Commercial air travel in Florida has seen significant growth since the pandemic, driven by increased leisure travel and a strong state economy. Data from Cirium indicates that air traffic in Florida has grown at more than twice the national average over the past five years. Currently, one out of every five airline seats in the United States is linked to Florida.
Nearly 95% of commercial flights in Florida are handled by its seven largest airports, which together are projected to serve over 200 million passengers in 2025. Only one of these airports functions as a major airline hub; the others experience intense competition among various carriers.
Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) is seventh on the list with 65,046 flights expected in 2025. The airport set a record last year with 7.6 million passengers and is expanding capacity through a $440 million project to rebuild Concourse B, which will add up to ten new gates and increase capacity by 50%. American Airlines leads operations at JAX with about 30% market share, followed by Delta Air Lines and Breeze Airways, which has rapidly expanded its routes from Jacksonville.
Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) ranks sixth with 65,144 flights projected for next year. It recently recorded an all-time high of 8.4 million passengers but also had the second-highest flight delay rate among major U.S. airports during the first half of 2025. To address this, PBI is undergoing a $141 million expansion of Concourse B to increase space and passenger amenities. JetBlue holds the largest share at PBI with 27% of flights.
Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW), serving Fort Myers and surrounding areas, comes fifth with an estimated 82,442 flights in 2025. Passenger numbers reached eleven million last year—a ten percent rise—largely due to Breeze Airways designating RSW as a base and expanding routes there. A $1.1 billion terminal expansion is underway to accommodate continued growth.
Tampa International Airport (TPA) stands fourth with about 182,904 annual flights forecasted for next year after surpassing pre-pandemic figures in both passenger numbers and flight volume. Tampa’s population growth has contributed significantly to this trend. The airport broke ground on Airside D—a new $1.5 billion terminal scheduled for completion in late 2028—to further support rising demand.
Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is third on the list with an anticipated total of approximately 229,230 flights next year. Historically a low-cost carrier hub, FLL saw substantial growth when Southwest established operations there; however, Spirit Airlines now operates nearly a quarter of all FLL flights despite recent financial setbacks that have reduced its presence at the airport.
Miami International Airport (MIA) ranks second overall but remains Florida’s only legacy carrier hub where American Airlines controls two-thirds of all departures—about 250,000 annual flights serving more than forty million seats across over one hundred fifty destinations worldwide. Miami processed fifty-six million passengers last year and surpassed New York-JFK as America’s busiest international gateway for both cargo and travelers. The airport’s ongoing “Modernization in Action” program aims to prepare facilities for up to seventy-seven million passengers by 2040.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) remains Florida’s busiest airport heading into next year with roughly 386,616 scheduled flights—maintaining its lead since overtaking Miami just before the pandemic began—and serving fifty-seven million passengers last year alone thanks largely to robust leisure travel demand centered around Orlando’s tourist attractions such as Walt Disney World Resort.
