Punta Gorda Airport Continues to Grow.. New Terminal Construction to Begin Soon

Every day we watch jets taking off and descending into Punta Gorda... actually a welcome sight signaling more business and economic development coming to the region.   There are indications that more and more people are becoming aware of the smaller airport north of Southwest Regional and are using it to get anywhere from Marco Island to Sarasota.     The airport  saw a 59 percent increase in travel traffic in 2011 over 2010, with 291,626 passengers passing through Bailey Terminal last year.  During December alone , there were 35,678 passengers, a 12 percent increase when compared with December 2010. 

To accommodate its growing use, the Punta Gorda Airport is in the midst of  a $10 million upgrade.  A new 135-foot tower will start operating in the next few weeks.   And construction on a new terminal will begin in the next few months.  The expansion is being funded by  Charlotte County Airport Authority and the Florida Department of Transportation.

DirectAir and Allegiant Air service the Punta Gorda with commercial flights to Northeast and Midwest cities.  Here is a rundown of their direct destinations:   

DirectAir destination cities from Punta Gorda, FL are:
Kalamazoo, MI
Niagara Falls, NY
Worcester, MA
Toledo, OH
Allentown, PA
Plattsburg, NY
Chicago / Rockford, IL
Springfield / Central, IL

Allegiant Air destination cities from Punta Gorda FL are:
Knoxville, TN
Greenville - Spartanburg, SC
Lexington, KY