As airport sets new records, St. George Regional seeks public input on improvements

St. George Regional Airport, St. George, Utah, May 24, 2019 | File photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The St. George Regional Airport is creating its first ever Master Plan and has begun seeking public input on developing the property to meet future needs.

St. George Regional Airport, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the city of St. George, St. George News

“Creating a master plan is so important for the airport so that our growth is focused and organized over the next 20 to 30 years,” Airport Manager Rich Stehmeier said in a press release. “Without the plan, the FAA would not fund our future projects which may include the addition of food service, more direct-flight destinations and terminal expansion.”

An online survey has been created seeking public input. The survey takes about three minutes to complete and includes questions such as reasons for flying, frequency of flights, favorite and least favorite aspects of the terminal, and why or why not people choose to originate trips from St. George Regional. Airport officials say they are eager for the feedback.

“We urge the public to take this opportunity to have an influence on how we adapt to growth at the airport and the surrounding area,” Stehmeier said.

In May 2021, the airport broke its record for usage during a single month with 35,095 passengers — breaking the previous high set in March 2019, which saw 30,899. The airport is also on pace to eclipse its yearly mark for passengers, 277,520 — set in 2018.

St. George Regional Airport, St. George, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of the city of St. George, St. George News

“I think there is a lot of pent-up demand as people are anxious to travel again,” Stehmeier said. “Also, the growth the airport is experiencing is in direct correlation to the growth of the city.”

St. George Regional Airport has steadily grown into a popular aviation hub in the Southwest U.S., with regular direct flights to Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver and Dallas-Fort Worth.

“We have persevered through many challenges over the past few years, from the temporary airport closure in 2019 to the havoc wreaked by COVID-19 last year,” Stehmeier added. “Through it all, we were steadfast in our belief that we would rebound and regain the popularity we had been building upon.”

The survey can be found at www.flysgu.com and is expected to remain open through the end of the summer.

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