As life-long
Lehigh Valley Residents, my spouse and I often fly from Lehigh Valley
International Airport (LVIA), which is also called Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton
(ABE) Airport. Landside (outside of security), the self-serve Lehigh Valley Café
exists on the departures (top) level, as well as various vending machines on
the arrivals (bottom) level. Stairs, elevators, and escalators are available to
move between levels in the main terminal landside; airside, only escalators and
elevators are visible (although there must be stairs behind the scenes for
service and emergency purposes).
Porters/skycaps are sometimes available to
help with your luggage, or you can use one of the few self-serve luggage
carts/trolleys to handle your own bags. No curbside check-in is available, but
most airlines have automated kiosks where you can print your boarding pass or
luggage tags. (There are also kiosk downstairs just prior to security where you
can print a boarding pass if you have no luggage to check.) There are four sets
of restrooms, two inside security, and two outside of security, and a there is
a purified water fountain inside security so that you can refill your empty
bottle. The airport has a cell phone waiting lot, if you are picking someone
up. Taxis are sometimes available, but unfortunately Uber and Lyft pick-up
service was discouraged in early July 2017. The airport is currently renovating
its rental car area, which will offer improvements such as canopies when
finished. All major car rental companies (Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Thrifty,
Alamo, and Budget) have desks onsite directly across from baggage claim. Valet,
short, and long-term parking is available; unfortunately, parking is not
inexpensive ($14 per day or $79 per week for long-term), but there is much less
stress when you fly from ABE than from our next closest airports of
Philadelphia or Newark. You can pay your parking bill at the automated kiosk on
the way to baggage claim (there are only two carousels), or you can pay an
attendant in person as you exit in your car. LVIA recently opened a dedicated
TSA Pre-Check lane after a concerted effort to offer applications and
interviews onsite ($85 per year); we have Global Entry privileges ($100 per
year), so we can also use Pre-Check, and it is nice not to have to remove
shoes, computers, or liquids or empty our pockets before we pass through the
security scanner.
Airside, In
addition to the PA Pub Café and Spirits (see my separate review titled “You’ll
Definitely Visit on Your Way Out of Town!”), the secure area also offers the
Spirit of the Lehigh Valley News and Gifts shop that sells drinks, snacks,
reading material, souvenirs, and forgotten items. (Years ago, there was a
similar shop/newsstand landside, but it closed during the most recent renovations.)
Also within security, the airport has recently opened a children’s play area in
one of the older unused lower-level gates, and charging stations and massage
chairs are available.
We love flying
from small and manageable ABE, even though it requires a connection (sometimes
on smaller aircraft, the size of which you cannot stow your rollaboard in the
overhead, and that sometimes land in satellite terminals or on the tarmac with
no jet way) through Chicago (United), Detroit or Atlanta (Delta), or Charlotte
or Philadelphia (American); on occasion, we have also used the United
connection through Newark (but that is not preferable to us because it involves
limo bus service instead of an actual flight). Lower-cost carrier Allegiant
offers non-stop service to some Florida cities from ABE. We will gladly fly
from hassle-free ABE anytime!
