With busy travel season ahead, airport previews more destinations, construction progress

Air travel in Sioux Falls is creeping back to pre-pandemic levels – and the lineup of destinations this spring and summer reflects it.

“Flights have definitely been full, for sure. It’s been encouraging,” said Dan Letellier, executive director of the Sioux Falls Regional Airport. “I think we’re well on our way to topping 2019’s passenger enplanement.”

In January, air travel was about double what it was last year and about even with 2019. In 2020, right before the pandemic, the airport had set a monthly record.

“As we sit here today, it looks like a really strong summer and into fall,” Letellier said.

The airlines appear to agree, with routes coming back and frequency being added.

For vacationers, Allegiant Air Lines is offering 11 destinations, including maintaining service to Austin, Texas, and Punta Gorda, Florida, and bringing back Nashville, Los Angeles and San Diego.

“And they’re going to continue Orange County, so a lot of service to Southern California, a lot of service to Florida,” Letellier said.

Frontier Airlines is continuing service to Denver and will discontinue service to Orlando International Airport, bringing back Las Vegas.

“Hopefully, Orlando comes back this fall,” Letellier said.

Frontier’s proposed merger with Spirit Airlines awaits governmental approval, and it’s somewhat unclear what, if any, impact it would have on service, he said.

Spirit hasn’t been a fit for Sioux Falls because it typically connects major metro areas with Florida and the Caribbean.

The legacy airlines are slowly adding back frequency to destinations such as Minneapolis and Denver, Letellier said.

“Fortunately for summer, it looks like some of that’s coming back. There’s more seats, bigger planes on United  and Delta, but pilot issues are really impacting additional growth,” he said.

“And it’s a negative impact on frequency with smaller regional jets that are getting cut because they don’t have the crews to fly them.”

Construction in progress – and ahead

Travelers to the airport will notice multiple construction projects throughout the rest of the year.

The full renovation of the concourse is in process, with gates in various stages of completion. Carpeting is mostly replaced, lighting still has to get redone, and the gate areas themselves gradually are getting face-lifts.

“It’ll happen; it’s just really slow,” Letellier said. “They’re missing a lot of parts and pieces, which they should be getting in within the next week.”

A family restroom has been added on the concourse for families who need to assist children or adults.

The concourse restaurant is adding seating and has taken out walls where video lottery machines used to be. The bar is adding a craft beer area that will rotate monthly features, and a Cinnabon counter is going in.

“So there will be an oven and display as well as new interior finishes to soften up kind of a cold environment,” Letellier said.

“And down on the end by Gate 5, they’re going to add a counter deli, so if you’re leaving on a 6 a.m. flight, there will be coffee and Cinnabon available and grab-and-go sandwiches throughout the day.”

The plan is to have the restaurant work done by mid- to late May.

Outside the building, after four years and nine phases, reconstruction of the main runway is done. Now, the crosswind runway needs some concrete repair, which is scheduled to start after July 4 and be done by October.

The major long-term project – a new parking ramp – is wrapping up design and scheduled to go to bid in April, with an award in May. Work won’t start until next spring, to allow enough lead time for steel and other materials.

The base bid will be for a four-story, 1,000-stall ramp, but it includes an option for a skyway connection if the budget allows.

“That is more than just a tunnel across the street. It really connects the terminal to the parking garage,” Letellier said. “In the front of the building, there’s extensive work to install escalators, elevators, just making that connection fairly seamless, so that all adds a level of complexity and additional structural work.”

If it doesn’t fit the budget now, it could be added in future years, he said.

“I think it’s something everybody really wants to do and sees a lot of value in, but it just depends on how much costs can escalate.”