Airport update: Flights ramping up, runway construction, future parking ramp

You’ll have more flight options, some construction to contend with and eventually a new parking ramp at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport.

March typically is among the busiest times at the Sioux Falls Regional Airport, which saw air travel cut in half in 2020, and airlines slowly are bringing back more flights.

This time last year, executive director Dan Letellier was seeing so much travel through the airport he was suggesting people get a ride to the airport because parking was so tight.

Then, of course, came COVID-19.

“Everybody scaled back flying considerably and focused on the cities closest to their hub,” Letellier said.

But things are starting to pick back up. Here’s what to know if you’re making travel plans.

The flights

American Airlines has picked up its frequency in Sioux Falls, taking over the majority market share for the first time.

“They went from 20 percent of the market to 33, 35 percent,” Letellier said.

American had started seasonal service to Charlotte, N.C., last year, but it’s now staying year-round with at least one flight daily.

The airline also flies to Chicago, Dallas and Phoenix.

Delta Air Lines scaled back its direct flight to Atlanta during the pandemic, but it just came back.

“It makes the connection to the Southeast a lot easier if you’re going to Florida or anywhere in the South,” Letellier said. “Having Charlotte or Atlanta makes a big difference, and either has a lot of international service or the Caribbean.”

And speaking of those destinations, many travelers are bypassing them because of concerns about needing a COVID-19 test before returning to the U.S., Letellier said.

United Airlines has scaled back its service to Denver and Chicago, but they are available.

Allegiant Air discontinued daily service to Las Vegas for several months in 2020, but it’s now back to six days a week.

The overall Allegiant schedule is similar to past years, including service to Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa and bringing back service to Nashville.

One warning though: Airline schedules will change, so keep that in mind when booking.

“Most airlines in the past would have their flight schedules locked and loaded a minimum of three months in advance if not farther out. Now you’re lucky to get a firm schedule a month out,” Letellier said.

The improvements

It’s hard to believe, but it has been a decade since the airport redid its main terminal and ticketing area.

“It needs a refresh, so we’re doing a project to update all the finishes and looking at potentially adding a family restroom on the concourse,” Letellier said.

The biggest project will be on the main runway, where the touchdown zones are being replaced on both ends.

“So 1,200 feet on both ends of the runway will be removed and reconstructed with the latest design standards,” Letellier said.

The $10 million project is funded by the FAA, and this year’s work will close the runway from mid-April until early October.

“We’ll use our secondary runway, which we’ve done too many times over the last 10 years, but trying to do it all in one year would have been really difficult and $40 million,” Letellier said.

The future

After years of studying it and talking about it, a parking ramp is finally moving forward at the airport.

Design is starting for a four-level, 1,000-stall parking ramp that would go on the current short-term parking lot.

Construction is planned for 2023 with the ramp opening in 2024. And if there’s enough funding once bids are done, the plan is to add a skyway to connect the ramp to the airport.