Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Since the 1980s, and the days of former U.S. Sen. Jake Garn and U.S. Rep. Jim Hansen, the Provo Municipal Airport has been a work in progress. In the past year, much has happened to help the airport in its forward progression. Getting there took decades.

Thursday will mark the one-year anniversary of the new airport’s newest terminals opening for commercial flights. Allegiant was already flying out of the old, one-gate airport and Breeze Airways already announced Provo as its new Utah home base, beginning last August.

Growing up

With the help of people like former Mayor Lewis Billings, senators and congressmen, the airport has grown from a control tower where employees used binoculars and white boards to guide planes within a four-mile radius — jokingly referred to as man-dar or eye-dar — to having real radar. That took a lot of working with the Federal Aviation Administration and getting help from the Utah delegation led by longtime U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch.

According to Steve Gleason, former airport director, it was the diligence of Billings that brought radar in 2008 after striking a deal with the FAA.

“It is wonderful to pause and celebrate the progress Provo continues to experience at the Provo Airport, but ‘we have only just begun’ should be our motto or mantra,” Billings said.

Johnny Morris, Special to the Daily Herald

According to Billings, the current airport was not the city’s first. Provo’s original airport was located just east of University Avenue, at approximately 1300 South. It was relocated to its current location, on the shores of Utah Lake, in the 1940s.

“In the generations that have followed, the airport has undergone a form of ‘aviation metamorphosis’ due to the wise and careful work of hundreds and hundreds of good people,” Billings said. “As we celebrate what we have today, it is important to remember we stand on the shoulders of countless generations of people who put in the hard work to make what we enjoy possible.”

Airport soars

The Provo Municipal Airport began flights from its new four-gate, 75,000-square-foot terminal on July 13, 2022. Within one year, PVU has added a new airline partner, dozens of additional routes and a planned expansion to accommodate growth.

“Our forward looking vision with the new terminal planned for expansion. Our new terminal opened with four gates but is already equipped with infrastructure to accommodate 10 total gates,” said Brian Torgersen, Provo airport director. “Prior to expansion, the Provo Airport averaged four daily flights. By comparison, we now have 12 daily flights with an expectation of 17 by year end.”

The $65 million Provo Airport terminal was built debt-free with combined government funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, the state of Utah, Utah County and Provo City. Support continues for the future $62 million expansion with funding commitments from Utah County and the state.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald file photo

“By investing in vital infrastructure, we create economic opportunity rather than waiting for it,” Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi said. “The economic benefits are substantial, with each new roundtrip daily destination bringing an estimated $15 million into our local, regional, and state economy.”

Since opening, flights out of the Provo Airport increased with the addition of a new commercial airline, Breeze Airways. Between the two airlines, 10 new destinations have been added as both companies established bases of operations in Provo.

“Breeze congratulates Provo Municipal Airport on its first year of operations,” said David Neeleman, founder and CEO of Breeze Airways. “From PVU, Breeze serves San Francisco, Phoenix and Orange County nonstop, as well as BreezeThru service to another 10 destinations. In the last year, we’re thrilled to have flown 100,000 guests from Provo and we look forward to welcoming many, many more in the years to come.”

Allegiant has flown into and out of the Provo Airport since 2013, servicing more than 700,000 passengers according to Drew Wells, Allegiant’s senior vice president of planning and revenue. Some of Allegiant’s destinations now include Chicago (Midway), San Diego, Nashville, Houston, Las Vegas and Los Angeles, among others.

“PVU’s new facility ushered in a new era for Allegiant, enabling us to invest in establishing local crews and base operations in November 2022,” said Keith Hansen, Allegiant’s senior vice president of airport/government affairs and corporate communications. “By doing so, we have been able to keep our fares low and introduce new and popular destinations, offering Provo families the opportunity to fly more often to see friends and take vacations.”

Courtesy Provo

While guests have enjoyed the opportunity to select a number of flights, it hasn’t gone without some bumps in the runway.

“It’s been great but not without challenges. This winter was challenging with de-icing,” Neelemen said.

With both Breeze and Allegiant having morning flights, and the airport having only one de-icing area, delays were common. Each plane takes a half hour to de-ice and with five planes leaving around the same time, scheduling became difficult with one de-icer.

The de-icing is up to the fixed base operator, Signature Flight Services, which bought out Tac-Air a year ago. They typically use 5,000 gallons of de-icing fluid in a winter but this year required over 70,000 gallons of fluid. Storage and acquisition of the fluid was also difficult, Torgerson added.

Provo Airport prides itself on being convenient for Utah County travelers. Parking at the airport is extremely close and within minutes, people can get from their car to the gate. The new airport terminal added standard features including a baggage carousel, on-site car rentals and food options.

Mark Johnston, Daily Herald file photo

“The forward-looking terminal design not only provides more gates and destinations; it is designed to enhance the travel experience from curb to flight,” Torgersen said. “Quick gate access and short lines reduce travel hassle; additions of baggage carousels, jetway and rental cars increase travel convenience.”

The future

During Kaufusi’s State of the City address in February, and again at the Stadium of Fire concert on July 1, she highlighted rapid growth at the Provo Airport.

“Our Provo Airport has become so successful that we’re already at capacity, with more airlines clamoring to make Provo their destination. The Provo Airport of the future is set to become the Provo International Airport,” Kaufusi said.

Torgersen said expansion plans include added apron space for additional aircraft and the potential to accommodate ten gates with separate facilities to accommodate customs and border control. Both Allegiant and Breeze, he added, requested the airport prepare for international travel “requiring our expansion plans sooner than we expected.”

It will cost about $75 million to build out the apron to 10 gates with three more gates being completed. There is currently $29.4 million ready to be used.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Construction on the apron will begin in September with the building of the gates starting next July. If all falls into place the new additions — including parking for 10 gates, a new runway and three more jetways — will be in place by summer of 2026, Torgerson said.

In the meantime, international flights can have temporary customs accommodations with more TSA and Border Patrol staffing, as well.

With the completion of the new regional sports park just southeast of the airport and reservations already being taken for tournaments, flights are expected to increase, route options to grow and Provo’s International Airport will continue forward as the second largest airport in the state.

Brigham Young University's Cosmo the Cougar and Provo Mayor John Curtis receive their boarding pass to Provo Airport's first commercial flight by Frontier Airlines on Tuesday, June 21, 2011.

Passengers depart their plane after arriving at their destination at the Provo Airport terminal on Thursday, July 28, 2016.

The Provo airport air control tower is shown in this undated photo.

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