Airport Week: 10 photos.10 facts. Blending the past and future at RSW in Fort Myers

Mark H. Bickel, Naples Daily News

Wed, March 27, 2024 at 9:13 AM UTC

2 min read

Aviation in Fort Myers has a long history. In a relatively short time, things have changed dramatically since the first flight at Page Field in 1937.

Today, Southwest Florida International Airport, or Regional South-West (RSW) serves more than 10 million passengers and is in the early phases of a significant expansion project.

Here is a photo essay that looks back and looks forward at the Fort Myers-based airport:

1937: Historic first flight in Fort Myers

This historic photo documents the first flight in Fort Myers at Page Field in 1937.

On Aug. 4, 1937, the first passenger flights from Page Field in Fort Myers start. National begins regular stops in Fort Myers to Miami with a fare of $7.50.

1983: The stamp of approval for Southwest Florida International Airport

This is a photograph of the first airport certificate for Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers. The issue date is June 22, 1983.

The new Fort Myers airport was certified for commercial flights on May 14, 1983.

1990: What the first RSW terminal looked like

This is a view of the Southwest Florida International Airport terminal in 1990.

In its first full year of operations, RSW in Fort Myers handled 1.3 million passengers.

1992: Historic arrival of the Concorde at RSW

The Concorde arrives at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers in 1992.

Historic visit: Concorde lands at RSW. The Concorde, now retired, was a supersonic commercial jet that could fly at a maximum speed of 1,354 miles per hour, or Mach 2.04, which is more than twice the speed of sound. It could maintain this speed at an altitude of 60,000 feet (18.3 kilometers).

2005: New terminal complex opens

There was an open house for the public prior to the opening of the new Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in 2005.

A new terminal complex opened on Sept. 9, 2005, with 798,000 square feet and 28 gates. The facility cost $438 million and was the largest public works project in Lee County history.

Did you know?

An aerial view of Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers.

With 14,000 acres, RSW is the third largest airport in land mass in the United States with 16 air carriers to 63 nonstop destinations.

2021: Construction of new control tower at RSW

The Lee County Port Authority held an open house to celebrate the Phase 1 Construction Completion of its new Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. The tower will now be handed over to the FAA so the equipment can be installed.

RSW is self-supporting and does not use local property tax dollars.

The future: Terminal expansion underway

When completed, the terminal expansion project currently underway at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers will allow passengers to walk between concourses.

Terminal expansion project underway adds 164,000 square feet of remodeled space with 117,000 square feet of new walkways and concession space.

The future: From TSA checkpoints to a single TSA checkpoint

This a rendering of what the single TSA checkpoint will look like at Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers will look like after the terminal expansion project is completed.

The terminal expansion project will creates a single TSA checkpoint. There are currently three.

The reality: RSW setting passenger records every year

Travelers are dropped off at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers on Friday, March 1, 2024.

RSW finished 2023 with more than 10 million passengers.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: When was the first flight in Fort Myers florida

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