Key Takeaways
• Exceeding 10,000 enplanements lets Morgantown Airport secure $1 million yearly from the Airport Improvement Program.
• In 2023, only 6,986 of nearly 14,000 passengers qualified as FAA-counted enplanements.
• Strategies for 2025 include first-time flyer incentives, university partnerships, and SkyWest Airlines launching new flights.
For over a decade, Morgantown Airport, officially called Morgantown Municipal Airport, has aimed to reach an important goal: 10,000 annual enplanements. This number is more than just a target—it holds the key to how much funding the airport receives from the federal government. More specifically, if Morgantown Airport surpasses 10,000 annual enplanements, it becomes eligible for a huge increase in funding through the Airport Improvement Program, jumping from $150,000 to $1 million a year. This extra money is vital for keeping the airport safe, modern, and able to serve more people in the community.
Across many years, Morgantown Airport has come close to this goal but never quite reached it since 2011. Now, new strategies, partnerships, and efforts are coming together, making 2025 look like the year this important milestone might finally be reached. For both local residents and travelers, these changes could bring new opportunities for travel, work, and community growth.
The Importance of 10,000 Annual Enplanements
To understand why 10,000 annual enplanements matter so much, it helps to know how the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) works. The AIP, run by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides money to airports across the United States 🇺🇸 for upgrades and major projects. The number of people who board a plane at an airport—called “enplanements”—directly affects how much funding the airport gets. If Morgantown Airport reports more than 10,000 passengers boarding aircraft in a single year, its yearly AIP payout leaps from $150,000 to $1 million. With the extra funding, the airport can improve runways, upgrade buildings, and make travel safer and faster for everyone.
For airports serving smaller cities, reaching this figure is a game changer. It can mean better jobs, more frequent flights, and stronger connections to other parts of the country. For Morgantown, this milestone also supports a multi-million dollar runway extension project. This project, estimated to cost over $60 million, depends heavily on getting as much federal funding as possible. Every extra dollar from the AIP means more progress on construction and more room for Morgantown Airport to handle bigger planes and more flights in the future.
Looking Back: Morgantown Airport’s Struggle to Hit the Mark
Morgantown Airport last hit the 10,000 enplanement mark in 2011. After that year, the numbers fell below the target. Between then and now, total yearly passengers have bounced between 7,000 and nearly 14,000, but not all of those passengers are counted as “enplanements” by the FAA. This is because some passengers only connect through the airport, or their travel does not fit the strict federal definition of an enplanement.
For example, in 2023 Southern Airways reported nearly 14,000 total passengers at Morgantown Airport. However, out of these, only about 6,986 qualified as enplanements according to the official rules. This difference explains why just having many passengers isn’t always enough—airports must pay close attention to how the FAA counts who boards a flight from their location.
Recent Growth and the Push Toward 2025
Throughout 2024, airport and city leaders have worked hard to increase both the number and the type of passengers using Morgantown Airport. The difference this year is that they are focused on making sure as many travelers as possible count as enplanements under federal rules. Estimates suggest that for 2024, the airport will reach around 8,000 enplanements. While this is an improvement, it still falls short of the 10,000 threshold.
To close the gap by 2025, Morgantown Airport has put several new strategies in place:
- First-Time Flyer Incentives: The airport began offering special deals, like discounted ticket prices, aimed at people who have never flown from Morgantown before. Southern Airways, the main airline at the airport, is working closely with city officials on these offers. The hope is that by lowering the cost for first-timers, more local residents will try traveling from their hometown airport instead of driving elsewhere.
- University and Community Partnerships: Morgantown is home to West Virginia University (WVU) and is surrounded by a strong local community. The airport’s leadership has reached out to WVU and other organizations to promote the airport as the most convenient way for students, staff, and faculty to travel. As a result, more people are learning about the daily flights to Washington Dulles and Pittsburgh International—major hubs that connect to the entire country and beyond.
- Focused Marketing Campaigns: New marketing pushes, both online and in-person, remind people living in and around Morgantown of how easy, quick, and connected their local airport is. People are encouraged to choose Morgantown Airport for both work and vacation trips.
As reported by VisaVerge.com, MGW Director Jonathon Vrabel shared that “Based on Southern’s projections, we feel we can reach 10,000 passengers with the right marketing and incentives to get folks flying out of Morgantown.”
The Role of Airlines: Adding Competition and Options
An important boost for Morgantown Airport came in early 2024, when a new carrier, SkyWest Airlines, began operations at the airport. Having two airlines now serving Morgantown means more choices for travelers and the chance to boost the number of enplanements. More carriers also means more flights to popular destinations like Washington Dulles (IAD) and Pittsburgh International (PIT), making Morgantown more visible and attractive to travelers choosing how to reach other parts of the United States 🇺🇸.
Flight schedules have been made with the needs of local business travelers, students, and families in mind, helping to make air travel from Morgantown convenient. The airport’s leadership is hopeful that this added competition will both improve service and add enough traffic to push annual enplanements over the much-needed threshold.
