Flying in
Closest airports to NBA arenas
Across the 29 NBA arenas we list, the median distance to the first airport we list is 7.6 miles in a straight line. The closest is TD Garden (Boston Celtics), 2.9 miles from BOS; the farthest is Ball Arena (Denver Nuggets), 19 miles from DEN.
29 arenas we list
By division. Distances are straight-line from each home venue; the drive is always longer.
Atlantic Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Celtics | TD Garden | Boston | BOS 2.9 mi | PVD 48 mi | Hotels |
| Brooklyn Nets | Barclays Center | Brooklyn | LGA 8.5 mi | EWR 10 mi | Hotels |
| New York Knicks | Madison Square Garden | New York | LGA 6.6 mi | EWR 10 mi | Hotels |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Xfinity Mobile Arena | Philadelphia | PHL 4.3 mi | — | Hotels |
Central Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bulls | United Center | Chicago | MDW 7.7 mi | ORD 14 mi | Hotels |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | Rocket Arena | Cleveland | CLE 10 mi | — | Hotels |
| Detroit Pistons | Little Caesars Arena | Detroit | DTW 18 mi | — | Hotels |
| Indiana Pacers | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Indianapolis | IND 8 mi | — | Hotels |
| Milwaukee Bucks | Fiserv Forum | Milwaukee | MKE 6.6 mi | — | Hotels |
Southeast Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Hawks | State Farm Arena - GA | Atlanta | ATL 8.5 mi | — | Hotels |
| Charlotte Hornets | Spectrum Center | Charlotte | CLT 5.8 mi | — | Hotels |
| Miami Heat | Kaseya Center | Miami | MIA 6.3 mi | FLL 20 mi | Hotels |
| Orlando Magic | Kia Center | Orlando | MCO 8.9 mi | SFB 19 mi | Hotels |
| Washington Wizards | Capital One Arena | Washington | DCA 3.3 mi | IAD 24 mi | Hotels |
Northwest Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Nuggets | Ball Arena | Denver | DEN 19 mi | — | Hotels |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Target Center | Minneapolis | MSP 7.2 mi | — | Hotels |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Paycom Center | Oklahoma City | OKC 6.9 mi | — | Hotels |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Moda Center at the Rose Quarter | Portland | PDX 5.1 mi | — | Hotels |
| Utah Jazz | Delta Center | Salt Lake City | SLC 4.3 mi | — | Hotels |
Pacific Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden State Warriors | Chase Center | San Francisco | OAK 9.6 mi | SFO 10 mi | Hotels |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Intuit Dome | Inglewood | LAX 3.7 mi | LGB 14 mi | Hotels |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles | LAX 11 mi | BUR 12 mi | Hotels |
| Phoenix Suns | Mortgage Matchup Center | Phoenix | PHX 3.5 mi | — | Hotels |
| Sacramento Kings | Golden 1 Center | Sacramento | SMF 9.4 mi | — | Hotels |
Southwest Division
| Team | Home venue | City | First airport | Second airport | Stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Mavericks | American Airlines Center | Dallas | DAL 4.9 mi | DFW 15 mi | Hotels |
| Houston Rockets | Toyota Center - TX | Houston | HOU 8.9 mi | IAH 16 mi | Hotels |
| Memphis Grizzlies | FedExForum | Memphis | MEM 7.8 mi | — | Hotels |
| New Orleans Pelicans | Smoothie King Center | New Orleans | MSY 11 mi | — | Hotels |
| San Antonio Spurs | Frost Bank Center | San Antonio | SAT 7.6 mi | — | Hotels |
Arenas that share an airport
- LAX is the first airport for Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers.
- LGA is the first airport for Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks.
How spread out each division is
The farthest and nearest pair of first airports within each division, in a straight line: a rough measure of how far a road trip inside the division reaches.
| Division | Farthest apart | Closest together |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Division | 280 mi | 0 mi |
| Central Division | 327 mi | 81 mi |
| Southeast Division | 922 mi | 193 mi |
| Northwest Division | 1,482 mi | 390 mi |
| Pacific Division | 646 mi | 0 mi |
| Southwest Division | 625 mi | 192 mi |
Related
Frequently asked questions
Which division is most spread out?
The Northwest Division: its first airports are up to 1,482 miles apart in a straight line.
How were these distances measured?
In a straight line from each home venue to the airports we list: large airports and smaller ones with scheduled flights. Business and private fields are left out, and the drive is always longer than the straight line.
Which NBA arena is closest to an airport?
TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, is 2.9 miles from BOS in a straight line, the shortest distance of the 29 we list.
Which is farthest from its nearest airport?
Ball Arena (Denver Nuggets) is 19 miles from DEN, the longest first-airport distance in the league. The league median is 7.6 miles.
Which NBA arenas share an airport?
These teams share the same first airport: LAX (Los Angeles Clippers and Los Angeles Lakers); LGA (Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks).
How many have a second airport within 37 miles?
11 of the 29 arenas we list have a second listed airport within 37 miles (60 km).
