Flying the Finger Lakes Region of New York

Winemaking, museums, and aviation history highlight the Finger Lakes corner of New York.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, February 23, 2024 at 10:24 AM ET

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We chose Elmira Corning Regional Airport (KELM) as a starting point for exploring the area. [Stephen Yeates]

Key Takeaways:

The Finger Lakes region in upstate New York consists of 11 deep, glacier-formed lakes, offering scenic views but presenting challenging terrain for pilots.
The area is a significant destination for aviation enthusiasts, home to the National Soaring Museum at Harris Hill and the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum.
Beyond aviation, the Finger Lakes boast diverse attractions, including the Corning Museum of Glass, a prominent wine country with numerous vineyards, and historic sites like Watkins Glen International Raceway and the Erie Canal.

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As you fly north across the middle of upstate New York on a clear day toward places like Ithaca (KITH), Cortland County (N03), or Corning-Painted Post (7N1), you will see them on the horizon: the Finger Lakes.

You are likely to spot Seneca Lake first, as it is 38 miles long and covers the greatest area of the 11 bodies of water that make up the Finger Lakes region. Just to the east is runner-up Cayuga Lake, with the city of Ithaca at its southern tip. It is huge, too, and it can be difficult to tell which of the top two is larger. Cayuga is 2 miles longer, but Seneca covers more acreage. The lakes have a roughly north-south orientation and fan out across the state’s midsection, seeming to point toward Lake Ontario.