Work progressing at Naples Airport as it readies for American Airlines

With less than two months to go before American Airlines begins ferrying passengers in and out of Naples Airport, it should go without saying crews and staff have a lot to do.

Not that they are behind, mind you. Quite the opposite. It is just that it takes a lot of work to prepare a facility that hasn’t had commercial service since Elite Airways left the Collier County airport in 2017.

That to-do list to accommodate the increased traffic includes finishing the renovation of an existing terminal; adding security infrastructure; and preparing ground crews.

“The airline terminal was built back in the early ‘80s so it’s a little smaller than you would build today," Naples Airport Authority Executive Director Chris Rozansky, 48, says. "We’ve been working all summer at updating it and improving it and preparing it for both American and the required TSA security screening equipment and facility." 

“We have been working to acquire the additional equipment that you need out on the ramp, and the airport authority is hiring a dozen more staff to provide the ground handling and cabin servicing, cabin cleaning and servicing responsibilities for American’s first flight” he adds. 

Work on the North Road Terminal, built in 1981, actually began in 2022 as it was showing its age and had sustained hurricane damage. The first phase consisted of extensive exterior work, including hardening the building to better protect against storms, site work and landscaping. The second phase began not long after American announced its intentions in May and includes interior improvements. The budget for the interior renovations is $4.5 million.

The airline, starting Dec. 2, will initially operate two daily flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, using a 65-seat CRJ-700 regional jet. Once in Charlotte, passengers will be able to connect to about 180 destinations.

Fort Worth-based American started selling tickets late last month and Rozansky says the response “has been strong.” (American did not respond to questions for this story.)

The Naples Airport Authority expects revenue from American Airlines to be $1.1 million, coming from lease agreements and operating fees. Its fiscal year 2027 operating budget is $37.6 million, and revenue is $43.9 million.

Rozansky says the airport authority operates without local tax dollars, relying on revenue from fuel, fees and rentals.

Back at it

While the addition of American will unquestionably improve the fortunes of the airport, along with bringing more work, Rozansky says the authority does more than oversee airline operations.

He says, “airports are oftentimes a small city unto themselves.” There is a governing board and departments responsible for finance, legal matters and human resources, as well as other administrative duties. The authority manages runways, taxiways, lighting and other ground facilities. The authority also operates as a commercial property manager with tenants and maintenance responsibilities.

Photo by Steffania Pifferi

In all, it employs about 150 people, while nearly 1,000 jobs are associated with all employers at the airport.

Strange as it may sound, Naples Airport did not pursue American Airlines — which is normally how airports land new cities and markets. The airline, instead, approached airport officials in May. Rozansky says it had researched the area and found there was a demand for more local flights, one he finds understandable.

Following the recession in the late 2000s and later during the pandemic, airlines began cutting back on services to smaller communities. According to a 2024 study from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, 8% of small communities had a decline of more than 50% in passengers between 2018 and 2023.

“The airlines focused on larger markets and their hubs, and the bigger issue is their migration to larger aircraft,” says Rozansky. “Airlines have upsized their air their fleets in recent years, as the cost of fuel and fuel efficiencies becomes more of a cost driver for airlines. That’s been part of their strategy.”

In Naples, a 75,000-pound weight restriction made the airport less attractive to airlines. And then, of course, Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers is about a half an hour north.

(One airline does serve passengers at Naples Airport, JSX. It is a charter company that sells tickets to the public and operates smaller aircrafts seating about 30; Naples airport also has a schedule of private flights.)

Convenience factor

But American, which had stopped flying out of Naples in 2001, found there was a growing need, particularly in Collier County.

The change was Naples’ and Collier County’s population growth in the years following the pandemic. That growth, as anyone who lives or has visited the area in the past couple of years knows, is driving development.

With more people and more construction has come greater congestion, which, in turn, Rozansky says artfully, has made “the commute up (Interstate) 75 more challenging, especially during season.”

“It’s not just folks wanting to use a service in the Naples area. Collier County stretches down to Marco Island, right? And I know folks are looking forward to the convenience of having only to drive to Naples, not to go to Fort Myers.”

The data, unsurprisingly, backs up the assertion.

According to survey the authority conducted between May 27 and June 1, 80.3% of locals are in favor of restoring commercial airline service to the airport.

As for whether adding American Airlines is a first step to a major resumption of commercial service, the airport’s limited space may hold that back. For now, American will use one gate and performance will dictate whether more are added.

But the reality is, Rozansky says, the airport cannot accommodate much more service in its current configuration.