St. Pete-Clearwater Airport shelves terminal expansion plans for $145 million modernization project
/St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport will modernize its existing terminal rather than pursue its previously planned expansion | St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is shelving its terminal expansion plans in favor of a renovation project to modernize the existing facility.
Located in north St. Pete at 14700 Terminal Boulevard, PIE serves more than 2 million travelers annually and offers nonstop routes to more than 60 cities, primarily through Allegiant Air.
Since 2023, the airport has been preparing for an expansion that would add gates for existing and future airlines, consolidate Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints, and improve passenger boarding.
However, as engineers and architects developed schematic designs, the cost of the terminal expansion climbed from a projected $110 million to more than $200 million.
After meetings with airport staff, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the TSA, a new priority emerged: modernizing the current terminal and addressing aging infrastructure.
“Rather than continue to move forward, we exercised due diligence and took the opportunity to stop and reassess the program,” Airport Director Mark Sprague said during a Pinellas County Commission workshop last week.
St. Pete-Clearwater Airport’s $145 million modernization plan | St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
The terminal renovation plan includes 13 components, such as sewer and roof work, restroom upgrades, replacing two existing jet bridges, a fire-control-panel upgrade, updated signage and columns, a new wall along the terminal’s south side, and renovations to the rental-car counters, baggage area and ticketing space.
The project would also add four jet bridges and a second level for baggage claim.
The new plan would cost $145 million and would be funded through airport revenues, the FAA, and FDOT, allowing PIE to remain debt-free.
“We are not abandoning future expansion. We are just sequencing our investments differently,” the PIE team explained in a report.
“Our immediate priority is modernizing the existing terminal and improving operational efficiency. The revised program still includes approximately 40,000 square feet of strategic expansion while preserving flexibility for future growth as passenger demand warrants.”
Allegiant is the primary airline serving St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport | St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
A future terminal expansion could add four to five passenger boarding bridges and nearly double the airport’s gate count from 12 to 22, supporting up to 4.5 million travelers annually.
Currently, one gate door is used to board three aircraft, a setup Sprague said creates significant operational inefficiencies.
“An ultra-low-cost carrier aircraft should be able to come in, offload, and reload in 40 minutes,” Sprague said. “Because of our inefficiencies, it takes 60 to 120 minutes to turn that aircraft around.”
While Allegiant remains the airport’s leading airline, BermudAir will begin offering seasonal nonstop flights to Turks and Caicos, Belize, and Anguilla in December.
Sun Country, which is owned by Allegiant Air, also offers direct service to Minneapolis.
“In order to bring a new airline that can sustain growth, we need to modernize the terminal first,” Sprague said, responding to commissioners’ comments regarding efforts to attract additional airlines. “We need to fix all our inefficiencies in order for the current terminal to be much more easily accessible and customer-friendly.”
A replica of the Benoist Airboat flown by Tony Jannus on the world’s first scheduled airline flight between St. Pete and Tampa in 1914 | St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport
Pending approvals, construction on the terminal renovation project is anticipated to begin in late 2028 and be completed by 2032.
With the rescoped plan, the airport is seeking to amend two previously approved agreements with Manhattan Construction Group, serving as the construction manager, and C&S Companies, the architectural and engineering firm for the terminal improvements.
PIE also plans to enter a new five-year operating agreement with Allegiant that would increase fees and result in an additional $1.2 million in revenue in 2027.
Pinellas County commissioners will vote on the terminal renovation contracts and Allegiant agreement at Tuesday’s board meeting.
Separate from the modernization plan and amended contracts, PIE is also preparing to begin construction on a new four-story parking garage.
The garage, budgeted at $60 million and funded through airport revenues, is expected to break ground in January 2027 and replace the current Strawberry PIE economy lot.
