Airports: Expansion Boom

Miami

Wrapped up a $6.5-billion expansion in 2014. Ahead, it prepares for at least 46 million passengers and 442,000 annual takeoffs and landings by 2025, up from 40.9 million and 399,000 flights in 2014. It plans to reconfigure one of its three terminals and is putting in a new people mover for one concourse by 2016, a new airport operations center in 2017 and 13 new “hardstands” — essentially off-gate parking places for long-haul planes — that will allow more international flights and generate up to $300 million a year in revenue. The hardstands replace plans for a 33-acre “airport city,” a public-private hotel and commercial space development that the airport decided to scrap.

Fort Lauderdale

Is in the midst of a $2.3-billion expansion funded by passenger charges and federal and state money. A new south runway, meant to minimize flight delays as traffic increases, opened in 2014. Terminals are being modernized to offer more amenities, food and shopping and to have more gates to add domestic and international destinations. Completion: 2018.

Tampa

By 2017 will complete a $943-million expansion that includes a 2.6-million-sq.- ft., 5,300-vehicle car rental center and a 1.4-mile people mover linking that center with a parking garage and an expanded main terminal. The aim is to remove congestion from airport roads, curbsides and its main terminal. The rental car center will be able to handle 1,541 rentals and 1,650 returns per hour at its peak. To be built as needed after 2017: An expanded international facility. International traffic is up substantially with flights added in recent years to Cuba, Switzerland, Panama, the Bahamas, London and Frankfurt. Also some time after 2017: Commercial development around the rental car center that could include a hotel, offices and retail.

Orlando

Has begun, at $1.1 billion, its largest expansion and renovation project. It will add garage space and a cell-phone lot, allow four rail lines to connect to the airport and increase capacity by expanding ticket counter areas, improving the baggage system, expanding customs facilities, adding international gates and a people mover. Some airlines have objected that the work, partly funded by passenger fees, is unneeded and too costly.

Orlando/Sanford

Is at work on a $2.4-million parking lot and on designs for three new gates at its domestic terminal. A $30-million reconstruction of the airport’s southwest ramp is expected to be completed next year. The Airport Commerce Park, to the airport’s west, is attracting new businesses, and the airport authority is looking at commercial development of its property to the east and north, including frontage on east Lake Mary Boulevard and State Road 46.

Airports

Jacksonville

In 2016 will be spending $14.7 million on capital improvements, with the largest share of the money going for a maintenance and warehouse building and a parking plaza.

Palm Beach

Palm Beach International handled almost 6 million passengers last year.

Private Business Travel

The airport in West Palm Beach dominates private business air travel in Florida. During the two-year period from 2013-14, there were 171,298 private business plane departures from the 10 airports in Florida with the most private departures. South Florida airports accounted for most of that number.

The heaviest travel months for private business flights during the past two years were January, February and March, all with more than 30,000 departures and arrivals.

The slowest travel months for private business flights during the past two years were July, August, September, all with fewer than 17,000 flights.

Tags: Transportation