August 30, 2006, Delta Air Lines announced new service from the airport to Atlanta, Georgia, operated by Delta Connection carrier ExpressJet Airlines, starting on December 11, 2006. Delta began operating B-717 aircraft on the OAJ-ATL route on August 28, 2016. When ExpressJet closed, the service transferred to Endeavor Airlines.OAJ Airport Director
Facilities and aircraft Albert J. Ellis Airport covers an area of at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 5/23 with an asphalt surface measuring .
For the 12-month period ending May 31, 2020, the airport had 29,544 aircraft operations, an average of 81 per day: 35% military, 33% general aviation, 23% scheduled commercial and 9% air taxi. In December 2020, there were 26 aircraft based at this airport: 22 single-engine, 1 multi-engine and 3 helicopter.FAA 5010 Record
The airport is served by a fixed-base operator, Skyport Aviation, which offers fueling, maintenance, flight instruction and aircraft rentals from the new 10,000-ft2 executive terminal, which opened in 2015.
In 2013, the airport began construction on a two-story, replacement passenger terminal building. The new terminal features passenger loading bridges, new concessions, expanded passenger areas and space for additional airlines. This is part of the airport's $50-million Terminal Area Redevelopment Program. The new terminal was topped off on June 10, 2014, and officially opened on August 19, 2015, National Aviation Day.OAJ Airport Director
On December 6, 2017, the airport began construction on its first air traffic control tower. The six-story-tall tower opened on November 1, 2018.
The airport upgraded the lighting and signs on the runway and taxiways to LED in 2018/2019. A project to add a extension to the northeast end of the runway (lengthening the runway to total) is planned to begin in 2023, with construction beginning in 2025. Other projects to rehabilitate and expand airfield pavements are also planned to begin between 2023 and 2027.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger statistics Year Passengers 2025 311,000 2024 289,000 2023 267,000 2022 273,000 2021 320,000 2020 212,444Preliminary - Albert J. Ellis Airport Stats 2019 332,270 2018 308,553 2017 313,940 2016 303,288 2015 302,608 2014 321,642 2013 344,710 2012 352,455 2011 344,467 2010 314,883 2009 249,563 2008 262,178 2007 242,817 2006 179,878 2005 191,194 2004 151,257 2003 87,814 2002 65,210 2001 62,454 2000 77,342
Top nonstop destinations + Busiest domestic routes (April 2025 – March 2026) Rank City Passengers 1 Charlotte, North Carolina 78,020 2 Atlanta, Georgia 74,800
See also List of airports in North Carolina
References
External links
at NCDOT airport directory Aerial image as of March 1993 from USGS The National Map