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Vero Beach Regional Airport readies terminal upgrades and parking plans as two carriers announce service
Summary
City airport staff outlined terminal rehabilitation, a phased parking expansion plan and possible private parking leases as JetBlue and American are scheduled to start service; council adopted an updated airport fees resolution earlier in the meeting.
Airport staff briefed the council on terminal rehabilitation work, parking lot upgrades, and operational preparations as new carriers prepare to begin service at Vero Beach Regional Airport.
Taj (airport director) told the council that JetBlue is scheduled to start service Dec. 11 and American Airlines on Feb. 12, and reminded the audience the carriers approached the airport rather than being recruited with financial incentives. “These are not airlines that we have recruited or solicited or offered any kind of financial incentives to be here,” Taj said.
Staff described phase‑1 terminal work already under way (baggage makeup area and temporary passenger exit lane) and a follow‑on phase to renovate the terminal front between the building and runway; the target for substantial progress is late December into January. The city is also advancing a paving and stormwater design for “Parking Lot C” (the grass staging area by the control tower) but said construction will likely be deferred until after the busy season to avoid disrupting travelers.
To increase short‑term capacity, staff is converting a 53‑space area to an employee‑only lot, freeing 40–45 short‑term spots for visitors; signage and hang‑tag enforcement are planned to be in place by November. Airport staff also confirmed discussions with a private parking operator that would lease and manage long‑term parking and develop additional parking on adjacent vacant parcels; staff said negotiations include land rent and a concession fee to the city and will go to the airport commission for review.
TSA staffing and screening capacity were also discussed; the airport director said TSA has not indicated any problems and that the airport can impose a one‑hour spacing between departures if screening throughput becomes constrained. City staff further reported a customs facility opened in May/June and has cleared 61 aircraft since opening; airport staff said the facility is fee‑based and expects to recoup operating costs from those fees.
Earlier in the meeting the council adopted a resolution updating regulations, fees and rental rates for use of the airport by airlines. That resolution passed on a 5–0 roll call.
