Bradenton Florida: Airport Or Not?

Sarasota–Bradenton International Airport (IATA: SRQ, ICAO: KSRQ, FAA LID: SRQ) is located within three jurisdictions: Sarasota County, the city limits of Sarasota, and Manatee County, all in the U.S. state of Florida. The airport is 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Downtown Sarasota and 6 miles (9.7 km) south of Bradenton. It is owned by the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and is the closest airport to Bradenton.

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is located in Sarasota, Florida, and is just 7.25 miles from Bradenton. The airport is designed for convenience, with a spacious terminal that allows for smooth and easy movement. Airline ticketing, baggage claim, and other services are located near the main concourse, and both short and long-term parking lots are adjacent to the main terminal.

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport has received positive reviews for its ease of access and lack of crowds, with short check-in lines and no stacks of planes during take-off or landing. The airport has also been recognised for its aesthetics, safety, and management, receiving the 2022 Commercial Service Airport of the Year Award by the Florida Department of Transportation.

The airport offers non-stop flights to various destinations, including New Hampshire, New York, Akron, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, and Richmond. It also provides daily nonstop service to New York City. Allegiant Air, which offers one-way fares as low as $49, has expanded its routes to include eight new nonstop destinations, bringing the total number of nonstop destinations served by all airlines to 67.

The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport is easily accessible and provides a convenient travel experience for passengers travelling to and from Bradenton, Florida.

St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport

The airport is categorized as a small-hub primary commercial service facility by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2023–2027. In 2014, the airport experienced double-digit growth and handled over one million passengers, setting a record.

Most scheduled airline traffic in the Tampa Bay Area uses Tampa International Airport, but St. Petersburg-Clearwater remains a destination for low-cost carriers. The airport is also less busy than Tampa and is frequently used by pilots of private planes and executive jets. St. Petersburg-Clearwater is a focus city for Las Vegas–based Allegiant Air.

The airport has two asphalt runways: 18/36, which is 9,730 by 150 feet with an ILS approach, and 04/22, which is 6,000 by 150 feet. It covers 1,900 acres at an elevation of 11 feet.

The airport offers non-stop flights to over 60 destinations, with Allegiant Air serving 59 airports in the eastern United States as of 2006. Some of the destinations served by the airport include Akron/Canton, Albany, Allentown, Appleton, Asheville, Bangor, Belleville/St. Louis, and Bismarck.

Tampa International Airport

Bradenton, Florida, is served by Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ), which is just 10 miles from the city centre. However, if you don't mind a longer journey, Tampa International Airport (TPA) is another option. This airport is 44 miles from Bradenton and is located 6 miles west of Downtown Tampa, in Hillsborough County.

The airport covers an area of 3,300 acres and has three runways. With over 100 non-stop domestic and international destinations, Tampa International Airport serves as a major hub for travellers in the region. It has consistently received high customer satisfaction ratings and has been recognised as one of the best airports in the United States and the world by various organisations.

The airport offers a range of shopping and dining options, including local Tampa Bay brands. Additionally, the airport provides easy ground transportation options, including a new Rental Car Center with space for 5,300 vehicles, connected to the terminal by the SkyConnect train system.

Sarasota-Bradenton Airport history

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (IATA: SRQ, ICAO: KSRQ, FAA LID: SRQ) is a public international airport located in Sarasota County, Sarasota, and Manatee County, Florida. The airport is owned by the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority and is 3 miles north of Downtown Sarasota and 6 miles south of Bradenton.

History

Before the Sarasota-Bradenton Airport was built, both Sarasota and Bradenton had their own airfields: Bradenton Airport and Sarasota's Lowe Field. Bradenton Airport was established between 1935 and 1937 and was abandoned during World War 2. Lowe Field was dedicated on January 12, 1929, and opened on March 12. It was Sarasota's first municipal airport, located on 160 acres of land west of what was then Oriente Avenue, now Beneva Road, and north of Fruitville Road. National Airlines began flying out of the airfield on August 4, 1937, but flights were often cancelled because the landing strip was too wet. This led to National Airlines leaving later that year after Sarasota was unable to pay for concrete runways.

The Sarasota-Bradenton Airport was considered a replacement for Lowe Field due to its poor conditions and low capacity. Construction on the new airport began in 1939 and it opened the following year with CCC and WPA assistance at a cost of $1 million. In May 1941, the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority was created.

During World War 2, the airport was leased to the Army Air Corps and became known as the Sarasota Army Airfield. The Army Air Corps added 250 acres, bringing the airport to a total of 870 acres. The 97th Bombardment Group was the first group to be stationed at the airfield, transferred from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa for training with B-17 Flying Fortresses. They remained at the airfield from March to May and also conducted construction and maintenance work.

After the 97th left, the 92nd Bombardment Group arrived for training and also carried out construction work. In June, the base was designated as a sub-base and changed its focus from bombers to fighters because the runways could not withstand the weight of the bombers. The 69th Fighter Squadron transferred to the airfield from Drew Army Airfield to train with P-39 Airacobras. Sarasota had sub-bases in Bartow, St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, and Tampa, while Immokalee, Lake Wales, Punta Gorda, and Winter Haven served as auxiliary fields. Training was conducted on the base, with 70 pilots graduating on average every 30 days.

On July 25, 1945, a Douglas TC-47B that left Sarasota for a navigation training session crashed after going through a thunderstorm north of Tampa. All 13 crew members on board died.

After three years of use, the base officially closed and was transferred to civilian usage in 1947. Despite this, the airport and its facilities deteriorated until the Florida Legislature passed the 1955 Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority Act, which gave the airport more legal power and guidelines to operate.

In the 1950s, the airport began to operate commercially and improvements were made, including extending the runway to around 2,100 meters. In 1959, a new passenger terminal opened, and jet-powered aircraft operated by National Airlines arrived in 1965, raising the status of the airport.

Further land was purchased, the runway was extended, and in 1989, the current terminal was built, greatly improving the amenities provided by the airport.

Airlines and destinations

Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is located 8 miles from downtown Bradenton, Florida. The airport offers both domestic and international flights.

Airlines

Several airlines fly to and from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, including:

• Avelo Airlines
• Allegiant Air
• Breeze Airways
• Frontier Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta

Destinations

• Portsmouth International Airport, New Hampshire
• Portland
• Akron
• New York-Westchester
• Cincinnati
• Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina
• Philadelphia
• Atlanta
• Baltimore
• New York City, New York
• Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
• Austin, Texas
• Providence, Rhode Island
• Hartford, Connecticut
• Tampa, Florida
• Fort Myers, Florida
• Orlando, Florida
• San Diego, California
• Los Angeles, California
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Nashville, Tennessee

Frequently asked questions