Grand Strand Airport

Grand Strand Airport
2006 USGS airphoto
IATA: CRE ICAO: KCRE FAA LID: CRE
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Horry County
Serves	North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Elevation AMSL	32 ft / 10 m
Coordinates	33°48′42″N 078°43′26″W / 33.81167°N 78.72389°W / 33.81167; -78.72389
Map
CRE Location of Grand Strand Airport
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 5/23 5,997 1,828 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations (year ending 5/6/2021) 35,772 Based aircraft 38
Source: Federal Aviation Administration[1]

Grand Strand Airport (IATA: CRE, ICAO: KCRE, FAA LID: CRE) is a county-owned, public-use airport located one nautical mile (1.85 km) northwest of the central business district of North Myrtle Beach, in Horry County, South Carolina, United States.^[1] The name Grand Strand refers to a nearby 60-mile stretch of beach; its code CRE refers to nearby Crescent Beach.

This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (2009–2013), which categorizes it as a general aviation airport.^[2]

Grand Strand Airport covers an area of 427 acres (173 ha) at an elevation of 32 feet (10 m) above mean sea level. It has one runway designated 5/23 with an asphalt surface measuring 5,997 by 100 feet (1,828 x 30 m).^[1]

For the 12-month period ending May 6, 2021, the airport had 35,772 aircraft operations, an average of 98 per day: 80% general aviation, 17% air taxi, and 3% military. At that time there were 38 aircraft based at this airport: 29 single-engine, 7 multi-engine, 1 jet and 1 helicopter.^[1]

The origins of the airport are undetermined; however, it was likely built during World War II by the United States Army Air Forces. Known as Wampee Flight Strip, it was used as an auxiliary landing airfield for Myrtle Beach Army Airfield. It was closed after World War II, and was turned over for local government use by the War Assets Administration (WAA).

Beginning in 1956, this was the commercial airport for Myrtle Beach and other Grand Strand communities, primarily being serviced by Piedmont Airlines. It was used until the opening of what is now Myrtle Beach International Airport in 1976 at Myrtle Beach AFB.

Since 1976, the airport has been used by general aviation, primarily serving the North Myrtle Beach area.

• List of airports in South Carolina
• South Carolina World War II Army Airfields

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

• Shaw, Frederick J. (2004), Locating Air Force Base Sites History's Legacy, Air Force History and Museums Program, United States Air Force, Washington DC, 20004.

• Ramp 66, the fixed-base operator (FBO)
• Aerial photo as of 28 February 1999 Archived 17 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine from USGS The National Map
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective November 28, 2024
• FAA Terminal Procedures for CRE, effective November 28, 2024
• Resources for this airport:
  • FAA airport information for CRE
  • AirNav airport information for KCRE
  • ASN accident history for CRE
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart, Terminal Procedures