Originally Posted by
Quaker325
I'm just not getting the "CAK is more convenient for a lot of flyers" line of reasoning. Obviously for residents of Akron and Canton, yes, it's a lot closer. But for any town that could be even remotely considered a Cleveland suburb, CLE is much closer. Even for a town as far south as Hudson, the distance to CLE is about the same as to CAK.
Your dissonance is tantamount to complaining that a talking dog speaks with a lisp.
Yeah, CLE is a lot closer to Cleveland than is CAK. Big whoop. No rocket science needed there (but I
do have some numbers for you below). CLE's close proximity to Cleveland is beside the point. CAK is close enough to many of Cleveland's populous/affluent suburbs to attract travelers. This attraction will only increase as the utility of CLE decreases.
The Numbers (average distances/driving times, courtesy of Google Maps):
Downtown Cleveland to CLE: 11.7 mi – about 15 mins
Downtown Akron to CLE: 41.8 mi - about 43 mins
Downtown Canton to CLE: 62.5 mi - about 1 hour 2 mins
Downtown Canton to CAK: 10.6 mi – about 14 mins
Downtown Akron to CAK: 14.9 mi – about 19 mins
Downtown Cleveland to CAK: 50.5 mi – about 53 mins
Keep in mind, most CLE flyers live nowhere near downtown Cleveland. Cleveland's predominant suburbs are south of the city and thus closer to CAK than downtown. Likewise, the suburbs between Canton and Akron are very populous and surround CAK, making it virtually
no miles away at all!
CAK is a viable option to anyone who normally uses CLE, an airport that won't become more important anytime soon, if ever.