urbanSTL

BLV numbers June

Some strong loads, maybe we see more expansion next summer. 
G4 does seem to keep routes longer and let them mature but I could see Knoxville cut, and it isn't showing up on the route map anymore. Oddly Mesa shows seasonal and it hasn't flow in a few years now

Passengers
up 19.71% on month
up 26.75% on year

Loads
Las Vegas NV (LAS) 94.34%
Punta Gorda FL (PGD) 93.56%
Orlando/Sanford FL (SFB) 93.44%
St Petersburg/Tampa FL (PIE) 91.69%
Gulf Shores AL (GUF) 90.90%
Fort Lauderdale FL (FLL) 89.44%
Sarasota FL (SRQ) 88.49%
Jacksonville FL (JAX) 83.64%
Myrtle Beach SC (MYR) 82.53%
Destin FL (VPS) 76.33%
Savannah GA (SAV) 75.88%
Knoxville TN (TYS) 50.98%

Meeting with the airport director at Midamerica tomorrow if anyone has any questions.
when will the metrolink train stop be up and running

Talked to the BLV director today.
Should be up around 30% on the year and close to 400K passengers. It is the biggest G4 station in IL, which is kind of cool. 

GUF doing really well, hope to see more frequency but partially depends on what the GUF side can handle. Thinks it can eventually be a route like VPS with daily/multiple a day flights.
Hasn't heard on if TYS is coming back next summer or not. Says summer schedule probably comes out in the next two weeks. Says since its a pretty short flight it might be able to live with lighter loads than others but wouldn't be surprised either way on if it comes back. 
Flights he would like MSY/BWI/DEN or COS. Austin also but isn't sure what kind of space AUS has to add flights. Would like to see LAS/FLL go year round, thinks FLL is more likely but both should be. 
Still working on a base. Next year is the first G4 will be plane positive in a few years so hopes we see some movement on it. Mentioned it would be easy for them to pick up pilots as Scott AFB flys "737s" so they could probably get some people to transition when their time in the military is up and just move over and fly for G4. If they get a base it would open up more options west and northeast. Probably would get AZA back with that. I forgot to ask about Key West, but I assume that would need a base here also. 
Breeze was mentioned as a possible option. It sounds like they have had some positive talks, said he thinks getting customs set up helps. His contact at Breeze used to work for Allegiant and BLV was in their zone so they are very familiar with the airport and operations. No timeline was said though on when they could come, but I feel like if any other airline shows up, besides Viva, it is going to be Breeze. 
Spoke fairly positively of Viva. Got the feeling Allegiant has had some positive movement on that apparently but I am skeptical personally. Got the feeling Viva could come either way. 
Seems like there just are still a lot of unknowns internationally until we get closer to a customs open date. 

Customs is now set to open spring 2027, still waiting on some funding from the government. 
GA flight building opens in the spring
Metrolink light rail station should open in the summer. It was pretty far along, sounds like it will be done in Jan/Feb but they need a few months for testing before it opens. Airport has to build the sideways from the station to the terminal themselves. They eventually will have a covered walkway the entire length. 
The poles for the wires basically are all the way to the station now. Only maybe 100 yards or so to go. The actual wires have a bit further to go but are to the edge of the airport footprint. So no much further for them either. Maybe a half mile at most

I presume that covered walkway will be built down the center of the existing parking lot? That would be nice if so, their lot seems like it's always almost full for the flights that I've had over the last year and it's a hike from the far corners of the lot up to the terminal entry in pouring rain. No fun.

pdm_ad wrote: ↑

Oct 20, 2025

I presume that covered walkway will be built down the center of the existing parking lot? That would be nice if so, their lot seems like it's always almost full for the flights that I've had over the last year and it's a hike from the far corners of the lot up to the terminal entry in pouring rain. No fun.

Will be here.

Did they happen to discuss cargo, manufacturing, or real estate around the airport? General Metro East economic conditions or vision?

I appreciate the intel but I imagine I'm not the only one who had to Google most of those airport codes.

PeterXCV wrote: ↑

Oct 20, 2025

I appreciate the intel but I imagine I'm not the only one who had to Google most of those airport codes.

