Peoria Int'l Airport Awarded $500,000 In SCASD Program (UPDATED X2)

Peoria Int'l Airport has been awarded $500,000 for assistance in regaining a link to a western connecting hub.

The grant, announced Friday, is part of the Small Community Air Service Development program (SCASD). Funds are used to offset financial losses by the airline providing service. On many instances, funds aren't needed.

The Airport Authority prefers Denver, Houston, Phoenix or Salt Lake City. Denver and Houston are hubs for United Airlines, Phoenix is a hub for American Airlines and Salt Lake City is a hub for Delta Airlines. 

It is difficult to imagine that American Airlines would offer Peoria-Phoenix nonstops when passengers can make good connections through Dallas/Ft. Worth. Houston was already tried and didn't work out due to load factors. I don't see Delta Airlines being interested in Peoria-Salt Lake City nonstops. 

Both American Airlines and United Airlines provided letters of support. So if Houston, Phoenix and Salt Lake City are out, then Denver is likely what the airport authority desires. 

I added a link to the Department of Transportation document detailing the awards. Here is the description for Peoria:

"The funding will be used for a revenue guarantee and marketing to initiate and support new daily service to a west-central hub, preferably Denver, CO, Houston, TX, Phoenix, AZ, or Salt Lake City, UT. The community states that it has lost prior west-central hub service to Denver, and that this has adversely affected its economy and its travelers. It states that the service identified in its proposal will alleviate that deficiency. In addition, the airport plans to increase sustainability and reduce its carbon footprint through installation of solar panels and EV parking spaces. Peoria qualified for the air service restoration merit. The community is providing substantial local funding for the project. American Airlines and United Airlines provided letters of support for the project."

I should mention that Springfield's Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport received $250,000 in SCASD funds for a marketing campaign. Of course, this airport applied for funds before Breeze Airways announced service to Orlando and Tampa starting in early December. The funds, however, will help promote existing Allegiant Air and American Eagle service. 

"The funding will be used for a marketing campaign to support its existing Allegiant Air and American Airlines service. The community states that, over the past decade, scheduled departures from Springfield’s airport have declined by more than half, and proposes a marketing program tailored to increase public awareness of its remaining service. The community has assembled a strong public-private partnership which has raised local funding for the project, which will assist in the project’s implementation. American Airlines provided a letter of support for the project."

UPDATE: The Peoria Journal Star actually ran an article on this grant on January 15, 2024, more than three months after it became known! It also updates us on the new control tower (groundbreaking targeted for July 2024) and a taxiway reconstruction. Go here to read the story.

- David P. Jordan