Punta Gorda Airport (Florida)

In 1941, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built an airfield on the current airport property as a combat pilot training base for the U.S. Army Air Forces' (USAAF) Third Air Force, naming the facility Punta Gorda Army Airfield.{{Cite web| publisher = Charlotte County History Services | title = Historic Punta Gorda Army Airfield |url=https://www.charlottecountyfl.gov/core/fileparse.php/397/urlt/PGAAF-Interactive-Web.pdf|date=2021}}{{Cite web| publisher = Punta Gorda Historic Mural Society | title = Historic Punta Gorda Army Air Field |url=https://puntagordamurals.org/murals/historic-punta-gorda-army-air-field/ |date=2021}} By 1944, the base reached its peak in housing 1,000 personnel, including two squadrons of student pilots.

The base initially had forty Curtis P-40 Warhawks assigned, later transitioning to the North American P-51 Mustang. Pursuit (i.e., "fighter") aircraft training in the P-40 and P-51 represented advanced phase training for Army Air Forces fighter pilots prior to their being deployed with USAAF operational units in Europe and the Pacific. Punta Gorda Army Airfield was a subordinate command of 3rd Air Force, 3rd Fighter Command at Drew Field (now Tampa International Airport), and also had C-45 Expeditor and C-47 Skytrain transports assigned for support.

The 27th Service Group, an all-black unit, was moved from MacDill Field in Tampa to provide training for support services to the air combat units.

All base officers and some senior non-commissioned officers lived in Punta Gorda, while all student officers and most enlisted men lived in tent structures on the base. Semi-permanent buildings included an operations headquarters, classrooms, supply building, fire station, dispensary, chapel and the control tower. The base had nose dock hangars, where just the nose of the aircraft was under shelter for repairs.

Following the war, the U.S. Government issued a Deed of Release transferring all of the fixtures and improvements situated on the property to Charlotte County.

Airline service operated at PGD in the 1970s, but it declined in the early 1980s in the aftermath of the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978.{{Cite web| publisher = Charlotte County Florida Weekly | title = PUNTA GORDA AIRPORT | date = 17 August 2017 |url=https://charlottecounty.floridaweekly.com/articles/legacies/}} Florida Airlines operated flights from PGD to Tampa International Airport and Fort Myers (Page Field) from 1970 to 1976.{{cite web |title=Florida Airlines |url=https://www.sunshineskies.com/florida.html |website=Sunshine Skies |access-date=31 January 2024}}{{Cite news |last=Hogan |first=Bill |date=1976-08-10 |title=Florida Air Flights Suspended |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-florida-air-flights-suspended/159650158/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |work=News-Press |page=7 |publication-place=Fort Myers, Florida |via=Newspapers.com}} Pompano Airways began flights from PGD to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 1981 but the service was discontinued after less than a year.{{cite web |title=Pompano Airways |url=https://www.sunshineskies.com/pompano.html |website=Sunshine Skies |access-date=31 January 2024}} Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA) operated service between PGD and Tampa International Airport in the early 1980s on Douglas DC-3 and Cessna 402 aircraft. PBA discontinued service to PGD in 1985, which was the last commercial service at PGD for the next two decades.{{Cite news |last=Pollack |first=Robin |date=1987-03-16 |title=Small market hinders airfield, manager says |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-small-market-hinders-airfield/159650209/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |work=News-Press |page=26 |publication-place=Fort Myers, Florida |via=Newspapers.com}}

Passenger service resumed at PGD in 2007. Skybus Airlines and DayJet began flights at the airport. Skybus ceased operations on April 5, 2008, and DayJet on September 19, 2008.{{Cite web| publisher = Charlotte County Florida Weekly | title = On this date in 2008: Skybus goes out of business |url=https://www.dispatch.com/story/business/2019/04/04/on-this-date-in-2008/5504389007/ |date=April 3, 2019}}{{Cite web| publisher = Aviation Today | title = DayJet Discontinues Operations|url=https://www.aviationtoday.com/2008/09/22/dayjet-discontinues-operations/ |date=September 22, 2008}} A new passenger terminal, named the Bailey Terminal, opened in 2007 replacing a structure that had been destroyed by Hurricane Charley.{{Cite news |last=Ruane |first=Laura |date=2007-09-21 |title=Airline coming to Charlotte |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-press-airline-coming-to-charlotte/159650291/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |work=News-Press |page=41 |publication-place=Fort Myers, Florida |via=Newspapers.com}}

Airline service resumed on November 22, 2008, when low-cost carrier Direct Air began twice weekly service to 10 cities in the eastern U.S. On December 2, 2008, low-cost airline Allegiant Air also announced it would open a new focus city at PGD and began McDonnell Douglas MD-80 flights to Greenville, South Carolina and Knoxville, Tennessee on March 5, 2009. A third airline, Vision Airlines also commenced weekly flights to Northwest Florida Regional Airport, collocated with Eglin Air Force Base (VPS) in Fort Walton Beach, on March 25, 2011. Vision then offered through ticketing for flights from Punta Gorda to Atlanta, Savannah, and Asheville via connections at the airline's Destin/Fort Walton Beach hub. Vision no longer has a hub at Destin/Fort Walton Beach.{{Citation needed|date=July 2023}}

