American Airlines begins selling tickets for flights out of Naples Airport
American Airlines has begun selling tickets for flights between Naples Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport, starting Dec. 2. The Fort Worth-based airline last served Naples in 2001, and Naples Airport has not offered commercial flights since 2017.
American Airlines submitted a letter of intent in May expressing a desire to offer flights daily starting Dec. 2, including service to the airline’s hub in Charlotte, N.C. American’s service would be offered aboard PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American, using 65-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jets that operate under Naples Airport’s maximum takeoff weight of 75,000 pounds. American noted all flight operations would be scheduled in compliance with Naples Airport’s voluntary curfew of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily.
A number of steps remain, including negotiation of a use agreement, facility improvements and approval of the Transportation Security Administration. An update on these ongoing efforts is expected at the Aug. 20 Naples Airport Authority board meeting.
“Negotiations are progressing as anticipated,” said Chris Rozansky, executive director of the Naples Airport Authority. “American has been a great partner during this process, even agreeing to schedule flights to avoid our voluntary nighttime curfew and committing to use of some of the quieter regional jets available today.”
“American is proud to connect Naples to our unmatched network across the U.S.,” according to a statement from American Airlines. “New nonstop service to our Charlotte hub will give customers in Southwest Florida convenient one-stop access to nearly 180 destinations worldwide. We look forward to welcoming customers onboard and continuing our collaborative partnership with the Naples Airport and community.”
American Airlines would use the North Road Terminal, which is undergoing a complete renovation that was initiated in 2022. Originally constructed in 1981, the terminal was showing its age and sustained damage from recent hurricanes. Phase I, completed in April, involved extensive exterior work, including hardening the building envelope for better protection against future storms, site work and landscaping.
Phase II began in May, shortly before American issued its letter of intent, and primarily includes interior improvements intended to reflect the beauty and charm of Naples. Architects and contractors are now working quickly to design additional modifications to accommodate scheduled airline service and anticipate work being completed in November.
American’s decision to start selling tickets comes on the heels of a recent scientific survey commissioned by Naples Airport Authority to gauge community interest in commercial air service. American Pulse, a nationally known polling firm, surveyed registered voters representing the City of Naples and Collier County whose sentiments were collected via live telephone interviews and text surveys. The poll found an overwhelming percentage of respondents – 80.3% – are in favor of restoring commercial airline service at Naples Airport. The survey included an oversampling of residents living within the City of Naples and had a +/- margin of error of 3.9% at a 95% confidence interval.
“We’ve been asked for years about the potential return of airline service,” Rozansky added. “Travel doesn’t get more convenient for our residents and visitors than catching a flight out of Naples Airport.”