SRQ Observes Growth, Tracks Expansion

By Lisa Neff

Plane-spotters can still choose to observe the action at Sarasota Bradenton International Airport from the hood of a car or the bed of a pickup parked along 15th Street East in Manatee County.

However, new amenities also await at the popular spot, including speakers broadcasting audio from the control tower.

Earlier in March, SRQ, 6000 Airport Circle, Sarasota, opened the Aircraft Observation Area. The $2.36 million project, started in 2013, was completed in partnership with Manatee County, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and Allegiant Air.

“The observation deck, it’s really, really important” as an amenity for SRQ and an enhancement just off the Tamiami Trail, Elliott Falcione, executive director of the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Feb. 24. “That’s a really popular spot.”

SRQ, announced the opening in mid-March on social media, highlighting features such as:

• A winglike shade structure.

• An airport-themed playground with an Allegiant-branded “plane.”

• Historical plaques.

• Speakers broadcasting air traffic control audio.

• Enhanced lighting.

• Enhanced landscaping.

“Come see the planes take off and land in a brand-new, family-friendly space,” SRQ stated March 12 in a public invite.

Scores of people responded, saying they had visited or drove by and praising the area for its blend of nostalgic and new.

Lots of “new” is occurring at SRQ, making it the fastest-growing airport in the United States, according to Mark Stuckey, SRQ’s executive vice president and chief of staff.

Here are some stats showing growth since 2018 that Stuckey recently shared with the county tourist development council:

• Six new airlines.

• 56 new nonstop destinations.

• Seats up 232%.

• Passengers up 213%.

As of February, SRQ boasted 11 airlines with 68 nonstop destinations. In 2018, the airport had 12 nonstop destinations.

“We’ve added quite a few flights,” Stuckey said.

In 2018, passenger traffic was 1,371,888. The estimate for 2025 is 4.5 million.

“Last year, we did see a reduction in service,” Stuckey observed. “Primarily that was caused by the storm damage that we received to the terminal-concourse roof, which got blown off. So, when that happened, we ended up having to remain closed for a little over a week and we lost over 100,000 seats and 600 flights.”

After the 2024 storms, SRQ also saw some carriers pull back service for the remainder of the year.

“That really impacted us,” Stuckey said, noting a drop in passenger traffic in 2024 from 2023.

However, for 2025, SRQ is “seeing pretty rapid recovery,” the chief of staff said.

February passenger numbers were up.

And for March, SRQ was expecting to report record-breaking numbers.

“We continue to see a lot of growth,” Stuckey said, adding that the expansion in service can be linked to new construction, including the opening of Concourse A in January.

Expansion plans include more concessions, a parking garage and a ground transportation project.

“A lot of improvements at the airport,” Stuckey said. “I think the next time you fly out of there, you’re going to like it.”