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Key West International Airport

Coordinates: 24°33′22″N 081°45′34″W / 24.55611°N 81.75944°W / 24.55611; -81.75944
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Not to be confused with Naval Air Station Key West.

Key West International Airport
Aerial view of Key West International Airport
Summary
Airport typePublic
OwnerMonroe County
OperatorMonroe County
ServesKey West, Florida
Elevation AMSL3 ft / 1 m
Coordinates24°33′22″N 081°45′34″W / 24.55611°N 81.75944°W / 24.55611; -81.75944
Websiteeyw.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram
FAA airport diagram
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
09/27 5,076 1,547 Asphalt
Statistics (2021)
Aircraft operations66,550
Based aircraft59

Key West International Airport (IATA: EYW, ICAO: KEYW, FAA LID: EYW) is an international airport located in the City of Key West in Monroe County, Florida, United States, 2 miles (3.2 km; 1.7 nmi) east of the main commercial center of Key West.

The relatively short 5,076-foot-long (1,547 m) runway limits the maximum size of aircraft that can serve the airport, along with restricting the weight of flights departing.

History

The first scheduled service between Miami and Key West was by National Airlines on February 10, 1944

Key West's aviation history began in 1913 with a flight to Cuba by Augustin Parla. In 1928, Pan American Airways began scheduled flights from Key West.[2] The main runway at Meacham Field was pressed into U.S. Army use after the Pearl Harbor attack, as well as into U.S. Navy use later in World War II as an alternative to the Trumbo Point seaplane base and the main Naval Air Station for fixed-wing and lighter-than-air (blimp) aircraft on Boca Chica Key. After the war, the city took over what became Key West Municipal Airport.[3] In January 1953, the city gave Monroe County the title to Meacham Field, allowing the county to apply for Federal Aviation Administration grants.[4] Around the same time, the airport became Key West International Airport.

National Airlines began flights to Miami in 1944 with Lockheed Lodestar twin prop aircraft,[5] although the airport did not have a paved runway until around 1956. National served Key West for nearly 25 years and later operated Convair 340 and Convair 440 prop aircraft,[6] as well as Lockheed L-188 Electra turboprops, into the airport.[7] In 1968, National began the first jet flights into Key West with Boeing 727-100s, providing nonstop service to Miami. By 1969, National was operating daily 727 jet service direct to Washington National Airport, Philadelphia International Airport, and John F. Kennedy International Airport via intermediate stops in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Orlando.[8]

Several other airlines also began operating jet service into Key West. In 1979, Air Florida was operating five nonstop flights a day to Miami with Boeing 737 jetliners.[9] In 1987, Eastern Airlines was operating daily mainline Boeing 727-100 jet service nonstop to Miami.[10] By 1989, Piedmont Airlines was operating six nonstop flights a day to Miami with Fokker F28 Fellowship twin jets.[11] This F28 jet service was then continued by USAir following its acquisition of and merger with Piedmont.[12]

The terminal as seen from the Atlantic Ocean

A number of commuter and regional airlines also served Key West with turboprop and prop aircraft during the 1970s and 1980s primarily with nonstop flights to Miami but also with nonstop service to Fort Lauderdale, Naples, and Tampa.[13] According to the Official Airline Guide (OAG), these air carriers included Air Florida Commuter, Dolphin Airlines, Gull Air, Jetstream International Airlines, Pro Air Services, Provincetown-Boston Airlines (and its successor Bar Harbor Airlines), Southeast Airlines, and Southern Express. Turboprop aircraft operated into the airport included the British Aerospace BAe Jetstream 31, Beechcraft 1900C, Beechcraft 1900D, Beechcraft C99, CASA 212 Aviocar, Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante, Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia, Nord 262 and Saab 340. Piston engine twin prop aircraft flown by commuter air carriers serving Key West included the Douglas DC-3, Martin 4-0-4, and Piper Navajo.

