Pensacola International Airport

History

In 1935, a passenger terminal opened, and airline service began two years later. Atlantic and Gulf Airlines went out of business a few months later after failing to get an airmail contract. In 1938 National Airlines began flights to Mobile and Jacksonville. From 1940 to 1945, the airport was a U.S. Navy training facility; the Navy built a control tower and added a fourth runway. In 1947 Eastern Air Lines began service out of Pensacola, and in 1952 a modern terminal replaced the original one. The airport was then dedicated to L.C. Hagler, the former mayor of Pensacola. In 1968 Eastern began the first scheduled jet service from Pensacola.

In 1978, after deregulation of the airline industry, several airlines began serving Pensacola, including Continental and Delta. In 1978 a National Airlines Boeing 727 crashed into Escambia Bay while on approach for landing, the first fatal airline accident in the area. In 1979 US Airways, then called USAir, arrived at Pensacola. In 1990 the current terminal was built and AirTran Airways began jet service in 2001. In 2005 United Express began service out of Pensacola. After stopping service to Pensacola in the 1990s, American Airlines (operating as American Eagle) began service again in Pensacola in 2004. Southwest Airlines initiated service to Pensacola in 2013 after purchasing Airtran Airways. Frontier Airlines initiated service at Pensacola in 2018.

Pensacola mayor Ashton Hayward announced on November 9, 2011, that the airport would change its name from Pensacola Gulf Coast Regional Airport to Pensacola International Airport, effective immediately.

Facilities and aircraft

Pensacola Regional Airport covers an area of 1,211 acres (490 ha) at an elevation of 121 feet (37 m) above mean sea level. It has two runways: 17/35 is 7,004 by 150 feet (2,135 x 46 m) with a concrete surface; 08/26 is 7,000 by 150 feet (2,134 x 46 m) with an asphalt surface.

Runway 17 has an instrument landing system and approach lights, while the Runway 26 approach has a localizer approach. A 1,000 ft. extension to the east end of Runway 08/26 was completed in 2006. The airport hopes to extend Runway 17/35 to about 8,500 ft.

The airport's two war-era diagonal runways were decommissioned in the 1960s.

For the 12-month period ending January 31, 2024, the airport had 157,103 aircraft operations, an average of 430 per day: 58% general aviation, 19% military, 16% commercial and 8% air taxi. At the end of January 2024, there were 172 aircraft based at this airport: 141 single-engine, 10 multi-engine, 18 jet, and 3 helicopter.

Terminal

Pensacola has one passenger terminal with 12 gates, built in the early 1990s. Gates 1 through 10 are located on the 2nd floor, while Gates 11 and 12 are located on the ground floor.

Gate assignments:

• American: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
• Delta: 2, 4
• Southwest: 10
• United: 1, 3
• Frontier: 6, 8, 10
• Spirit: 8
• Breeze: 9

Terminal expansion

The terminal was expanded in 2011 at a cost of $35 million. The expansion was designed by Gresham, Smith, and Partners and Stoa Architects.

In 2022, it was announced that the city of Pensacola was looking into a $70 million concourse and parking expansion that would provide more space to handle the airport's rapid increase in passenger numbers and flights.

Management

The airport is operated as a self-funding department of the government of the City of Pensacola.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

| American Airlines | Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Philadelphia | American Eagle | Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Washington–National Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia | Breeze Airways | Fayetteville/Bentonville, Fort Lauderdale (begins May 7, 2026), Memphis, Orlando (begins March 1, 2026), Tampa Seasonal: Raleigh/Durham, San Antonio (begins June 10, 2026) | Contour Airlines | Seasonal: Cape Girardeau (begins April 1, 2026), Muscle Shoals | Delta Air Lines | Atlanta Seasonal: Detroit | Delta Connection | Boston, New York–LaGuardia | Frontier Airlines | Denver, Orlando (resumes February 13, 2026){{cite web|url= https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/11/20/frontier-adds-two-new-routes-resumes-more/ | Southwest Airlines | Dallas–Love, Houston–Hobby, Nashville Seasonal: Austin, Baltimore (begins June 6, 2026), Chicago–Midway, Denver, Kansas City, St. Louis | Spirit Airlines | Fort Lauderdale, Orlando International | United Airlines | Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental | United Express | Houston–Intercontinental

Statistics

Passenger traffic

Annual traffic

Top destinations

Airline market share

Pensacola Intergalactic Airport annual name change

Pensacola International Airport undergoes a temporary annual name change to Pensacola Intergalactic Airport in February each year to celebrate Pensacon, a multi-genre convention held in the city of Pensacola. In 2024, the airport changed its name and signage on February 9, ready for the convention scheduled for February 23–25.

Accidents and incidents

• On May 8, 1978 National Airlines Flight 193 landed in Escambia Bay while approaching the east–west runway. Three of the 58 passengers and crew on board were killed.
• On January 2, 1982, a United States Navy Beechcraft Super King Air crashed into a housing development on approach north of Pensacola Regional Airport. The plane struck several trees, fell on a car and collided with an oak tree. The pilot was killed, the other seven occupants survived.
• On December 27, 1987, Eastern Air Lines Flight 573, a McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-31 suffered a hard landing, causing the aircraft to bounce and break apart aft of the wings. All four crew and 103 passengers survived, four passengers sustained minor injuries during evacuation.
• On April 10, 1989, a Southern Company Services Beechcraft Super King Air crashed into an apartment complex 4.1 miles from PNS en route to Atlanta DeKalb-Peachtree Airport. An in-flight cabin fire and smoke disabled the flight crew. All three occupants (2 crew, 1 passenger) died.
• On July 6, 1996, Delta Air Lines Flight 1288, an MD-88, experienced an uncontained engine failure during takeoff on runway 17. Fragments from the number one (left) Pratt & Whitney JT8D-219 turbofan engine penetrated the fuselage, killing two and seriously injuring one of the 148 people on board.
• On July 11, 1996, a United States Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon crashed into two houses just north of Pensacola Regional Airport while attempting an emergency landing. The plane was en route from Shaw AFB in South Carolina to Eglin AFB in Okaloosa County to escape Hurricane Bertha when it experienced an engine flameout. The pilot ejected safely; however, a 4-year-old child was killed, and the mother was severely burned.
• On June 17, 2025, a T-6 Texan II from NAS Whiting Field's Training Air Wing Five was diverted to Pensacola IAP due to weather in the area but had to make an emergency landing after what was called a "mishap on landing." Preliminary reports showed no deaths or serious injuries in the incident, and the 2 crew members were taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

Public safety

Pensacola International is protected by several local and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies. Specifically, they are served by:

• Pensacola Police Department
• Transportation Security Administration
• Aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) is provided by the Pensacola Fire Department, who operate out of one fire station on the premises.

References

References

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