An investment of at least $13 million likely would be required to attract nonstop transatlantic service to Jacksonville International Airport, the head of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority said April 3.
Speaking to the JAX Chamber Downtown Council, JAA CEO Mark VanLoh said a Jacksonville contingent shopped a $13 million package of public and private assistance to air carriers to establish a flight from JIA to London.
“And they said, ‘We’ll think about it,’” he said.
VanLoh did not mention the year the $13 million package was offered but said in an interview after his presentation that Jacksonville likely would have to assemble more funding to bring international carriers to the table.
Officials say incentives are needed to bridge a gap between the carrier’s cost for providing nonstop service and what would be relatively low passenger revenue compared with transatlantic flights from major airports.
Factors that can push up the size of incentives include airlines’ rising operational costs and Jacksonville’s competition with other midsize markets for international flights.
Indianapolis and Cleveland assembled packages of $19 million and $11.8 million, respectively, to incentivize service to Dublin by Aer Lingus. In 2023, VanLoh said Cincinnati, San Antonio and Cleveland put together revenue guarantees between $6 million and $12 million.
For at least seven years, Northeast Florida business and political leaders have attempted to attract air service to Europe or the United Kingdom, saying it would boost economic development in the region by helping attract companies to Jacksonville and by benefiting international companies with operations in the city.
In a Feb. 25 statement, Mayor Donna Deegan’s office said business leaders have told Deegan that lack of a nonstop flight is “one of the biggest obstacles to growing business opportunities between (Jacksonville and Europe).”
VanLoh said that as part of the effort to land a flight, Jacksonville has placed marketing ads for the city in London, including in subways.
His presentation came after Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, a consultant for JAA, recommended that Jacksonville pursue service to Dublin; Frankfurt, Germany; London; Paris; and Reykjavik, Iceland. Campbell-Hill said it based those recommendations on airport capacity, demand, load factors, revenue opportunity, operating costs and regional demographics.
The airport is prohibited by the Federal Aviation Administration from providing a revenue guarantee, so funding would need to come from the local or state level. The airport can provide other support, such as marketing, waiving landing fees and offering counter space at no cost for two years.
VanLoh said the $13 million package would have included an unspecified amount of public funding. The mayor’s office and Jacksonville City Council determine how much taxpayer funding to put into the mix.
The statement from Deegan’s office said the city is “committed to making a flight possible, including providing any necessary incentives while the market demand is established.”
VanLoh said private contributions from employers who would benefit from having nonstop transatlantic service also could be part of a new package.
In other topics, VanLoh said the $344 million Concourse B addition at JIA remains on track for opening by the end of December 2026.
He also noted that traffic dipped from 7.6 million passengers in 2024 to 7.5 million in 2025. VanLoh attributed the decrease to backlash by Canadian travelers to tariffs imposed on the country by the United States.
About 50 people attended the Downtown Council meeting at Downtown Vision Inc.’s offices at 29 W. Duval St.