Jacksonville International Airport 2023 Updates
It’s no surprise that travel to Jacksonville is booming, and the Jacksonville International Airport is currently hard at work to make the airport experience better for the almost 14,000 travelers that pass through each day.
For those on vacations, business trips, or weekend getaways, the airport experience is a vital part of their introduction to Jacksonville. These updates are a welcome change to an airport that provides non-stop flights to more than 36 major U.S. cities, and offers an average of 167 daily arrivals and departures on all major domestic air carriers and regional carriers.
Concourse B, a new $300 million construction project that began in late 2022, will be open for use by mid-2025. This addition will overhaul the TSA checkpoint area in its first stage and add a new six-gate boarding area in its second, with American Airlines already claiming 5 out of the 6 new gates.
TSA is also installing new screening equipment to process passengers faster, which is expected to be ready by November 2023. They hope this will cut the wait time for security down by 50%.
Additionally, JIA has announced a third parking garage, which will be open by the end of 2024, to provide an additional 2,000 spaces for travelers.
Construction is not the only change to look forward to. Breeze Airways has recently begun their service to Jacksonville, offering non-stop flights in and out of Los Angeles, and seasonal flights to in and out of Raleigh-Durham, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Norfolk, and Richmond. Plus, American Airlines will offer new, nonstop service from JAX to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport starting on November 5, 2023.
The Jacksonville International Airport also understands the importance of art as a calming, restorative experience for travelers. The airport boasts an impressive permanent collection, as well as rotating exhibitions that feature fine art, cultural exhibitions, and the history of flight in Jacksonville. Current exhibitions include works by Aleksandra Kokotovic, Kathy Skaggs, and Larry Wilson. The Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s Arts & Culture Program was established in 1995 and works to provide both a positive distraction to an occasionally stressful environment, and to educate visitors on the abundance of art and cultural resources in Northeast Florida. The rotating art can be viewed pre-security in cases on the connector bridge and main concourse, and in the Haskell and Sky Galleries next to the soon-to-be open Southern Grounds.
Lastly, it’s not a truly successful airport experience without good dining available while you wait for your flight. Southern Grounds, a Jacksonville local coffee and lunch spot, recently opened in Concourse A. They have announced a second, larger location with a full-service bar to open soon in the pre-security center court area. Burger-Fi has recently opened a location in Concourse A, and Vino Valo and Firehouse Subs, already JIA staples, will be opening larger locations in Concourse C later this year.