Business is heating up at Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) with new seasonal American Airlines’ nonstop service from Philadelphia and Dallas launching in December 2020 and running through March 2021, and the FAA ranking the airport as the busiest in Florida for two consecutive months.

“The Daytona Beach area fits the criteria of where Americans want to travel – a place that is warm, beachy and has plenty of outdoor space,” said Joanne Magley, director of Marketing and customer experience at Daytona Beach International Airport. “These new flights provide a more convenient way to travel to the greater Daytona Beach area, and even other parts of Central Florida so people don’t have to travel more than an hour to the next closest airport. Our airport is smaller but has plenty of room to spread out and avoid crowds like at the busier airports.”

Magley attributed the FAA’s ranking as the busiest Florida airport to the fact that two of the largest carriers – American and Delta Air Lines – serving the destination, as well as being home to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which is believed to be the No. 1 aviation and aerospace university in the world.

“While passenger traffic is still down considerably since pre-pandemic – September 2020 traffic was down 47 percent from September 2019 – it has increased each month from its low in April during the peak of lockdowns,” thanks in large part to the “ongoing operations from Embry-Riddle and our other flight training schools which put DAB at the top once again for the most operations,” she said.

Since 2009, passenger traffic at DAB has increased by 81 percent. “In addition, we have nearly completed two major construction projects. DAB is in the final phase of our two-and-a-half year, $40 million taxiway rehabilitation project,” Magley said.

“And in January, construction will be complete on our $14 million terminal renovation project, which not only provides an upgraded look, but upgraded experience with passenger amenities like all new comfortable seating and power outlets in the seats.”

The airport features other key selling points, as well. “Our parking is just steps from the entrance, and TSA wait times average five minutes,” Magley said.

“Most importantly, our passengers will tell you the customer experience at Daytona Beach International Airport far exceeds that of other nearby airports. For instance, if a passenger forgets that he packed his grandfather’s swiss army knife in his carry-on bag, we will mail it to him, free of charge!”

DAB is also offering departing passengers a DAB Cares kit before they enter security. “The kit contains a DAB branded face covering, bottle of hand sanitizer, luggage tag, mints and a thank you card,” Magley said. “It’s just one small way that we can help make passengers feel more at ease as they begin to travel again.”