Located some 1,300 feet or 396 meters above sea level, Maria Cristina Airport has the distinction of being the highest airport in Mindanao and the second-highest in the Philippines, next to Loakan Airport in Baguio.
The airport takes its name from its location, Barangay Maria Cristina in the neighboring municipality of Balo-i. However, the airport can also be named after one of Iligan's most famous attractions, Maria Cristina Falls.
The Laguindingan Airport located in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental opened in 2013. It is expected to augment the city's need for a nearby airport as the new airport is only 65 kilometers away or at most 35 to 40 minutes away from Iligan. The new airport is a flagship project of the Mindanao Super Regions project as a major project of the Cagayan de Oro-Iligan Corridor (CIC).
Accidents and incidents
Philippine Airlines Flight 443 was on approach to Iligan Airport on December 13, 1987, when it crashed into nearby Mt. Gurain. All 15 passengers and crew on board were killed.