The airport built a control tower in 2012 to accommodate additional commercial passenger service.{{cite news |title=Punta Gorda air traffic control tower comes online |url=https://www.nbc-2.com/story/16944313/2012/02/15/punta-gorda-air-traffic-control-tower-comes-online?clienttype=printable |access-date=23 July 2019 |agency=WBBH-TV |date=15 February 2012}}

The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport since it has over 10,000 passenger boardings (enplanements) per year.

{{cite web

| url = http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/npias/reports/media/2011/npias_2011_appA.pdf

| title = 2011–2015 NPIAS Report, Appendix A | format = PDF, 2.03 MB

| work = faa.gov

| publisher = Federal Aviation Administration | date = October 4, 2010

}}

Federal Aviation Administration records say the airport had 147,698 enplanements in calendar year 2011, an increase from 87,041 in 2010.

{{cite web |date=October 9, 2012 |title=Enplanements for CY 2011 |url=http://www.faa.gov/airports/planning_capacity/passenger_allcargo_stats/passenger/media/cy11_all_enplanements.pdf |work=Federal Aviation Administration |format=PDF, 1.7 MB}}

Vision Airlines and Direct Air ended all service to PGD in 2012. Shortly after the collapse of Direct Air, Allegiant grew their PGD presence from three to seven cities and started basing aircraft full-time at the airport. Allegiant continues to grow at PGD; by the end of 2015, Allegiant served 29 destinations from PGD.

Frontier Airlines briefly served PGD in late 2016 to mid 2017 offering flights to Philadelphia, Chicago-O'Hare, and Trenton which had been relocated from nearby Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers.{{cite web |title=Punta Gorda Airport welcomes new, nonstop service from Frontier Airlines starting this fall |url=https://www.flypgd.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/file32.pdf |website=FlyPGD |access-date=25 July 2019}} After the tourist season of that year, Frontier discontinued service to PGD and shifted the flights back to Fort Myers.{{cite news |last1=Ruane |first1=Laura |title=Frontier confirms it's not returning to Punta Gorda Airport |url=https://www.news-press.com/story/news/2017/07/19/frontier-confirms-its-not-returning-punta-gorda-airport/493292001/ |access-date=25 July 2019 |agency=News-Press |date=19 July 2017}}

The airport has been home to the Florida International Air Show since 1981. The Florida International Air Show is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization operated wholly by several hundred volunteers that include airport staff."[https://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/2016/592/289/2016-592289482-0df20d59-9O.pdf Form 990: Return of Organization Exempt from Income Taxes]". Florida International Air Show Inc. Guidestar. December 31, 2016. Each year, the Florida International Air Show donates proceeds to various local charities that provide their volunteers for the setup, operations, and breakdown of the event. Through November 2016, the Florida International Air Show has donated $2.9 million to these local working charities throughout its history."[http://floridaairshow.com/about/ About the Florida International Air Show]". Florida International Air Show. October 1, 2016.

File:Punta Gorda Airport terminal.gk.jpg

Punta Gorda Airport covers 1,934 acres (783 ha) at an elevation of 26 feet (8 m). It has three asphalt runways: 04/22 is 7,193 by 150 feet (2,192 x 46 m), 15/33 is 6,286 by 150 feet (1,916 x 46 m), and 09/27 is 2,636 by 60 feet (803 x 18 m) and 6 gates.{{cite web|url=https://skyvector.com/airport/PGD/Punta-Gorda-Airport|title=PGD airport data at skyvector.com|website=skyvector.com}} FAA data effective January 23, 2025.

In 2007, the airport built a new terminal for the growing number of passengers.{{Cite web| work = Charlotte Florida Weekly | title = CLEARED for TAKEOFF |url=https://charlottecounty.floridaweekly.com/articles/cleared-for-takeoff/ |date=June 9, 2016}} It was named the Bailey Terminal for the seven Bailey brothers who were from Punta Gorda, and served in World War II and the Korean War.

In the year ending December 31, 2023 the airport had 103,252 aircraft operations, an average of 283 per day: 85% general aviation, 12% airline, 2% military, and 1% air taxi. At the time, there were 404 aircraft based at this airport: 331 single-engine, 36 multi-engine, 21 jet, 11 helicopter, 4 ultra-light, and 1 glider.

The airport is in the process of expanding including an improved terminal which will increase the airport's gates to 10.