Delta Connection carrier Comair began service to Delta Air Lines' hub in Orlando in 1988 and also briefly had service to Tampa and Fort Lauderdale as well.[14][15][16] American Eagle Airlines began service from Key West to American Airlines' hub in Miami in 1989. American Eagle operated Saab 340 and ATR-72 propjets into the airport before introducing regional jet service in the 2010s.[13]

By the early 1990s, both USAir and Eastern Air Lines ended jet service to Key West, and all commercial service to Key West would be operated by propeller aircraft for the rest of the decade. In 1993, Cape Air began service to Key West with flights to Naples using Cessna 402s. Service expanded in 1996 with flights to Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers (the latter of which continued operating until 2013).[17][18] Other airlines operating at Key West in the early 1990s included Airways International (with flights to Fort Lauderdale and Miami), Pan Am Express (with flights to Miami), Paradise Island Airlines (operating code sharing service for Carnival Air Lines to Fort Lauderdale), and USAir Express (later known as US Airways Express with flights to Miami and Tampa).[13][19]

Gulfstream International Airlines also began service to Key West in the early 1990s with flights to Miami and Tampa.[20] Gulfstream would later operate as Continental Connection, the regional brand of the now-defunct Continental Airlines.[21] Gulfstream has since been rebranded as Silver Airways, who still serves Key West today.[22]

In 2002, Delta Connection carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines began regional jet service to Delta's hub in Atlanta. This brought jet service back to Key West as well as Key West's first non-stop flight to a destination outside of Florida since 1961.[23] Delta Connection's service to Orlando was also upgraded to regional jets at the same time, though Orlando service was discontinued by 2008.[24][25]

Main line jet service returned to Key West in 2009 when AirTran Airways, Key West's first low-cost carrier, started flights to Orlando International Airport on Boeing 737-700s.[25] Around the same time, Delta Air Lines upgraded some of their Atlanta flights to main line service on Boeing 737s. The airport's runway, which was 4,801 feet (1,463 m) at the time, was the shortest runway to be regularly used by 737s in North America.[26]

AirTran later added flights to Tampa in 2011.[27] By the end of 2012, Southwest Airlines took over AirTran's flights to Orlando and Tampa as part of the merger of the two airlines. Southwest also added service to New Orleans in March 2013.[28] However, in 2014, Southwest discontinued all service to the airport.[29]

On July 15, 2017, Key West International Airport was awarded a grant of $6.5 million by the FAA to assist in a $10 million runway project. The project added 227 feet (69 m) to the runway for takeoffs and landings as well as added 10-foot (3.0 m)-wide shoulders paved on each side of the runway. Construction work began in January 2018 and all construction was done at night.[30]

Facilities

Ticketing hall

Key West International Airport covers 334 acres (135 ha) at an elevation of 3 feet (1 m). Its one runway, 09/27, is 5,076 feet long and 100 feet wide (1,547 x 30 m) and has an asphalt surface.[1][31]

The length of the runway limits the size of aircraft that can serve the airport. Currently the largest aircraft that serve the airport are the Airbus A319 and the similarly sized Boeing 737-700, both shortened variants of the popular narrow-body mainline aircraft. Additionally, flights departing from EYW often have weight restrictions.[26]

The airport has two terminals designed by Mark Mosko and Dwane Stark of URS; Mosko also worked on Baltimore–Washington International Airport. The older ground-level terminal building opened in 1957 and now serves arriving passengers. The terminal was expanded with the addition of a second building elevated over the parking lot in February 2009. With an area of about 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2), it more than doubled the airport's terminal space. The newer building includes an elevated roadway and houses ticketing, check-in, and the airport's security checkpoint. The older building was then renovated with the former ticketing area becoming an expanded departure gate lounge, and the baggage claim area was then expanded into the former departure lounge. The two buildings are connected by an enclosed walkway.[32]

Parking for 300 vehicles is at ground level beneath the newer terminal—150 spaces for rental cars and 150 for the public.[33]

In November 2022, the airport broke ground on the construction of a new $98.8 million passenger concourse. This concourse will be nearly 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) in size and feature a new departures area, an upgraded security checkpoint, additional baggage areas, and new gates featuring seven jet bridges. The project is expected to be completed in early 2025.[34][35]

In the year ending December 31, 2021, the airport had 66,550 aircraft operations, averaging 182 per day: 55% general aviation, 34% airline, 10% air taxi, and <1% military. At the time, 59 aircraft were based at the airport: 39 single-engine, 13 multi-engine, 3 jet, 3 helicopter and 1 ultralight.[1]

