Page 19 - LIN_ASO_2026_web-file

A City and an Economy

Built Around an Airport

by Chris Rozansky, Executive Director,
Naples Airport Authority
n 1943, the Naples Airport – then Southwest Florida International Airport in the early 2000s.
known as the Naples Army Airfield Commercial service at Naples Airport ended in 2017, but
I – opened as a World War II training American Airlines recently expressed its interest in offering
site for bomber crews and fighter pilots. daily service to its hub in Charlotte, N.C., starting in
Back then, Naples was a quiet, remote December that would provide residents and visitors with
fishing village, the picture-perfect postcard image of convenient one-stop access to nearly 180 destinations worldwide. An agreement
“Old Florida.” Collier County’s population at the time with American is being negotiated, coordination with TSA is underway and
was estimated at 5,000 residents, but tourism was a necessary facility improvements are in design.
non-factor because the area lacked amenities and was All this without relying on local taxpayer dollars to fund operations. Naples
difficult to access. Airport is self-sustaining, relying on revenue from fuel sales, hangar rentals, and
After the war, the airport struggled to attract enough business to pay its other related services. An equally impressive fact is that Naples Airport currently
bills. In fact, despite the establishment of intrastate airline service in the 1950s, operates with no debt.
the City of Naples often had to subsidize operations and eventually requested During the 2025 fiscal year, Naples Airport had 125,926 total takeoffs and
that the Florida Legislature create an independent Naples Airport Authority landings and maintained nearly 99% compliance with the airport’s voluntary
to oversee airfield operations and finances. When that occurred in 1969, the nighttime curfew. Neapolitans know Naples Airport is the preferred landing
county’s population had grown to about 38,000 residents. Acres of pastureland strip for private jets and charter air services, but not as many residents know
near the coast were being converted to residential property, but many roads that Naples Airport also serves as a hub for emergency response after a natural
were still unpaved, and I-75's southern terminus was Tampa. disaster. Critical public service providers based at Naples Airport include Collier
Today, the U.S. Census lists Collier’s population at 416,233 people and County MedFlight, Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting, the Collier County
growing. The Naples coastline is filled with multimillion-dollar estates and Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit and Collier Mosquito Control District – each
luxury high-rises, while U.S. 41 and 5th Avenue South feature a multitude offering services that make this a stronger community. That’s exactly what Naples
of high-end restaurants, retail shops, and art galleries. Post-Hurricane Ian Airport has been doing since 1943.
redevelopment has reshaped the coastline with new world-class hospitality For more information about Naples Airport, please visit FlyNaples.com or
destinations that are drawing additional air traffic to Naples. contact NAA@FlyNaples.com to schedule an airfield tour.
Meanwhile, Naples Airport is the gateway to everything people love about
Naples – just minutes to downtown, beautiful beaches, fine dining, stunning
hotels, shopping, golf, fishing and so much more. With an economic value of Want to learn more about the Naples Airport?
$781 million annually, according to the Florida Department of Education, Check out our FAQ’s at www.flynaples.com/faq
For a tour of the airport, or to arrange for a speaker at your group’s next meeting,
Naples Airport helps to power the City of Naples and Collier County.
call (239) 643-0733
The airport is responsible for 5,454 direct and indirect jobs, which account
For more information, visit the Naples Airport Authority’s website at www.flynaples.com
for $261 million in payroll wages. Those salaries go right back into our
Want to learn more about the NAA?
region’s economy as residents spend their money shopping and dining at local
Visit the FAQ page of our website (flynaples.com/faq), or invite
establishments or purchasing goods and services from local businesses.
a member of our team to speak with your group.
Naples Airport is preparing for the return of commercial airline service,
which was quite robust until airlines began focusing more attention on
Life in Naples | August-September-October 2026 19