Flying to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) in Middletown serves central Pennsylvania's capital region. FareOptic compares Delta, American, and United for the best fare into the Harrisburg–Hershey–Gettysburg corridor.
Flights to Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)
*All above fares are one way/round trip. Fares incl. all fuel surcharges, taxes & fees and our service fees. Displayed fares are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed at the time of booking. See all booking terms and conditions.
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Why Visit Harrisburg?
The Capitol that Roosevelt called America's most beautiful building, Gettysburg 36 miles away, Hersheypark 14 miles east, the National Civil War Museum on the bluffs above the Susquehanna
Pennsylvania State Capitol -- The 1906 Beaux-Arts Masterpiece That Theodore Roosevelt Called the Most Beautiful Building in the United States
A $13 Million Italian Renaissance Capitol Building with a Dome Modeled After St. Peter's in Rome, Murals by Edwin Austin Abbey, and a Grand Staircase That Has Guided Every Pennsylvania Governor Since 1906The Pennsylvania State Capitol (North Third Street, Harrisburg -- the capitol building completed 1906, designed by Philadelphia architect Joseph Miller Huston in Italian Renaissance/Beaux-Arts style, built at a cost of $13 million in 1906 dollars -- roughly $430 million in 2024 value -- and dedicated by President Theodore Roosevelt on October 4, 1906, who called it 'the most beautiful building I ever saw') is one of the most architecturally elaborate state capitol buildings in the United States and one of the finest examples of Beaux-Arts civic architecture in the country. The building's exterior is modeled after St. Peter's Basilica in Rome: the central dome (272 feet tall, glazed with 4 million Guastavino tiles, visible from 20 miles away across the Susquehanna River valley) follows the proportions of Michelangelo's dome over St. Peter's, while the building's Pennsylvania Renaissance exterior uses granite from Milford, Massachusetts and Indiana limestone. The interior contains: (1) the 318-step Grand Staircase (modeled after the Paris Opera staircase by Charles Garnier, constructed of Breche Violette marble from Italy and flanked by murals by Edwin Austin Abbey depicting Penn's Treaty with the Indians and The Apotheosis of Pennsylvania); (2) the House of Representatives chamber (with stained glass ceiling panels by William B. Van Ingen depicting Pennsylvania's agricultural, industrial, and scientific history -- 122 windows total in the building, all designed by Van Ingen); (3) the Senate chamber (with painted ceiling panels by Violet Oakley, Pennsylvania's first woman commissioned for a major public mural project); (4) the Governor's Reception Room (with Oakley's multi-panel mural cycle depicting the founding of Pennsylvania and William Penn's role in religious tolerance). Free guided tours depart from the Main Rotunda hourly on weekdays and available weekends.
The Huston Scandal -- How the Capitol's Architect Was Convicted of Fraud Despite Building One of America's Most Admired Buildings
The Pennsylvania State Capitol's construction became one of the early 20th century's most celebrated political corruption scandals. Architect Joseph Miller Huston and building contractor John Sanderson overcharged the Commonwealth for construction materials and furnishings at inflated prices, billing Pennsylvania for work and materials at 3-5 times market value: furniture billed at $56,000 was worth $7,000; mosaic floor tiles billed at $8.75 per tile were worth $1.50; and total fraudulent overcharges were estimated at $5 million. State Treasurer William Berry, who exposed the fraud by commissioning an independent audit, brought charges against Huston, Sanderson, and several contractors. Huston was convicted of fraud and sentenced to 2-6 years in prison; he served approximately 2 years. The fraud, while genuine, does not diminish the building's architectural achievement -- Huston's design remains a masterwork of American civic architecture regardless of the contractor billing practices that accompanied its construction, and the building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1972.