Airlines and destinations

AirlinesDestinations
Allegiant Air Asheville, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Orlando/Sanford, Pittsburgh, St. Petersburg/Clearwater
American Airlines Charlotte, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare
American Eagle Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Miami, Washington–National
Seasonal: Boston,[36] New York–LaGuardia
Delta Air Lines Atlanta
Delta Connection Atlanta
Seasonal: New York–LaGuardia
JetBlue Seasonal: Boston
Silver Airways Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers (begins April 18, 2024),[37] Orlando, Tampa
United Airlines Newark
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Washington–Dulles[38]
United Express Newark
Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental, Washington–Dulles[39]

Allegiant, American Airlines, and Delta Air Lines operate mainline jets into Key West, primarily the Airbus A319. JetBlue operates the Airbus A220. United Airlines operates the Boeing 737-700.[40] American Eagle, Delta Connection, and United Express operate regional jets, including the CRJ700 and Embraer E-Jets. Silver Airways operates ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft.[41]

Statistics

Annual traffic

Key West's traffic was generally fairly stagnant to start the new millennium but gradually began increasing at the end of the 2000s with the addition of the new terminal and the introduction of low-cost jet service operated by AirTran, as well as mainline jet service by Delta.[42]

When Southwest acquired AirTran in 2011, it continued to operate flights from the airport, first under the AirTran brand and then under the Southwest brand with Boeing 737-700 jetliners.[43] Southwest Airlines ended service to Key West Airport in 2014.[43]

Annual passenger traffic at EYW airport. See Wikidata query.
Annual passenger traffic at EYW
2000–present[44][45][46]
Year Passengers
2000 292,508
2001 261,809
2002 272,440
2003 299,193
2004 298,790
2005 314,075
2006 294,047
2007 270,781
2008 231,339
2009 234,322
2010 287,359
2011 335,603
2012 370,637
2013 402,842
2014 383,776
2015 362,108
2016 380,505
2017 392,381
2018 870,237
2019 969,069
2020 641,876

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from EYW (April 2022 - March 2023)[47]
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta, Georgia 159,000 Delta
2 North Carolina Charlotte, North Carolina 130,000 American
3 Florida Miami, Florida 63,000 American
4 Texas Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas 55,000 American
5 Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 34,000 American
6 New Jersey Newark, New Jersey 30,000 United
7 Florida Tampa, Florida 24,000 Silver
8 Virginia Washington-National, DC 23,000 American
9 Illinois Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois 20,000 American, United
10 Florida Orlando, Florida 19,000 American, Silver

Airline market share

Largest airlines at EYW
(April 2022- March 2023)[48]
Rank Airline Passengers Share
1 American Airlines 444,000 32.94%
2 Delta Air Lines 295,000 21.88%
3 Republic Airways 166,000 12.36%
4 Allegiant Air 140,000 10.40%
5 Envoy Air 131,000 9.72%
Other 171,000 12.69%

