SRQ Wins Airlines’ Nod on Added Seasonal Flights


 

Recent efforts of the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) to bring in new flights to the region are beginning to bear fruit, thus providing added economic stimulus in the region, including market attention on Sarasota homes for sale.

In September 2014, SRQ officials announced Delta Air Lines will start non-stop Saturday service between SRQ and New York to the John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), effective February 14 to April 4, 2015. Delta will use in these new SRQ seasonal flights its 76-seat CRJ-900 aircraft.

Earlier in August, the local airport authorities also disclosed that United Airlines will start non-stop daily service between SRQ and the airline’s New York gateway hub at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), effective February 12 to May 5, 2015. For this added service, United will use the154-seat Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

The new flights to JFK and EWR are expected to open opportunities for SRQ connecting to more destinations, both domestically and internationally.

On top of daily flights

SRQ Wins Airlines’ Nod on Added Seasonal Flights

For nearly 35 years, Delta has been serving SRQ with year-round daily non-stop flights to the airline’s main hub in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The airline also operates year-round daily non-stop flights to New York, LaGuardia Airport (LGA) and seasonal flights to Detroit, MI (DTW).

United, on the other hand, already serves SRQ with year-round daily non-stop flights to the airliner’s Chicago O’Hare (ORD) hub. In 2013, United added a second flight to and from Chicago’s ORD for about a month during the high tourism winter season.

Airport upgrade gets FAA grant

Prospects of other airlines being drawn to SRQ have also been bolstered recently with the $9.1 million grants that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded to the airport to fund several projects. These include the construction of a new air traffic control tower, the ongoing terminal renovation project, the expansion of the U.S. Customs & Border Protection Federal Inspection services (FIS) facility, and additional airfield taxi lanes.

Completion of these projects should further solidify SRQ’s reputation as a safe and efficient commercial airport. Notably, the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport has received the 2014 Commercial Service Airport of the Year, the third time that it garnered this award from the Florida Department of Transportation.

In another development, revitalization looms for the Sun Coast Golf Center which sits on land near SRQ and leased from the Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority. New owners have taken over the nine-hole par 3 golf links which also features a driving range. It is one of the few lighted courses in the area where golfers can practice or play at night, a distinctive feature that the new owners hope to improve and build upon to eventually come up with a top-notch golf facility.

Market focus on Whitfield homes

The Whitfield Estates is among the neighborhoods near the SRQ which can draw immediate market attention with the recent positive developments at the airport. This community is known as the oldest planned community in Sarasota and Manatee counties and also features its own golf links, the historic Sara Bay Country Club.

Available Whitfield properties north of the airport are commonly among Sarasota homes for sale with asking prices in the $200s range. These residences are typically four-bedroom single family homes built in the late 1970s with floor areas of around 1,800 square feet.

The Whitfield choices west toward Sarasota Bay graduate to sales-listed homes in the $300s and the $400s, favored either for their waterfront views or golf course location. These options range from two- to four-bedroom residences with floor areas of between 1,500 and 3,000 square feet.