For years, those flying to or from Gainesville may have known the feeling of boarding a small regional jet. But a recent rise in passenger numbers and demand has airport officials looking for ways to accommodate larger aircrafts and more flights.
Gainesville Regional Airport can already handle bigger planes like Boeing 757s used primarily for sports charters. The problem is finding space for these aircrafts without disrupting regular commercial traffic.
To solve this, the airport is looking to expand its commercial apron, a paved area where aircraft park to be loaded, refueled and maintained. Last month, the Gainesville City Commission accepted an offer for a multimillion-dollar federal grant that would largely fund the project.
Gainesville Regional Airport CEO Paul Mehrlich said this move is more than simply adding new parking spaces.
“Over the next 20 years, we can expect to double the number of passengers that are going to be using our airport,” Mehrlich said. “ So it is just going to make it a little bit easier for us to continue operating while allowing more growth.”
Mehrlich says the apron expansion is not expected to disrupt air traffic or cause delays.
The space issue most often arises when charter aircraft fly in and when planes divert to GNV for weather or mechanical issues, said Mehrlich.
“It becomes difficult to find a place where you can put those aircraft and get them out of the way of your regular commercial traffic,” he said. “ The idea behind this project is to create that space.”
In early August, Gainesville city commissioners met with Mehrlich to discuss two Federal Aviation Administration grant offers. The first was for the apron expansion, and the other was for the construction of a new general aviation terminal building. According to city documents, the total offer exceeded $12.6 million.
The nearly $6 million apron expansion grant will fund much of the project, with the rest coming from state and local sources. AECOM, the airport’s design consultant, reports the project will add new taxilanes, service roads and lighting and drainage systems. The planning document also includes plans for more terminal space.
This expansion is another step in the airport’s mission to prepare for future passenger traffic. Late last year, construction of a 418-space parking garage was completed, which replaced crowded surface parking and overflow grass lots. The airport also completed the first phase of a newly designed baggage-handling system, with phase two currently under construction.
Mehrlich said the airport mostly serves business travelers, but he wants to expand options for those traveling for fun.
“We would like to be able to attract more of the leisure traveler markets that currently are driving down to Orlando or Tampa,” he said. “We want to show that they can come here and get those kinds of direct flights.”
He said airport staff are in regular conversation with multiple airlines about more flights, new destinations and larger aircraft. One of GNV’s targets is introducing a different type of carrier into the area.
“Our goal is to try to bring in a low-cost carrier into our market because we really feel that this would create and open a new market that we don't currently serve,” Mehrlich said.
In 2014, airport officials adopted a master plan, but when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the economy and the aviation industry as a whole, growth projections became inaccurate. After this disruption, airport records show a steady recovery, and in 2025, around 575,000 passengers used GNV.
At August’s City Commission meeting, Mehrlich said staff is developing a new 20-year master plan that accounts for the current state of air travel. He said he would keep working with the city to address any questions and keep them updated as the plan comes together.
At the meeting, commissioners questioned how Mehrlich would continue the work of GNV’s former CEO, Allan Penksa. He said he is honored to put the finishing touches on prior projects, but is even more excited to take on bigger ones, like the expansion.
Mehrlich has only been CEO of Gainesville Regional Airport for a few months, but he said he is ready to make changes. He said one of the biggest challenges he wants to conquer is capturing the airport’s sense of place.
“Our airport is very modern, clean and nice,” he said, “but currently I feel it lacks a little bit of the flair or ambiance that makes up what Gainesville is.”
He said he is open to working with residents and the University of Florida to bring local art and aspects of the area’s history to the airport.
“ There will be opportunities for them to provide feedback on how they would like to see the airport grow over the next 20 years,” Mehrlich said.