Oops. I copy and pasted from my post on an airline centric board. I try to redo them to actual names when I post on here but I forgot this time

Idk if we have the load capacity to support it but it would be nice to have some flights to smaller mountain west destinations, even if only seasonally. Santa Fe, Reno/Tahoe, Spokane, Fresno, Flagstaff, Rapid City.

Idk if Allegiant or other airline has its eye on these flights that may fit at BLV. Just pipe dream stuff

I feel like Albuquerque could be genuinely possible. Then you could get to Santa Fe pretty reasonably from there.

ABQ followed by Colorado Springs and Palm Springs (PSP) are the most likely mountain or desert destinations. More likely out of STL though.

Allegiant schedule is out for summer.
Knoxville will not return.
Gulf Shores and Myrtle Beach get an extra flight to 3x a week.
Punta Gorda and Orlando 6x a week
Destin 12x a week
Everything else stays the same as last year.

TheWayoftheArch_V2.0 wrote: ↑

Dec 19, 2025

JSX would be clutch!  As you went through the list of potentials in your long post I was thinking about them and where they could operate in STL area.  I've flown them a couple times out of TX and its a nice product. 

I’d really like them to come. I think CPS makes way more sense than BLV but I was told by someone else them to BLV is serious. So maybe it happens. Might be the new FBO building that lures them in.

I didn’t mention it in my long post but the director did say he had talked to JSX at the time but I didn’t take it seriously at that point

https://avgeekery.com/allegiant-and-sun-country-merger/

Seems that most think MSP will see cuts as a result of this merger but I'm curious if this will have an impact at BLV. Jshank, I saw your post over on airliners where you think this will be a positive, think we'll see additional routes or frequencies or both?

pdm_ad wrote: ↑

11:52 PM - Jan 11

https://avgeekery.com/allegiant-and-sun-country-merger/

Seems that most think MSP will see cuts as a result of this merger but I'm curious if this will have an impact at BLV. Jshank, I saw your post over on airliners where you think this will be a positive, think we'll see additional routes or frequencies or both?

I think it all but guarantees international flights next year their customs is done.

The interesting thing for me is if they start doing connections since Sun Country does them. If that happens then it opened up a ton of new flight options from BLV with one stop.

As for other new destinations either they have to start doing pilot overnights or it needs to be a base before I think it really opens up options

KMOV - MidAmerica St. Louis Airport saw record travel in 2025

MASCOUTAH, Ill. (First Alert 4) - MidAmerica St. Louis Airport has released its 2025 Year in Review.

The airport said that in 2025, it had a record-setting 384,000 passengers, beating the previous record set in 2022 by 18%!

https://www.firstalert4.com/2026/01/21/ ... avel-2025/

October numbers

Officially passed there most passengers in a year ever, with 2 months left to go. 
Passengers up 24.81% vs OCT 2024 
up 28.14% YTD 

Loads 
Orlando 92.44% 
St. Pete 82.88% 
Punta Gorda 81.28% 
Sarasota 80.46% 
Gulf Shores 76.10% 
Destin 73.36%

     MidAmerica St. Louis Airport MetroLink Extension Opening Summer 2026 
FINALLY!!
https://scctd.org/midamerica-st-louis-airport-metrolink-extension-2/

What's the sidewalk to the platform on the left side of the image for? Exit only, since there's no gate there? 


Also, is there going to be a sidewalk or anything connecting the station to the airport terminal? A covered walkway would be nice, but I know to keep my expectations low.

Emergency egress?
The platform being 1000 feet from the terminal entrance is a shame. Lack of sidewalks and signalized crosswalks is a slap in the face and dangerous.

jonkleinow wrote: ↑

3:09 PM - Feb 11

What's the sidewalk to the platform on the left side of the image for? Exit only, since there's no gate there? 


Also, is there going to be a sidewalk or anything connecting the station to the airport terminal? A covered walkway would be nice, but I know to keep my expectations low.

They are going to put in a covered walkway from the terminal. Not sure it will be there initially but it is going in.

EDIT: Go up to post 481 and I have it drawn about where it will go