Naples Airport considers American Airlines proposal for passenger flights

By Staff Reporter | May 16, 2026

Naples Airport, a small general aviation facility tucked into one of Florida's wealthiest communities, may be about to become something it has not been in nearly a decade — a commercial airline destination. American Airlines, the world's largest airline by passenger volume, has sent a formal letter of intent to the Naples Airport Authority (NAA) proposing three daily arrivals and departures between Naples and Charlotte, North Carolina, with service set to begin on December 2, 2026.

The letter, dated May 13, 2026, was written by Jason Reisinger, American Airlines' Managing Director of Global Network Planning, and addressed to NAA Executive Director Chris Rozansky. It marks the first formal airline proposal for scheduled commercial passenger service at Naples Airport in years — and it sets in motion what promises to be a contentious local debate.

What American Airlines is actually proposing

American Airlines intends to operate the Naples-Charlotte route through its regional subsidiary PSA Airlines, using 65-seat Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jets. The CRJ-700 carries a maximum takeoff weight of 75,000 pounds — within Naples Airport's established weight limit — and meets Stage 4 noise standards, which Rozansky described in his board presentation as making it "among the quieter aircraft currently operating at the airport."

The route connects Naples directly to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, American Airlines' second-largest hub in the United States, which offers onward connections to over 180 destinations globally. For Naples residents currently driving to Fort Myers' Southwest Florida International Airport or Miami International for scheduled flights, the proposal represents a significant convenience gain.

The plan calls for three daily roundtrips — a frequency that signals genuine commercial intent rather than a test run — and American says it will operate within Naples Airport's existing voluntary curfew hours of 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Board must approve — and the vote is next week

The proposal is not yet approved. Under Naples Airport Authority Resolution 2026-1, the Executive Director cannot independently enter into any agreement with an airline for scheduled passenger service — that decision requires the advice and consent of the full Board of Commissioners at a regular or special meeting.

Rozansky is scheduled to brief the Naples Airport Authority Board of Commissioners at its next regular meeting on Thursday, May 21. The board will review the proposal, and a separate conflict-assessment meeting has been scheduled for May 26 to examine broader legal questions — including whether city zoning authority over airport uses is pre-empted by federal law and whether the city can terminate the airport lease without FAA approval.

Critically, federal aviation rules add another layer of complexity for the airport. Naples Airport accepts federal grant funding — which means it generally cannot arbitrarily deny a commercial airline from starting service if the aircraft meets the facility's physical requirements. The CRJ-700 does meet those requirements, which limits the authority's room to simply say no.

A neighborhood that has been here before

For those living closest to the airport, the proposal is not abstract. Dody Skogen, who has lived in a mobile home community across from the airport for 20 years, remembers the last time commercial service operated out of Naples. "I could walk to the airport wheeling my suitcase," she recalled. But the service did not last. "There wasn't a lot of traffic, which is why they didn't make it, because it was very expensive," she said.

This time, neighbours like Katie Rogers are already raising concerns. "I think the primary concerns that we have would be increased noise pollution and increased traffic," Rogers said — a sentiment widely shared in the surrounding residential areas that have grown considerably since commercial service last operated.

Naples Airport has a well-documented history of neighbourhood friction. The airport operates a noise complaint hotline and has faced sustained local activism over flight paths, aircraft soot, safety concerns, and whether a commercial airport is compatible with the area's predominantly residential and luxury character. There has even been a long-running effort to physically relocate the airport — though residents have consistently rejected spending the estimated $1.5 billion or more required to do so.

Why Naples makes commercial sense — now

Despite the political friction, the commercial logic for American Airlines is clear. Naples and the surrounding Collier County area represent one of the highest-income catchment zones in the United States. The region's population has grown substantially over the past decade, fuelled by the broader Florida migration wave. Seasonal visitor demand — particularly from the northeast corridor — is strong and consistent.

Charlotte Douglas, as a fortress hub, provides American Airlines with a highly efficient feeder model. A single regional jet on the Naples-Charlotte route, running three times daily, can funnel passengers onto dozens of onward connections without requiring Naples to handle the complexity of multiple direct routes.

American Airlines representatives reportedly first contacted the NAA "out of the blue" approximately one year ago. The formal letter of intent this month signals the airline has done its demand analysis and believes the market can support the service commercially.

What happens if the board says yes — or cannot say no

If the board approves the proposal, Naples Airport will need to prepare its North Road Terminal — currently undergoing a $4.41 million Phase II renovation covering lobby upgrades, waiting areas, car rental spaces, and a grab-and-go café — to handle scheduled commercial passenger volumes. The terminal already hosts JSX, a public charter service that began operating out of Naples in November 2024 using Stage 4 jets, providing a working precedent for commercial-style operations at the facility.

December 2, 2026 is the target launch date. Between now and then, the Naples Airport Authority Board, the city of Naples, Collier County, and the FAA will all have roles to play in determining whether Southwest Florida's most exclusive small airport becomes a genuine commercial gateway — or whether neighbourhood resistance and legal complexity grounds the proposal before a single ticket is sold.

— Reporting by Staff Reporter. Based on the American Airlines letter of intent dated May 13, 2026, and Naples Airport Authority board documents.