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c FAA Airport Form 5010 for EYW PDF. Federal Aviation Administration. effective January 25, 2024.
  2. ^ "History and events for Key West International Airport". keywestinternationalairport.com.
  3. ^ "Florida in WWII -- Historic Sites and Resources". www.flheritage.com. Archived from the original on March 10, 2005.
  4. ^ "Key West airport shelf". keyshistory.org.
  5. ^ "Feb. 1945 National Airlines system timetable". timetableimages.com.
  6. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, April 26, 1959 National Airlines system timetable
  7. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, May 31, 1964 system timetable
  8. ^ http://www.timetableimages.com, July 15, 1969 National Airlines system timetable
  9. ^ "Airlines and Aircraft Serving Key West Effective November 15, 1979". departedflights.com.
  10. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, Aug. 31, 1987 Eastern Airlines system timetable
  11. ^ http://www.departedflights.com, June 1, 1989, Piedmont Airlines route map
  12. ^ "Airlines, and Aircraft Serving Miami Effective December 15, 1989". departedflights.com. USAIR Aircraft Operated:....Fokker 28...Destinations Served:...Key West (FL)...
  13. ^ a b c http://www.departedflights.com, Official Airline Guide (OAG) editions: April 1, 1981; July 1, 1983; Feb. 15, 1985; Dec. 15, 1989; Oct. 1, 1991; April 2, 1995; June 1, 1999; Miami-Key West flight schedules & Key West flight schedules
  14. ^ Cheakalos, Christina (February 2, 1988). "Key West gets 3rd commuter line". Miami Herald. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  15. ^ "Delta Air Lines Daily Departures from Orlando 1977-2004". Departed Flights. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  16. ^ "Comair Route Map (April 3, 1988)". Departed Flights. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  17. ^ Ruane, Laura (February 13, 1997). "Key West even more colorful". The News-Press. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  18. ^ "About Cape Air". Cape Air. Retrieved May 25, 2023.
  19. ^ "Carnival Airlines: December 19, 1996". Departed Flights. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  20. ^ "Gulfstream International Airlines: June 28, 1996". Departed Flights. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  21. ^ "Continental Express: August 2001". Departed Flights. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
  22. ^ "Gulfstream International Airlines Rebrands as Silver Airways". victoryparkcapitaladvisors.com. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on April 26, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2016.
  23. ^ "Delta expands Keys-Atlanta service". Miami Herald. December 28, 2002. Retrieved February 1, 2024.
  24. ^ "Atlanta-Key West flights begin". Orlando Sentinel. October 2, 2002. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
  25. ^ a b Clarke, Sara K. (September 9, 2009). "AirTran to fly Orlando to Key West aboard 737s". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  26. ^ a b "AirTran and Delta begin 737 flights to Key West". Sunshine Skies. December 17, 2009. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  27. ^ "AirTran Begins Tampa-Key West Service". The Florida Keys and Key West. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  28. ^ "Southwest Airlines Launches Service To Key West International Airport". Southwest Airlines. Retrieved February 6, 2024.
  29. ^ "Southwest Airlines cutting service to three cities". USA Today. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
  30. ^ Filosa, Gwen (July 15, 2017). "Key West airport to start $10M runway project". FL Keys News.
  31. ^ "EYW airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  32. ^ "NEW KEY WEST AIRPORT TERMINAL TO OPEN FEB. 25". Florida Keys. Retrieved September 22, 2016.
  33. ^ "New Terminal Opens at Key West International Airport". Florida Browser. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2009.
  34. ^ "Key West Airport Groundbreaking Launches $100-Million Expansion". The Florida Keys & Key West. December 21, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  35. ^ "Key West International Airport Concourse A Terminal Expansion, Florida, USA". Airport Technology. March 31, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  36. ^ "American Adds Boston - Key West Holidays 2023/24 Service". AeroRoutes. September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  37. ^ Dolan, Paul (February 9, 2024). "Fort Myers to Key West just got much simpler thanks to Silver Airways". WINK News. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
  38. ^ "UNITED EXPANDS KEY WEST SERVICE FROM JANUARY 2024". AeroRoutes. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  39. ^ Liu, Jim. "United expands Washington Dulles domestic routes in Nov 2020". Routesonline. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
  40. ^ "United Expands Key West Service From January 2024". AeroRoutes. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  41. ^ "Silver Airways". silverairways.com.
  42. ^ McCarthy, Ryan. "Key West airport gets a lift with new terminal, service". The Miami Herald. December 21, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2011. Archived from the original by California Aviation Alliance.
  43. ^ a b Guerra, John L. "Southwest pulling out of Key West on June 7 Archived May 10, 2017, at the Wayback Machine". KONK Life. April 6, 2014.
  44. ^ "Calendar Year 2005 Primary and Non-Primary Commercial Service Airports". CY05 ACAIS. Federal Aviation Administration.
  45. ^ "Primary Airport Enplanement Activity Summary for CY2000 Listed by Rank Order, Enplanements". FAA DOT/TSC CY2000 ACAIS Database. Federal Aviation Administration. October 19, 2001.
  46. ^ "Passenger Boarding (Enplanement) and All-Cargo Data for U.S. Airports". Federal Aviation Administration. June 9, 2017.
  47. ^ "RITA - BTS - Transtats". bts.gov.
  48. ^ "Airport Traffic Report". Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  49. ^ "Accident description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved September 8, 2009.
  50. ^ "CU-T1192 Hijacking description". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved June 21, 2001.
  51. ^ "Cuba". DC3 history. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2010.
  52. ^ "Cuban Plane Hijacked to Key West in 2003 May Make Final Journey — as an Artificial Reef". February 11, 2021.
  53. ^ Canedy, Dana (April 2, 2003). "Second Plane from Cuba is Hijacked to Key West". The New York Times.
  54. ^ "Rick Hendrick crash". Accident Description. November 2011. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
  55. ^ "Accident Report". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved January 23, 2012.
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