Provo Municipal Airport, Allegiant and Breeze airlines all growing at supersonic speed
Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi took a portion of her State of the City address earlier this month to discuss the growth at the new Provo Municipal Airport, emphasizing the travel hub’s importance to the local economy.
With more routes being started or announced by Allegiant and Breeze Airways — both having Provo Airport as their home base in Utah — Kaufusi is seeking funding for an expansion sooner than later.
The new four-gate airport opened July 2, 2022, and in less than eight months, it has seen an observable rise in business. Kaufusi has said she wants grantors and stakeholders to know this part of Provo is soaring.
In November 2019, prior to breaking ground on the new terminal, Kaufusi stated that the expectation was that up to 22 daily commercial flights could go in and out of Provo after the expansion. At the time, the airport had few commercial flights available, limited to three Allegiant routes to Los Angeles, Tucson and Phoenix.
Breeze Airways and Allegiant announced at the airport ribbon cutting that Provo would become their home base in Utah. As of this week, between the two airlines there are more than 60 flights in and out of Provo each week.
“We’ve been really pleased with the demand out of Provo and have been adding flights as that demand has grown … and we’re looking forward to future growth in Provo,” said David Neelemen, president and CEO of Breeze Airways.
The city is still inviting other airlines to choose Provo Airport as a destination location. Among the selling points is faster and less expensive parking and a quicker walk through TSA than at Salt Lake City’s expansive new airport. Even more important, it is easier for passengers to find gates to use.
Kaufusi noted that two airlines have put signature to paper saying they are wanting to expand to international routes, particularly to resort destinations like Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
That will take a customs area, some new gates and another runway. All of which are part of the buildout package Kaufusi is seeking. With the new airport opening debt free, the mayor is hoping negotiations will go faster and in a positive direction. It is anticipated the cost will be about $65 million.
The word “Municipal” in the airport’s name will very likely change to “International” with this next expansion, according to Kaufusi.
“We’ve seen incredible demand from Provo since opening it as a base of operations last year,” said Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of revenue and planning. “We are thrilled to offer Provo travelers more convenient, nonstop options to get to popular vacation destinations like Nashville just in time for spring and summer travel.”
Not only has Allegiant started flights to Nashville, the airline also announced Friday it would start seasonal flights to Chicago from June 16 through Nov. 13.
“Demand for travel continues to grow and we’re thrilled to grow our footprint in Provo,” Wells said. “Allegiant has felt resounding support from the community since opening (Provo Municipal Airport) as a base of operations and we know customers will continue to appreciate our low-cost, convenient, nonstop flights to some of the country’s top vacation destinations.”
Allegiant flies nonstop from Provo to the following cities:
- Austin, Texas
- Chicago
- Houston
- Las Vegas
- Los Angles
- Nashville, Tennessee
- Orlando, Florida
- Phoenix
- Portland, Oregon
- San Diego
- Santa Ana/Orange County, California
Breeze Airways inaugurated its newest nonstop route from Provo to Orange County-Santa Ana, California, last week and also announced a one-stop service to Orlando, in Florida’s Orange County.
“With this morning’s flight to Orange County and night flight back to Provo, our guests in Utah County now can easily take a day trip to visit the amusement parks and beautiful weather in Southern California,” Neeleman said in a statement. “In fact, now Utahns can pick between Disneyland and Disney World, with daily low fare options to both to Orange County, CA, and Orange County, FL.”
Breeze now flies out of Provo to the following destinations either nonstop or via connecting flights:
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Charleston, South Carolina
- Cincinnati
- Las Vegas
- Columbus, Ohio
- Orange County, California
- Louisville, Kentucky
- Orlando, Florida
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Providence, Rhode Island
- Richmond, Virginia
- San Bernardino/Riverside, California
- San Francisco
As Kaufusi hinted, residents can expect to see more destinations as the airlines add planes to their local fleets.
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- Passengers depart an Allegiant Air flight at the Provo Municipal Airport on Thursday, April 16, 2020.
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- Airplanes and cars at Provo Municipal Airport are pictured Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023.
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- As seen in this photo taken Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, Provo Municipal Airport parking is full and customers are parking in unpaved and unmarked fields to be used for future growth.
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- Passengers wait onboard the first flight for Breeze Airways out of the Provo Airport on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022.
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- Brothers Matt, left, and Doug Browne sit in the cockpit of a Breeze Airways Embraer 195 at San Bernardino International Airport on Thursday, Aug. 4, 2022. The Browne brothers served as captain and first officer on the company’s inaugural flight out of Provo Airport.
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