Punta Gorda Airport breaks passenger record amid expansion

The Punta Gorda Airport (PGD) saw a record-breaking number of passengers travel through its gates in 2025, records show — the result of a historic growth streak that has prompted officials to embark on expansion efforts. 

According to the Charlotte County Airport Authority, which owns and operates the airport, PGD finished 2025 with 2,282,002 passengers traveling through its doors — an 18.5% increase over the previous record set in 2024. That year saw 1,925,128 passengers, records show. 

Nearly 240,000 passengers traveled through the Punta Gorda Airport in December 2025 alone, according to airport data. 

The surge in passengers could be the result of an increase in flights. Air traffic control data shows the number of takeoffs and landings at PGD totaled 143,678 in 2025 compared to 142,673 the previous year. Those flights are a combination of commercial Allegiant flights, private/civil “GA traffic,” and military and air taxi operations, the airport says. 

To accommodate the uptick in passengers, PGD has begun work on a 50,000-square-foot expansion of its Bailey Terminal, which is expected to open in 2027 with additional gate space, dining and amenities. The terminal services flights from both Sun Country, which provides seasonal trips to and from Minneapolis, and Allegiant, which offers nonstop, roundtrip service from PGD to more than 50 destinations, according to a release. 

“With nearly 2.3 million passengers this year, the Bailey Terminal saw record crowds and utilization,” Airport Authority Chair Robert Hancik says in the release. “I want to share my appreciation to our loyal passengers, community leaders and aviators for flying through Punta Gorda Airport as we embark on continued expansion and improvements.”

Located off Interstate 75 between Sarasota and Fort Myers, PGD is a 2,000-acre airport home to commercial air service, air charters, medical transport services, aircraft maintenance and avionics repair, an A&P School, as well as flight schools, distributors and manufacturers. A 2022 economic impact study by FDOT estimated PGD is responsible for 11,319 jobs and $1.7 billion in total economic output.