Focus on Manatee | SRQ airport positioned to soar in 2021 and beyond

When asked, residents and visitors alike can likely rattle off many of the Bradenton srea’s top assets without skipping a beat. From its beaches to dining, arts and culture to weather, Manatee County has everything required to make it a top Florida beach destination. However, there is one important asset that I am always quick to add to this list if forgotten. One that further sets the Bradenton area apart from its competitors, and one that deserves all the recognition in the world for the efforts and strides it has made over the course of the last year and especially in recent months. I am talking about Sarasota Bradenton International Airport.

When it comes to choosing a destination, visitors often look for those that are accessible, with ease of travel in and out. They also tend to select destinations with airports offering top airline carriers and providing service to many US and international hubs. Located just minutes from the beach, and offering year-round and seasonal, non-stop flights to top cities, SRQ has spent years expanding and evolving to meet growing demand and was named one of the best and fastest growing airports in the nation in 2019.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, flights across the world were grounded and the future of air travel became uncertain and SRQ faced challenges it never could have planned for. Thankfully for the Bradenton Area and its loyal visitors, the airport never took its foot off the pedal. As we look ahead to the future, with passenger numbers rising and more and more visitors expressing interest in travel, SRQ has emerged even stronger than before.

Over the course of the past few months, SRQ has celebrated countless announcements and milestones.

In October it earned an Airport Health Accreditation Certificate from the Director General of Airports Council International World for its commitment to prioritizing health and safety measures.

In February it welcomed its first-ever non-stop daily Southwest flights from Baltimore/Washington (BWI), Chicago (MDW), Nashville (BNA), and Houston (HOU), with the airline quickly adding seasonal service to Columbus, Ohio (CMH), Indianapolis (IND), Pittsburgh (PIT), Milwaukee (MKE) and Atlanta (ATL), plus a second-daily flight to Chicago (MDW). Just last week Southwest added Dallas (DAL) and Grand Rapids (GRR) routes, bringing the total destinations served by Southwest Airlines at SRQ to 11 in under four months since the first inaugural.

United Airlines added service to and from Houston (IAH), which began in February, and Allegiant will begin offering new service to Peoria, Ill. (PIA) and Concord, N.C. (USA) in late May. American, Delta and United have also extended or expanded their flights to Chicago (ORD), Detroit (DTW) and Denver (DEN), respectively. They also increased service to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) to twice daily from Sunday through Friday starting May 9, 2021, and service to Columbus, OH (CMH), Pittsburgh, PA (PIT), and Indianapolis, IN (IND) from Saturdays only to five times weekly, Thursday – Monday, starting May 9, 2021.

If you have lost count, these announcements bring SRQ to a total of 10 airlines providing nonstop service to 45 destinations.

Beyond carrier and flight expansions, SRQ recently reported seeing a 26% month-to-month increase in passengers in February, with passengers totaling 159,772 compared to 126,704 in January. Compared to February 2020, passenger traffic was 69% of the 2020 level of 232,549, a very positive and promising indicator that travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels and SRQ is ready.

I want to take the time to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of Rick Piccolo, president and CEO of SRQ, Mark Stuckey, senior VP and the airport authority. The aforementioned talent no doubt feeds our economy and the overall quality of life of our residents.

If you have not checked out SRQ to discover its expansive list of non-stop destination recently, I encourage you to do so at srq-airport.com or by calling 941-Fly-2-SRQ (359-2777). And, when you are ready, please consider using SRQ for your next trip.

Elliott Falcione, Executive Director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, can be reached at Elliott.Falcione@BACVB.com or 941-729-9177 ext. 3940.