What’s On The Horizon For: Tampa International Airport

Chris Minner, Vice President of Marketing at Tampa International Airport, speaks to Routes about why Tampa Bay is uniquely positioned for air service growth and upcoming plans to ensure route success.

Located in a thriving business and leisure destination, Tampa Bay International Airport (TPA), an exhibitor at Routes World 2023 and a Routes 360 member, say these factors create a compound demand for new air service. Minner notes that in the last two years, 34 companies have relocated their corporate headquarters to Tampa Bay.

“In the short term we want to work with all the airlines that are already serving Tampa International Airport to make sure their nonstop flights to Tampa Bay are really thriving,” Minner explains. “We’re having those conversations about route performance to make sure if there are things we can do to help optimize, we will do that.”

As reported by Aviation Week in October, TPA has expanded its network to reach 98 destinations in 2023, a notable increase from the 89 destinations in 2019. During this period, the airport has managed to boost its traffic levels by approximately 10%.

Internationally, TPA celebrated the arrival of Virgin Atlantic in November 2022, introducing the airport’s first-ever scheduled nonstop flights to London Heathrow. It has also strengthened its Latin American connections, securing flights to the Dominican Republic with Frontier Airlines, which initiated services to both Santo Domingo and Punta Cana.

Looking ahead, Minner says the focus in the mid- to long-term is on international growth to cater to expanding business and leisure segments. The presence of a substantial community with Latin American heritage in Tampa Bay underscores the demand for air service to destinations in Mexico, Central, and South America. 

Speaking about the airport’s Routes 360 membership, Minner adds: “It’s fascinating that airlines are reaching out to us proactively because of the information we’ve put on our profile. It’s been a wonderful tool to keep us connected with airlines year-round.”