Surprise: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Surprise is a city of 143,148 people in United States (Arizona), 357 m (1,171 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Surprise runs from about 9 h 58 min a day in late December to 14 h 26 min in late June (computed for 33.63° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Surprise is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre, whose 11,489-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA, 72 km).
Flights to Surprise: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Surprise · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Phoenix, 31 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mexicali, 311 km (Mexico) — flights · buses · car rental
- Las Vegas, 381 km — flights
- Tucson, 204 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Mesa, 53 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Henderson, 361 km — buses · car rental
- Nogales, 289 km (Mexico) — buses · car rental · tours
- Chandler, 58 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Gilbert, 59 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Glendale, 17 km — tours
Common questions
Which airport serves Surprise?
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), 37 km (23 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Surprise?
About 143,148 people live in Surprise, across 280 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Surprise in?
America/Phoenix, currently UTC-7.
What currency is used in Surprise?
The Dollar (USD). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Surprise?
Phoenix (31 km), Mexicali (311 km), Las Vegas (381 km), Tucson (204 km), Mesa (53 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.