National Civil War Museum -- The Most Comprehensive Civil War Museum in the United States, Purpose-Built to Tell Both Sides of America's Defining Conflict Without Sectional Bias
350,000 Artifacts, 12 Galleries Covering Both the Union and Confederate Perspectives, and the Only Major Civil War Museum That Deliberately Presents the War from All Points of View Including Enslaved People's ExperiencesThe National Civil War Museum (One Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park, Harrisburg -- opened 2001, purpose-built by the City of Harrisburg under Mayor Stephen Reed's ambitious cultural infrastructure program, the museum contains 350,000 artifacts and is one of the largest and most comprehensive Civil War museums in the United States with a specific mandate to tell the Civil War story without the regional bias that characterized most 20th-century Civil War interpretation) occupies a 65,000-square-foot building on Harrisburg's highest hill -- Reservoir Park, where Harrisburg's water system once stood -- with commanding views of the Susquehanna River valley and the Blue Ridge in the distance. The museum's 12 permanent galleries proceed chronologically through the Civil War (1850-1865) with particular emphasis on the experiences of: (1) Union and Confederate soldiers (personal letters, diaries, clothing, equipment, and weapons from both sides displayed together); (2) African American experience in the Civil War (the largest single gallery dedicated to Black soldiers, the United States Colored Troops, enslaved people's resistance, and the role of emancipation as a war aim -- a perspective largely absent from Civil War museums built before 1990); (3) the home front (how the war transformed daily life, industry, and social structure in both the North and South); and (4) the medical dimension of the war (the casualties, amputation culture, field hospital conditions, and the Civil War's role in advancing American medicine). The museum's collection includes the largest collection of Civil War flags outside the Smithsonian, an extensive collection of United States Colored Troops materials, and one of the few museum collections that includes both Union and Confederate original battlefield flags.
Harrisburg as the Union's Premier Training Camp -- Camp Curtin and Why Central Pennsylvania Was the Gateway to Union Army Service for 300,000 Men
Camp Curtin (established April 18, 1861, one day after the Pennsylvania General Assembly authorized it -- four miles north of Harrisburg's 1861 city center, in the area now bounded by Curtin Street, Maclay Street, Sixth Street, and Calder Street) was the largest Union Army mustering camp of the Civil War: an estimated 300,000 Union soldiers were processed through Camp Curtin between April 1861 and June 1865 -- more than any other Union mustering camp. Camp Curtin's scale reflected Harrisburg's geography: as the junction of the Pennsylvania Railroad's main line to Philadelphia, the Cumberland Valley Railroad's line to western Pennsylvania, and the Northern Central Railway's line to Baltimore, Harrisburg was the single most logistically convenient assembly point in the northern states. Governor Andrew Curtin (for whom the camp was named) was Pennsylvania's war governor from 1861 to 1867, personally supervising Pennsylvania's military mobilization and regularly visiting Camp Curtin. The USCT (United States Colored Troops) also mustered through Harrisburg, including several of the Pennsylvania USCT regiments raised in Philadelphia. A historic marker at Maclay Street and Sixth Street commemorates Camp Curtin's location.
Hersheypark and the Hershey Chocolate World -- Milton Hershey's 1905 Company Town That Became America's Most Whimsically Branded Theme Park, 14 Miles East of Harrisburg
67 Thrill Rides Including 14 Roller Coasters, the Hershey Chocolate World Tour (Free, the Most Visited Chocolate Factory Experience in the US), and a Company Town Where Every Street Name Is a Chocolate BrandHersheypark (100 West Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, PA -- 14 miles east of downtown Harrisburg via US-422; opened 1907 as an employee recreation park by Milton Hershey for workers at the Hershey Chocolate Company -- expanded through the 20th century into a full theme park, now with 67 rides and attractions including 14 roller coasters) and the adjacent Hershey's Chocolate World (301 Park Boulevard, Hershey -- free admission, open year-round) together form one of the most distinctively branded amusement destinations in the United States, uniquely combining legitimate thrill-ride credentials with the chocolate industry's most recognized brand immersion. Hersheypark's roller coaster collection includes: (1) Skyrush (2012, 200-foot drop, 75 mph -- one of the most intense wing coasters ever built, consistently ranked in coaster enthusiast top-10 lists for its sustained lateral forces); (2) Fahrenheit (2008, 97-degree beyond-vertical first drop, the steepest angle of any non-launched coaster in the US at time of construction); (3) Great Bear (1998, inverted coaster over the park's main paths with four inversions); (4) Storm Runner (2004, hydraulic launch from 0-72 mph in 2 seconds with a top hat element); and (5) Lightning Racer (2000, twin racing wooden coasters consistently ranked among the best wooden coasters in the world). Hershey's Chocolate World offers: the free Chocolate Tour (a 10-minute dark ride simulation of cocoa bean-to-chocolate-bar production -- the most visited chocolate-related attraction in the US, with an estimated 3 million visitors annually); hands-on chocolate-making classes; the Chocolate Tasting Experience; and a retail complex selling every Hershey product in existence. The town of Hershey itself (population 14,257) is unique in American urban geography: all street names reference Hershey chocolate products (Chocolate Avenue, Cocoa Avenue, Java, Areba, Reese, Granada, Caracas, Trinidad -- all major cocoa-producing regions or Hershey brand names).
