Harrison Ford lands in Phoenix ahead of ASU commencement address

Harrison Ford flew from Hawthorne Municipal Airport to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on May 10, 2026, departing at 7:07 p.m. Pacific time in his Cessna Citation Sovereign. The one-hour jaunt at 33,000 feet carried the 83-year-old star eastward across the desert, landing just after 8 p.m. local time—a efficient hop for a man who's logged more hours in the cockpit than on red carpets.

The timing aligns neatly with Ford's commitment to address Arizona State University's undergraduate Class of 2026 at their spring commencement on May 11, held at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe. The university announced the booking in March, per an ASU News release, highlighting Ford's storied career from Han Solo to Indiana Jones as inspiration for the graduates. It's a rare public outing for the private actor, who rarely trades scripts for speeches.

Ford's affinity for the skies is well-documented; an accomplished pilot with multiple type ratings, he survived a 2015 crash at Santa Monica Airport while testing a vintage aircraft. This Phoenix run fits his pattern of Western U.S. travels—often to ranches in Wyoming or conservation spots in the Rockies—though Phoenix marks a detour for academia rather than adventure. With no recent flights on record, it signals a deliberate pivot to mentorship in his later years.