{{Airport destination list

| {{nowrap|Allegiant Air{{cite web|title=Allegiant Air|url=https://www.allegiantair.com|access-date=2 April 2017}}}} | Akron/Canton,{{Cite web|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/allegiant-air-flying-out-of-akron-canton-airport-after-leaving-cleveland-hopkins|title = Allegiant Air flying out of Akron-Canton Airport after leaving Cleveland Hopkins|date = 26 October 2021}} Albany (NY), Allentown, Appleton, Asheville, Austin, Belleville/St. Louis, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Charlotte/Concord, Chattanooga,{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.allegiantair.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Allegiant-Ties-Record-for-Largest-Expansion-in-Company-History-with-44-New-Nonstop-Routes-plus-3-New-Cities/default.aspx|title = Allegiant Ties Record for Largest Expansion in Company History with 44 New Nonstop Routes, plus 3 New Cities|date = 19 November 2024}} Chicago–Midway, Chicago/Rockford, Cincinnati, Columbus–Rickenbacker, Dayton, Des Moines, Flint, Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Huntington (WV), Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Lexington, Louisville, Minneapolis/St. Paul,{{cite web |last1=Wu |first1=Kevin |title=Allegiant Air announces 3 new routes from MSP Airport |url=https://www.kare11.com/article/travel/allegiant-airlines-announces-3-new-routes/89-b35f4764-40e5-4cb0-a1dc-40b2fa25a50b |website=KARE11 News |date=29 June 2021 |access-date=30 June 2021}} Nashville, Newburgh, Niagara Falls, Peoria, Pittsburgh, Portsmouth, Providence, Savannah,{{cite web|date=July 16, 2024 |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allegiant-announces-eight-new-routes-with-one-way-fares-as-low-as-39-302197466.html |title=Allegiant Announces Eight New Routes with One-Way Fares as Low as $39*|website=PRNewsWire}} South Bend, Springfield/Branson,{{Cite web|url=https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/allegiant-announces-23-new-nonstop-routes-one-way-fares-low-39|title = Allegiant Announces 23 New Nonstop Routes with One-Way Fares as Low as $39* | Allegiant Travel Company}} Springfield (IL), Toledo, Washington–Dulles{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allegiant-announces-twelve-new-routes-with-one-way-fares-as-low-as-49-301989967.html|title=ALLEGIANT ANNOUNCES TWELVE NEW ROUTES WITH ONE-WAY FARES AS LOW AS $49*|website=PRNewsWire|date=November 16, 2023|access-date=November 16, 2023}}
Seasonal: Baltimore,{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/01/12/allegiant-air-flight-expansion-portland-jackson-hole-key-west/6631129002/|title=Allegiant Air aims for pandemic vacationers with flights to 3 new cities, including Jackson Hole and Portland|website=USA Today}} Bangor,{{cite web|url= https://www.bangordailynews.com/2023/07/11/news/bangor/allegiant-punta-gorda-bangor-flights/ |title= Allegiant adds new Florida route out of Bangor airport |website=Bangor Daily News|date= 11 July 2023 }} Elmira, Moline/Quad Cities, Norfolk, Omaha, Plattsburgh, Rapid City,{{Cite web|url=https://ir.allegiantair.com/news-releases/news-release-details/responding-customer-demand-allegiant-announces-service-expansion|title = Responding to Customer Demand, Allegiant Announces Service Expansion with New Nonstop Routes | Allegiant Travel Company}} Richmond, Rochester (NY), Sioux Falls, St. Cloud (MN), Syracuse, Traverse City

| {{nowrap|Sun Country Airlines}} | Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul{{cite web |title=Sun Country adds 2 new nonstop routes from MSP |url=https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/sun-country-adds-2-new-nonstop-routes-from-msp/6156724/?cat=12196 |website=KSTP |date = 29 June 2021|access-date=30 June 2021}}

|}}

File:Punta Gorda Airport control tower.gk.jpg

{{Airport-Statistics|iata=PGD}}

• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• List of airports in Florida

• {{Air Force Historical Research Agency}}

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{{Commons category}}

• {{Official website|http://www.flypgd.com|Punta Gorda Airport}}
• {{cite web|url= http://www.cfaspp.com/PopUps/DownloadDocument.aspx?doctype=facilityinfo&uaid=FL000060 |title=Charlotte County Airport (May 2010) }} brochure from [http://www.cfaspp.com/ CFASPP]
• [http://msrmaps.com/map.aspx?t=1&s=12&lat=26.9189&lon=-81.9927&w=700&h=600&lp=---+None+--- Aerial image as of December 1998] from USGS The National Map
• {{FAA-diagram|06178}}
• {{FAA-procedures|PGD}}

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{{Florida airports}}

{{USAAF 3d Air Force World War II}}

Category:Airports in Florida

Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Charlotte County, Florida

Category:Airfields of the United States Army Air Forces in Florida

Category:Airports established in 1943

Category:1943 establishments in Florida

Category:Punta Gorda, Florida