Milton Hershey -- The Failed Candy Maker Who Built America's Greatest Chocolate Empire, Then Gave It All to Orphans
Milton Snavely Hershey (1857-1945) failed three times in the candy business (in Philadelphia in 1876, in Chicago in 1882, and in New York in 1886) before returning to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he succeeded with the Lancaster Caramel Company in 1888. In 1900, Hershey sold the Lancaster Caramel Company for $1 million and used the proceeds to invest in chocolate-making machinery -- he believed that milk chocolate, then an expensive Swiss luxury item, could be mass-produced for everyday American consumers. The Hershey Chocolate Company's breakthrough was developing an efficient milk chocolate formula using fresh milk from central Pennsylvania's dairy farms (the exact formula remains a trade secret -- the process involves a partial lipolysis of the milk fat that creates the slightly tangy/sour note characteristic of Hershey's milk chocolate, noticeably different from European milk chocolate styles). By 1905, Hershey had built his factory and company town in Derry Township, Pennsylvania. In 1909, Milton and Catherine Hershey founded the Hershey Industrial School (now Milton Hershey School) for orphaned boys, and in 1918, after Catherine's death, Hershey transferred essentially his entire $60 million fortune and controlling interest in the Hershey Chocolate Company to the school's trust fund. The Hershey Trust Company today holds a controlling interest in The Hershey Company (the publicly traded chocolate company), and Milton Hershey School educates approximately 2,100 students annually, tuition-free, on the Hershey campus -- one of the largest trusts in the United States.
Gettysburg National Military Park -- The 6,000-Acre Battlefield Where the Civil War's Most Important Engagement Was Fought Over Three Days in July 1863, 36 Miles Southwest
1,328 Monuments and Markers, 26 Miles of Touring Roads Through 6,000 Acres of Preserved Battlefield, the Gettysburg Address Delivered Here November 19 1863, and the Museum and Visitor Center Built on the Site of Pickett's ChargeGettysburg National Military Park (1195 Baltimore Pike, Gettysburg, PA -- 36 miles southwest of Harrisburg via US-15 south, approximately 45 minutes; the NPS-managed 6,000-acre battlefield and cemetery preserving the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863 -- the largest battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere and the battle most historians identify as the turning point of the American Civil War) is one of the most visited historic sites in the United States (approximately 3 million visitors annually) and the most extensively monumented battlefield in the world: 1,328 monuments, tablets, and markers -- one for nearly every regiment, battery, and brigade that fought at Gettysburg from both sides -- placed on the battlefield by Union and Confederate veterans beginning in 1878. The Battle of Gettysburg's three-day narrative: (1) July 1, 1863 -- Confederate forces under General A.P. Hill's III Corps collide with Union cavalry under General John Buford north and west of Gettysburg; the Union First and Eleventh Corps suffer heavy casualties and retreat through Gettysburg to Cemetery Hill south of town; (2) July 2, 1863 -- the battle's bloodiest day, with Confederate attacks at Little Round Top (where Colonel Joshua Chamberlain's 20th Maine made the bayonet charge that prevented the Union left flank from being turned), Devil's Den, the Wheatfield, the Peach Orchard, and Cemetery Ridge -- approximately 17,000 casualties between the two sides on this day alone; (3) July 3, 1863 -- Pickett's Charge: General Robert E. Lee orders a 12,500-man infantry assault across 3/4 of a mile of open ground against the center of the Union line on Cemetery Ridge -- the assault is repulsed with approximately 50% casualties among the attacking force; Lee retreats to Virginia on July 4. The Gettysburg Museum and Visitor Center contains a restored version of the Cyclorama (painted 1883 by Paul Philippoteaux -- a 360-degree oil-on-canvas depiction of Pickett's Charge, 42 feet tall and 377 feet in circumference, one of the largest paintings in the world), a 45,000-artifact collection, and the starting point for licensed battlefield guides.
