VERO BEACH, Fla. — A third commercial airline will soon begin offering service to and from Vero Beach early next year.
Vero Beach Regional Airport announced Friday that American Airlines will launch nonstop daily, year-round flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, starting Feb. 12.
WATCH BELOW: Vero Beach airport will soon offer flights to Charlotte
"I guess it progressed faster than we thought it would," Vero Beach Mayor John Cotugno said.
Cotugno told WPTV Friday that the airline first showed interest months ago. Now that it's official, it becomes the third commercial carrier out of the airport, just weeks after JetBlue announced flights from Boston and New York.
"This new route not only provides greater convenience but also enhances business and leisure opportunities between Vero Beach and one of the region's major hubs to connect travelers to the world," Todd Scher, the director of the Vero Beach Regional Airport, said.
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It's gonna open up a whole new market for the area," Keith Kite, the director of Indian River County's Chamber of Commerce, said.
Kite wasn't surprised that more airlines are coming to Vero Beach.
WPTV reported in January that passenger numbers at Vero Beach Regional Airport have seen dramatic growth in the last year.
Breeze became the first commercial carrier in 2023, and the airport served about 86,000 passengers. By 2024, that number had soared to 177,000 — more than double.
"We've got 2.5 million (people) coming to Florida by 2030, according to the Florida Chamber," said Kite. "I think they're headed to our area."
"The ecstasy of, 'Oh, the airlines are coming, that's great, isn't that wonderful,' but that's kind of the yin of it," Cotugno said. "The yang of it is that now we have to add the infrastructure and support for that."
It's those growing pains that have Cotugno hitting the brakes. The one-gate airport can handle just one load of passengers at a time, and the TSA checkpoint is even tighter.
"This airline terminal was not built to handle multiple airplanes coming in at the same time," Cotugno said.
When asked about his plans to handle that growth, Cotugno said it starts with parking. The city is now assessing whether an expansion of the parking lot and the surrounding roadways is needed to accomodate future passenger growth. He also said the City is looking at potentially expanding the terminal and adding another gate, amid other improvements.
"I'm concerned for both our citizens and the passengers coming in and out of the airport," said Cotugno. "Please, have patience as we try to adapt our infrastructure."
Flight Schedule
American Airlines said in a new release that daily flights on a CRJ-900 jet will start Feb. 12 and have the following schedule:
- Depart Charlotte at 10 a.m., landing in Vero Beach at 12:10 p.m.
- Depart Vero Beach at 12:45 p.m., landing in Charlotte at 2:40 p.m.
"As Florida's largest airline, American takes pride in providing travelers unparalleled access to destinations around the country and the world and we are thrilled to bring new service to Vero Beach," said Jordan Pack, American Airlines' director of domestic network planning. "Our flight to Charlotte is designed to maximize nationwide connectivity, helping bring tourists to the region's relaxing atmosphere and beautiful beaches. For local residents, American's service provides the ease and convenience of flying out of their home airport to destinations across our network with just one stop."
Service to Charlotte won't start until five months from now, but travelers can start booking flights starting on Monday.
Scher touted the news as helping boost not only tourism but also offering benefits to residents.
"We're not just launching new service," Scher said. "We're showcasing Vero Beach's trajectory as a competitive, connected, and thriving community. Improved connectivity ensures that our local businesses, residents, and tourism ecosystem remain resilient and prosperous."
This news follows JetBlue's announcement in August of its first-ever service to Vero Beach Regional Airport, which is set to begin in December.
Starting Dec. 11, JetBlue will offer daily, year-round flights to and from both Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) and New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