Measuring Progress and Seeing Real Gains
Looking at the numbers for 2024, over half the year saw more than two-thirds of the previous year’s totals reached within just a few months. This is a good sign that new strategies are working. The airport is on a clear upward trend, and city leaders are determined to keep pushing until the final goal is met.
Marketing campaigns, successful partnerships, and new incentives are already bringing in new passengers. The airport’s leadership and the local government are not only tracking how many people use the airport but also making sure these trips count as enplanements for official reporting. This careful attention helps ensure that each ticket sold and each passenger flown strengthens Morgantown Airport’s eligibility for higher FAA funding.
Why the Airport Improvement Program Funding Matters for Morgantown
As explained earlier, the difference in funding at stake is huge. While $150,000 a year in federal support is useful, $1 million is game changing. This extra money enables large-scale projects that would otherwise be out of reach for a small municipal airport.
The top priority right now is a runway extension project with a price tag of more than $60 million. The project’s aim is to improve safety, let bigger planes land, and bring in more flights. Without the full $1 million in annual AIP funding, completing a project of this size would take much longer and possibly cost the community important business opportunities.
Beyond runways, AIP funding also pays for things like lighting, navigation equipment, and safer terminal areas. These upgrades make the airport better not just for travelers, but for everyone who depends on the airport for work or runs a business nearby. Local jobs, tourism, and business development all benefit when an airport grows and modernizes.
For anyone interested in the technical side or who wants more details about how the program works, you can find out more on the FAA’s official Airport Improvement Program page.
Stakeholders: Who Benefits—and What’s at Risk?
Passengers
Those who travel in and out of Morgantown Airport stand to gain better flight options, more direct connections, and improved service quality. Fares are likely to become more competitive, especially with more airlines and a growing passenger base. People living nearby also save time and money by flying from a local airport rather than driving hours to another city.
Local Economy
Reaching the 10,000 enplanement mark can bring a boost to local businesses. More travelers passing through mean more money spent at hotels, restaurants, and shops nearby. It also makes Morgantown a more attractive place to start or expand a business, since easy access to flights is a big plus for workers and owners alike.
City and University
West Virginia University and the city’s leaders have a major interest in seeing the airport grow. Universities often rely on good air service for student travel, faculty visits, and research partnerships. By strengthening the airport’s connections, the university and the city ensure Morgantown remains a top choice for talented students and professionals.
The Airport Staff and Airlines
For those who work at Morgantown Airport, unlocking the extra AIP funding can mean more jobs, better pay, and improved working conditions. Airlines also benefit from a larger, more stable passenger market, allowing them to offer more routes and competitive pricing.
If the airport fails to meet the 10,000 enplanement mark, the risk is not just lost funding—it could slow down projects, freeze growth, and make it harder for travelers and businesses to rely on local flights.
Prospects for 2025: Realistic Optimism
As of now, ongoing efforts are showing progress. With SkyWest Airlines coming aboard, strong marketing, community outreach, and incentives for first-time travelers, Morgantown Airport is on a promising path. Local officials are confident that, if these efforts can keep their momentum, 2025 could finally be the year when more than 10,000 people board a plane in Morgantown in a single year—a goal untouched since 2011.
There are some challenges, of course. The airport must continue to remind local residents of the advantages of flying from Morgantown. Weather, airline schedules, and competitive ticket prices from other airports can all affect passenger numbers. But the consistent push from city leaders and partners like WVU gives hope that the finish line is in sight.
Conclusion: Why Morgantown Airport’s Success Matters
The push to reach 10,000 annual enplanements is about more than just hitting a number. It’s about bringing bigger federal funding through the Airport Improvement Program. That funding will pay for the upgrades and expansions needed to keep the airport safe, modern, and ready for the future. The airport’s success promises stronger business growth, better opportunities for students and workers, and new travel options for families.
As 2025 approaches, community support, incentives for new travelers, and partnerships with airlines and local institutions make all the difference. The story of Morgantown Airport is a good example of how even a small city’s airport can aim high, rally local support, and set itself up for a brighter future.
For more detailed updates and news about Morgantown Airport’s progress toward 10,000 annual enplanements, you can always turn to trusted sources like VisaVerge.com and review official airport improvement grants on the FAA’s website. This goal, if reached, will open a new chapter for Morgantown’s growth and connection to the rest of the United States 🇺🇸 and beyond.
Learn Today
Enplanement → An instance where a passenger boards a flight at an airport, counted for federal funding eligibility purposes.
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) → A federal grant program by the FAA providing funds to airports for infrastructure upgrades and safety improvements.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) → The United States government agency responsible for regulating civil aviation and airport operations nationwide.
Runway Extension Project → An airport construction initiative that lengthens the runway to allow larger aircraft and more flights.
SkyWest Airlines → A regional airline that began serving Morgantown in 2024, expanding travel options and boosting enplanement numbers.
This Article in a Nutshell
Morgantown Airport is on the verge of achieving 10,000 annual enplanements for the first time since 2011, unlocking a potential $1 million federal funding boost. With new airline competition, university partnerships, and targeted incentives, community support may finally propel the airport to this crucial milestone, benefiting residents, businesses, and travelers alike.
— By VisaVerge.com
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