The Gettysburg Address -- The 272 Words Lincoln Spoke at the Soldiers' National Cemetery That Redefined What the United States of America Was Fighting For
Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery on Cemetery Hill -- the burial ground for Union soldiers killed at Gettysburg (3,155 Union dead were initially interred here; Confederate dead were left in the fields and reinterred in Southern cemeteries after the war). Lincoln's 272-word address (approximately 2 minutes, following a two-hour oration by Edward Everett that Lincoln later called 'all right') has been called the finest piece of American political rhetoric and the speech that articulated the ideological stakes of the Civil War in terms that transcended the sectional grievances that caused it: Lincoln reframed the war not as a constitutional argument about states' rights or federal authority, but as a test of whether a nation founded on the proposition that all men are created equal could survive -- and redefined the war's aim from preserving the Union as it was to creating a 'new birth of freedom.' The address exists in five known manuscript versions (Lincoln wrote multiple copies for memorabilia purposes after the event), none definitively identified as the exact words spoken. The Bliss copy, housed at the Lincoln Room of the White House, is the version Lincoln himself authenticated as 'final' and the one typically reproduced today. The text is inscribed at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, and the Gettysburg National Cemetery memorial wall at the battlefield.
How to Find Cheap Flights to Harrisburg
Harrisburg International (MDT) Is in Middletown -- 9 Miles Southeast of Downtown Harrisburg
Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT) is located in Middletown, PA, 9 miles southeast of downtown Harrisburg via PA-230 (Airport Road). The airport name is 'Harrisburg International' but it's technically the Middletown/Susquehanna Valley airport -- don't confuse with Philadelphia (PHL) or Baltimore-Washington (BWI), which are both about 100 miles from Harrisburg but serve the region for more destinations.
Gettysburg Is 36 Miles Southwest -- Combine with Your Harrisburg Arrival for a Civil War Trip
The Harrisburg + Gettysburg combination is the classic Pennsylvania Civil War itinerary: fly into MDT, spend 1-2 days in Harrisburg (National Civil War Museum, Pennsylvania Capitol), then drive southwest on US-15 to Gettysburg (45 min) for 1-2 days at the battlefield. A licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg NMP (2 hours, $75 for up to 6 people in your car) is the highest-value experience at the battlefield.
Hersheypark Is Open Seasonally -- Check Operating Calendar Before Booking
Hersheypark's main operating season is May through mid-November, with limited winter operations (Hersheypark Christmas Candylane, late November-December). Hershey's Chocolate World is open year-round. If the roller coasters are a primary draw, confirm the park is in full operation for your travel dates before buying flights.
The Pennsylvania Capitol Offers Free Guided Tours Weekdays -- No Advance Booking Required
Free guided tours of the Pennsylvania State Capitol depart from the Main Rotunda on weekdays approximately every hour (first tour 8:30 AM, last tour 4 PM). Weekend tours are available but less frequent -- check the Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee schedule before planning a weekend visit.
Airlines Flying to Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)
Delta Air Lines
ATL Hub Connections to MDT -- Delta's Harrisburg Service with Broad Domestic Connectivity via AtlantaDelta Air Lines connects Harrisburg International Airport (MDT, in Middletown, 9 miles southeast of downtown Harrisburg via PA-230) to Delta's primary Atlanta (ATL) hub with continuing service across the Delta network to the Southeast, South, and internationally. MDT's passenger traffic is heavily weighted toward business travelers (Pennsylvania state government, the Penn State Health/UPMC Pinnacle medical corridor, and central Pennsylvania corporate community), and Delta targets this market with consistent ATL-MDT service plus connecting options from New York (JFK, LGA) and other Northeast hubs via Atlanta connections.
Key Routes
ATL to MDT (2h 0m nonstop; JFK to MDT (via ATL; BOS to MDT (via ATL; MCO to MDT (via ATL; MSP to MDT (via ATL; LAX to MDT (via ATL; SFO to MDT (via ATL
American Airlines
CLT, DFW, and PHL Hub Connections to MDT -- American's Harrisburg Service for Southern, Texas, and Midwest RoutingAmerican Airlines connects Harrisburg (MDT) via Charlotte (CLT), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), and Philadelphia (PHL -- 98 miles southeast, American's largest East Coast hub). The PHL connection is particularly important for Harrisburg travelers who need international connections, as PHL is American's primary East Coast international gateway. CLT-MDT provides efficient connectivity for the American network south of Washington.
