Florida's Hollywood Airport: Operations And Insights

Hollywood, Florida is a small city nestled between Fort Lauderdale to the north and Miami to the south. There are four airports in and around Hollywood, Florida, both public and private. The closest airport to Hollywood, Florida is the Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport, which is roughly 3 miles from downtown Fort Lauderdale and 21 miles from Miami. This airport is an intercontinental gateway, with over 700 daily flights to 135 domestic and international destinations.

Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport

The airport is conveniently located off Interstate 595, Interstate 95, U.S. Route 1, Florida State Road A1A, and Florida State Road 5. It is bounded by the cities of Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Dania Beach. The airport covers 1,380 acres (558 ha) and has two runways. It serves as a primary airport for the Fort Lauderdale, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, and Boca Raton areas, and as a secondary airport for parts of Miami and areas north of Boca Raton.

The airport offers a range of services and facilities for passengers, including airport parking and a consolidated rental car facility, which can be accessed directly from Terminal 1 and from the other terminals by a free shuttle bus service. Broward County Transit bus Route 1 offers a connecting service to the Broward Central Terminal in downtown Fort Lauderdale and Aventura Mall in Miami-Dade County. Additionally, the Tri-Rail and Brightline shuttle bus services provide free transportation to and from their respective stations to three locations at the airport, including between terminals.

Palm Beach International Airport

In 1947, ownership of the field was returned to Palm Beach County by the newly established U.S. Air Force, and the name was changed to Palm Beach International Airport the following year. The U.S. Air Force continued to have a presence at the airport, with the north half of the airfield being used for USAF operations, while civil operations and the airline terminal occupied the south half. The Air Force finally closed its base at the airport in 1962, and all property was conveyed to Palm Beach International Airport.

Today, Palm Beach International Airport is a popular and award-winning airport, offering over 700 daily flights to 135 domestic and international destinations. It has been ranked highly by travellers for its access, check-in, restaurants, shopping, and design. The airport is also undergoing multi-million-dollar modernization projects to improve the passenger experience further.

Southwest Florida International Airport

The airport is located in a beautiful setting, just southeast of Fort Myers, and serves the greater Southwest Florida area, including Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Sanibel, Captiva, Greater Naples, Marco Island, and the Everglades. With quick access to Interstate 75 and U.S. 41, the airport provides easy driving access to all the attractions in the region. It is also conveniently connected to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport at Dania Beach train station, served by Tri-Rail commuter trains, and the Fort Lauderdale station serving Brightline.

The airport has one terminal with 27 gates across three concourses (Concourse A, B, and C). Concourse B was expanded in 1998 with the addition of a new wing, bringing the total number of gates to 17. In 2005, a new terminal complex opened, and in 2024, the airport served a record-breaking 11,028,182 passengers.

North Perry Airport

The airport is devoted exclusively to private and business light-plane activity, with various concessionaires offering fuel, service, air charter, flight instruction, aircraft sales, maintenance, storage, and other aviation-related services. North Perry Airport has four runways, four Fixed-Based Operators (FBOs), 148 T-hangers, and over 40 aviation businesses. In 2007, it was named the 2008 "General Aviation Airport of the Year" by the Florida Department of Transportation.

In terms of operations, North Perry Airport recorded 195,192 aircraft movements in fiscal year 2021, a decrease from 230,189 in 2020. For the 12-month period ending May 2, 2018, the airport handled 117,649 aircraft operations, averaging 322 per day, with 99% general aviation, <1% military, and <1% air taxi.

The airport has experienced several incidents, including a tragic crash in 2021 involving a Beech Bonanza aircraft and a car, resulting in fatalities. Additionally, tornadoes related to Hurricane Ian in 2022 damaged 15 planes, and a separate plane crash near the airport that year claimed the lives of two individuals.

Boca Raton Airport

The airport has a rich history, initially selected to house a military airfield due to its favourable geography and climate. The region's subtropical climate, flat terrain, and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico made it ideal for year-round military operations and flight training. Additionally, Boca Raton's small population in the early 1940s allowed the government to acquire vast tracts of land without displacing a large number of people.

Most of the Boca Raton Army Air Field was deactivated after World War II, but a significant portion was retained, eventually becoming the Boca Raton Airport. Today, the airport boasts two full-service FBOs (Fixed-Base Operators), 125 T-Hangars, and an FAA Contract Tower. It is conveniently located with easy access to major roads and has become a popular choice for pilots due to its pleasant locale and on-site amenities, including a customs facility, an on-site hotel, and restaurants.

The airport has experienced several notable events throughout its history. In 2005, Hurricane Wilma caused extensive damage to hangars, resulting in over $12 million in losses. In 1997, a unique piece of cinematic history was stolen from one of the hangars—the restored original Aston Martin DB5 "Effects Car" from the James Bond film "Goldfinger". The airport also played a role in a secret project during the 1950s, producing stem rust spores as a potential biological agent against wheat production in the Soviet Union.

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