An international airport hasn't opened in the United States since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but that will change May 23 when the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport begins operations near Panama City Beach.
The new airport, about 12 miles inland from the beach, will replace the current, and much smaller, Panama City-Bay County International Airport. The name change reflects the larger area of the Northwest Florida Panhandle that the airport will serve outside of Bay County.
With land donated by the St. Joe Co., a longtime paper and timber giant in Florida, to build the $318 million airport, local tourism officials are touting the impact it will have on the area.
"Due to the size of our runway, Delta Air Lines will be able to operate larger planes on its nonstop flights from Atlanta," said Dan Rowe, president and CEO of the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau.
"The opening of the new airport will also make Panama City Beach more attainable than ever for emerging fly-in markets."
The St. Joe Co. has recently been using its vast landholdings for real estate development projects, one of which is the mixed-use West Bay Sector Plan, anchored by the new airport.
Delta, the world’s largest air passenger carrier, is the only airline currently scheduled to provide service to the airport from Atlanta. Delta will offer direct flights through its Delta Connection operation. Southwest Airlines will offer nonstop service from Baltimore, Houston, Nashville and Orlando, with continuing daily service to Chicago, Dallas and Fort Lauderdale.
Neighboring Walton County, home to many beach resort communities along Scenic Highway 30-A, will be affected by the airport, as well.
Tracy Louthain, a spokeswoman for the Beaches of South Walton Tourism Development Council, expects more frequent visits by regular travelers to the area, as well as more first-time guests.
Paige Schnell, co-founder and director of the “30A Songwriters Festival,” which had a successful inaugural run in January, predicts the new airport will have similar success by giving people in places such as Atlanta and Nashville options to a six- or seven-hour drive.
"Many will continue to drive, just as they always have," Schnell said, "but now at least they'll have a choice."
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