Key Routes
CLT to MDT (1h 35m nonstop; DFW to MDT (via CLT; PHL to MDT (via CLT or direct; LAX to MDT (via CLT or DFW; MIA to MDT (via CLT; ORD to MDT (via CLT
United Airlines
ORD and DEN Hub Connections to MDT -- United's Central and Western US Connections to Harrisburg via Chicago and DenverUnited Airlines connects Harrisburg (MDT) to the Midwest and West through ORD (Chicago O'Hare) and DEN (Denver International) hubs, providing the broadest Western US routing to central Pennsylvania. United's ORD-MDT service targets the substantial Chicago-area connection to Harrisburg's state government and educational institutions, and DEN-MDT serves Mountain West and Pacific Coast travelers with a single stop.
Key Routes
ORD to MDT nonstop (1h 35m; DEN to MDT (via ORD; SFO to MDT (via ORD or DEN; LAX to MDT (via ORD or DEN; EWR to MDT (via ORD; IAD to MDT (via ORD
Allegiant Air
Budget Nonstop Flights to MDT from Select Leisure Markets -- Allegiant's Ultra-Low-Cost Harrisburg RoutesAllegiant Air operates seasonal nonstop service to Harrisburg International (MDT) from select Florida, Southeast, and Sunbelt leisure destinations, targeting central Pennsylvania residents flying to warm-weather vacation spots. Allegiant's Harrisburg service typically includes Orlando-Sanford (SFB), Punta Gorda (PGD), and other Allegiant-network leisure markets. Base fares are Allegiant's lowest prices; add bag fees and seat selection to estimate total cost.
Key Routes
Check Allegiant.com for current MDT nonstop destinations -- service varies by season. Common routes: SFB (Orlando-Sanford), PGD (Punta Gorda), PIE (St. Pete-Clearwater), and seasonal Sunbelt destinations
Things to Do in Harrisburg and Surroundings
Essential Info for Your Harrisburg Trip
State / County
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. State capital. Population approximately 52,000 city proper; 570,000 metro (Harrisburg-Carlisle MSA).
Airport
Harrisburg International (MDT) -- Middletown, PA, 9 miles southeast of downtown Harrisburg via PA-230. Airlines: Delta, American, United, Allegiant.
Currency
USD -- US Dollar
Time Zone
EST (UTC-5) / EDT (UTC-4) in summer -- Eastern Time, same as New York and Philadelphia
Gettysburg Distance
36 miles southwest via US-15 south -- approximately 45 minutes. Licensed battlefield guides available at the NMP Visitor Center (recommended 2-hour tour, approximately $75 for up to 6 people in your car).
Hershey Distance
14 miles east via US-422 -- approximately 20 minutes from downtown Harrisburg. Hersheypark operating hours vary by season.
Capitol Tours
Free guided tours weekdays from Main Rotunda. No advance booking required for standard tours. Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee manages tours.
Emergency Number
911
Most Popular Airlines
Best Airlines for Domestic & International Routes
Frequently Asked Questions on Flights to Harrisburg
Airport info, Gettysburg distance, Hersheypark access, and travel planning for central Pennsylvania
What airport serves Harrisburg Pennsylvania?
Harrisburg International Airport (IATA: MDT) serves Harrisburg, PA. It's located in Middletown, 9 miles southeast of downtown Harrisburg via PA-230. Airlines: Delta (via ATL), American (via CLT, DFW, PHL), United (via ORD, DEN), and Allegiant (seasonal leisure routes). Philadelphia (PHL) and Baltimore-Washington (BWI) are about 100 miles away and serve more destinations if MDT doesn't have direct service from your city.
Is Gettysburg close to Harrisburg?
Yes -- Gettysburg is 36 miles southwest of Harrisburg via US-15 south, about a 45-minute drive. It's a very easy day trip from Harrisburg. The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg + Gettysburg National Military Park makes an excellent 2-3 day Civil War history itinerary.
What is Harrisburg Pennsylvania known for?
Harrisburg is Pennsylvania's capital city, known for: (1) the 1906 Pennsylvania State Capitol (Beaux-Arts masterpiece, Theodore Roosevelt called it 'the most beautiful building I ever saw'); (2) National Civil War Museum; (3) proximity to Gettysburg NMP (36 miles southwest); (4) Hersheypark theme park and Hershey's Chocolate World (14 miles east); and (5) the Susquehanna River waterfront and City Island.
How far is Hersheypark from Harrisburg airport?
Hersheypark is approximately 14 miles east of downtown Harrisburg and about 18 miles from Harrisburg International Airport (MDT) via PA-283 east and US-422 -- approximately 25-30 minutes by car. There is no direct shuttle from MDT to Hersheypark; a rental car or rideshare is required.
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