St. Petersburg-Clearwater International AirportTravel to Saint Petersburg Florida by Air |
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Many cities are served by multiple airports. Larger airports have more flight options, especially direct flights, more facilities and more amenities such as shops and restaurants. But often times larger airports serve as hubs for the major carriers, and their presence there -and often dominance - means you often pay higher fares. Larger airports also tend to have higher parking rates, are more congested, and have more delays (due to aircraft traffic). On the other hand, if the closest airport you choose to fly to or from is a smaller regional airport, you might be rewarded with lower fares, fewer delays, and less traffic. That might even make it worthwhile - even if the nearest airport is a bit further of a drive.
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St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport
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While most scheduled commercial airline traffic in the Tampa Bay Area uses Tampa International Airport (TPA, ten miles to the east), Saint Petersburg-Clearwater remains a destination airport for low-cost and charter carriers, notably several from Canada. The airport also serves as the gateway airport to Pinellas County. Because of its lesser pace of operations, PIE is frequently used instead of TPA as a destination airport by pilots of private planes and executive jets for access to the bay area. The airport is located on the west shoreline of Tampa Bay, six miles north of St. Petersburg, Florida. Barely a decade after the pioneer flight of the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the first tickets for air travel were sold by the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line of Tony Jannus to fare-paying passengers. Construction of the airport at its present site started in March 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the airport was acquired by the U.S. Army Air Force, which used it as a military flight-training base. The 304th Fighter Squadron, a combat training unit of the 337th Fighter Group (Third Army Air Force), based P-40s and, later, P-51s at Pinellas Army Airfield (as it was known) for the duration of World War II. After WWII, the Airport property was returned to Pinellas County by the U.S. government to operate as a commercial airport. It was originally called Pinellas International Airport and given the IATA designation, PIE, which it still uses. In the 1950s, some airlines provided service to both PIE and TPA, such as Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, and Northwest Airlines. With the advent of the Jet Age, the airport's runway was extended northward into Tampa Bay and the first commercial jet service to PIE was operated by Northwest. Today, the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport is a 2,000 acre (8 kmē), fully-certified facility with ILS-equipped 8,500-foot runway and two 5,500-foot runways. It is home of the busiest Coast Guard Air Station in the world. U.S. Customs, FAA-operated control tower, the Central Florida Region Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), the busiest in the U.S., and the St. Petersburg VORTAC for airway navigation are also important federal government services at the airport. Along with scheduled commercial airlines, United Parcel Service, Air Cargo, and General/Corporate Aviation are also major activities. The entire 2000 acre (8 kmē) tract of the airport is designated as a Foreign Trade Zone and a large Airport Industrial Park developed in the 1980s is a major center of commerce. The airport and its tenants employ over 3,000 people and have an economic benefit of more than $400 million yearly to the Tampa Bay area. The airport includes a 24-hour airport rescue and fire-fighting (ARFF) department (Index C), facilities, operations, engineering, and administrative personnel. Airline Terminal: St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport has one Terminal and thirteen Gates: 1 - 12, and 14 |
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