St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is expanding as it continues to set new records for passenger traffic.

In July alone, more than 320,000 travelers passed through PIE — the busiest month in the airport’s history. So far this year, passenger numbers are up 10% compared to 2024, according to airport spokesperson Michele Routh.

“From February to July, every single month was a record breaker,” Routh said.

To keep pace with the growth, PIE is moving forward with major additions. The first is a new parking garage, designed to ease capacity issues as airlines expand service. Allegiant, PIE’s largest carrier, now offers 63 destinations from the airport.

“We definitely have challenges with parking. Our first order of business is a parking garage,” Routh said. The project is expected to be complete within two years, with a shuttle running to the terminal.

The airport is also preparing for a new taxiway project, which would connect runways to the former Airco golf course property — more than 100 acres of land available for aviation-related development.

“The taxiway project is to be able to do that first connector. Once we have a taxiway, then we can go out and ask for requests for proposals for aviation uses,” Routh explained.

Both projects are key steps toward a larger terminal expansion that will eventually bring new jetways and additional amenities for travelers.

The taxiway project is scheduled to go out for bid in September.

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(Image credit: Martha Asencio Rhine/Tampa Bay Times)

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