Pensacola International Airport Eyes Las Vegas, Boston, West Coast and Bahamas as Next Growth Targets

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- Pensacola International Airport is casting a wide net as it works to bring new nonstop service to the region — and the list of targets includes some major destinations that Pensacola travelers currently can't reach without a connection.

Todd Payne, the airport's Assistant Director of Strategy and Development, says his job is to identify markets where demand exists and then present those opportunities to the airlines best positioned to serve them. He says carriers have no shortage of markets competing for their attention, so the airport has to make a compelling case for Pensacola.

At the top of the list is Las Vegas — currently the largest completely unserved market from Pensacola International. Payne says roughly 64 passengers a day are already making that trip, all of them connecting through other cities. Capturing even a portion of that demand with nonstop service would represent a significant addition to the airport's route map.

Beyond Las Vegas, Payne says the airport is also pursuing service to Phoenix and San Diego to the west, Boston to the northeast, and additional Washington area service — potentially through United at Dulles. International service to Nassau in the Bahamas is also on the radar.

On the broader state of the airport, Payne says Pensacola International is less seasonal than it has ever been — with strong passenger demand showing up even on midweek days that would historically have been slower. He says the airport was packed on a recent Wednesday, which he called a good problem to have.

The airport's growth push comes on the heels of several recent route additions including new service from Breeze Airways and Contour Airlines launched this week.