Sarasota Bradenton Airport opens Allegiant Terminal with 3 restaurants, pet room

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport’s newest terminal is now open with three new restaurants and other convenient features for travelers.

Florida Gulf Coast Airport held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new terminal on Tuesday, and the first flights of the expansion began service Wednesday morning.

The more than 75,000 square foot terminal, designated Concourse A, is located on the first floor to the right of the ticket counter and handles only Allegiant flights.

“By February, we expect to have 35 destinations from Allegiant,” said Rick Piccolo, airport CEO and president. “And in January and February, they’re going to be our biggest airline. They’re going to have more seats than anyone else.”

New terminal opens after hurricane delays

Sarasota Bradenton International Airport’s newest terminal is now open with three new restaurants and other convenient features for travelers.

Florida Gulf Coast Airport held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new terminal on Tuesday, Jan. 14, and the first flights from the expansion began service Wednesday morning.

The more than 75,000 square foot terminal, named Concourse A, is located on the first floor to the right of the ticket counter and handles only Allegiant flights.

“By February, we expect to have 35 destinations from Allegiant,” said Rick Piccolo, airport CEO and president. “And in January and February, they’re going to be our biggest airline. They’re going to have more seats than anyone else.”

New terminal opens after hurricane delays

The $110 million project suffered delays in October after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Sarasota. However, the terminal was recently completed and the first flight took off on January 15th.

Piccolo said this is the largest project since Concourse B was built on the second floor of the airport.

Three local restaurants added to SRQ in Concourse A

Concourse A has three new locations for SRQ airport travelers to eat and drink.

▪ Sarasota To Go offers grab-and-go sandwiches and Peet’s coffee.

▪ Patrick’s 1481, a downtown Sarasota eatery known for its burgers and American cuisine, has a sit-down restaurant inside the terminal.

▪ Anna Maria Oyster Bar, a popular local seafood chain, expands its offerings with a restaurant and bar.

“The biggest thing is we wanted local people to come to the airport and touch their products,” Piccolo said. “That way, if they come here and try it here, they’ll probably try it over there.”

Terminal increases convenience for travelers with children and pets

Piccolo said the terminal has five gates, with a remote sixth gate that can be used when needed.

In addition to regular bathrooms, the terminal has an all-in-one bathroom with a door for a mother’s nursing room, an ADA-compatible restroom, and a pet rescue room.

The pet rescue room has artificial turf with a drinking bowl on one end and a fire hydrant on the other.

Piccolo says this is “what is needed in modern times.” “Pet facilities are a must. A lot of them are required by federal law, but you can do them cheaper or you can do them expensive and great. And we wanted it to be really great. ”

There is also another all-in-one restroom area at the front of the SRQ, before entering the TSA checkpoint in front of the boarding gate.

The gate area has ample seating, including seats for people with disabilities, and plenty of charging areas for electronic devices.

Allegiant unveils Bradenton and Sarasota-themed planes

Allegiant this week unveiled an Airbus A-320 aircraft designed specifically with the SRQ partnership in mind.

When you visit the Sarasota Tourism Marketing and Tourist Information Center, you’ll see a painting of two sea turtles on one side of the plane. On the other side, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is highlighted with an image of a manatee.

“We wanted to demonstrate our great partnership with the community here,” said Michael Broderick, Allegiant’s senior vice president of airport operations.

Allegiant is based in Las Vegas. The company has 27 existing routes to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, with eight more scheduled to open in February.

Piccolo said this is the largest project since Concourse B was built on the second floor of the airport.

Three local restaurants added to SRQ in Concourse A

Concourse A has three new locations for SRQ airport travelers to eat and drink.

▪ Sarasota To Go offers grab-and-go sandwiches and Peet’s coffee.

▪ Patrick’s 1481, a downtown Sarasota eatery known for its burgers and American cuisine, has a sit-down restaurant inside the terminal.

▪ Anna Maria Oyster Bar, a popular local seafood chain, expands its offerings with a restaurant and bar.

“The biggest thing is we wanted local people to come to the airport and touch their products,” Piccolo said. “That way, if they come here and try it here, they’ll probably try it over there.”

Terminal increases convenience for travelers with children and pets

Piccolo said the terminal has five gates, with a remote sixth gate that can be used when needed.

In addition to regular bathrooms, the terminal has an all-in-one bathroom with a door for a mother’s nursing room, an ADA-compatible restroom, and a pet rescue room.

The pet rescue room has artificial turf with a drinking bowl on one end and a fire hydrant on the other.

Piccolo says this is “what is needed in modern times.” “Pet facilities are a must. A lot of them are required by federal law, but you can do them cheaper or you can do them expensive and great. And we wanted it to be really great. ”

There is also another all-in-one restroom area at the front of the SRQ, before entering the TSA checkpoint in front of the boarding gate.

The gate area has ample seating, including seats for people with disabilities, and plenty of charging areas for electronic devices.

Allegiant unveils Bradenton and Sarasota-themed planes

Allegiant this week unveiled an Airbus A-320 aircraft designed specifically with the SRQ partnership in mind.

When you visit the Sarasota Tourism Marketing and Tourist Information Center, you’ll see a painting of two sea turtles on one side of the plane. On the other side, the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is highlighted with an image of a manatee.

“We wanted to demonstrate our great partnership with the community here,” said Michael Broderick, Allegiant’s senior vice president of airport operations.

Allegiant is based in Las Vegas. The airline has 27 existing routes at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, with eight additional routes scheduled to open in February.