In a recent article published by Naples Daily News, article report J. Kyle Foster examined the topic of relocating Naples Airport, noting that the idea has resurfaced every few years since 1971. In it, she answered the question, “Did the Naples Airport Authority ever finish that study on relocation?”
→ Click here to view the feature on the News-Press website, which requires a subscription.
According to Foster’s article:
The short answer is yes, and the airport isn’t moving. It would be too expensive and complicated, a study and financial analysis concluded in June 2025. Getting to that answer took two years and $400,000 – spent by the Naples Airport Authority (NAA), which doesn’t receive any taxpayer money.
The article goes on to outline the purpose and rigorous process behind the Naples Airport exploratory study. It all started in 2023, when the NAA Board of Commissioners approved a feasibility study, also called an exploratory study, to dive into the details. Goals included outlining the potential relocation process, identifying potential sites, preparing a preliminary cost estimate and summarizing other key considerations. The Naples Airport partnered with industry leader, Environmental Science Associates (ESA), to conduct the study.
Additionally, a Community Sentiment Survey conducted in spring of 2025 followed scientific methods to poll registered voters in the City of Naples and Collier County about Naples Airport.
While the feasibility study did identify four potential sites for a possible relocation, the survey found that 63.1% of Naples residents and 60.8% of others in Collier County prefer Naples Airport to remain at its current location. With additional context – including the distance to alternative locations, and the projected cost and timeline of such an undertaking – support for keeping the airport where it is pushed past 70% among both survey cohorts.
Together, these efforts determined there is broad community support for Naples Airport and a strong desire to keep the historic airfield at its current location.
The Naples Daily News article also outlined additional efforts by the Naples Airport to decrease airport noise affecting those who live nearby:
- Noise monitors
- A voluntary curfew
- The noise study
- A flight pattern study
- The relocation study
- Asking the FAA to allow for higher, faster takeoffs
- A leaderboard that ranks operators on their efforts to fly quieter
- Buying land near the airport to prevent close residential development
- Implementing new FAA-approved new flight paths designed by Hughes Aerospace
On June 19, 2025, the Naples Airport Authority (NAA) Board of Commissioners voted 3-1 to conclude the Airport Exploratory Study, since a potential relocation was determined to not be financially feasible and lacked support from Collier County.
“After nearly two years of formal evaluation, the airport relocation study was concluded. The analysis showed that relocating the airport would likely exceed $2 billion in costs (in current-day value), far beyond what would be feasible, and relocating to Collier County lacked support,” then-NAA Board Chairwoman Rita Cuddihy wrote in her year-end review letter published in the 2025 annual report. “With this clarity, the Board formally ended the study and reaffirmed its commitment to investing in the airport’s existing location, where it continues to deliver exceptional economic value and public benefit.”
The Naples Airport is a vital community asset that provides convenient access to the City of Naples and Collier County for residents and visitors alike. It is home to critical public services, including the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, Collier Mosquito Control District, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Angel Flight Southeast, Fire Station 3 and Collier County EMS MedFlight services. It also serves as a staging hub for recovery operations during emergencies. The airport’s tenants include private and corporate aviation, air charter, aircraft maintenance and repair services, car rental brands and flight schools.
Naples Airport Authority (NAA), an independent government agency that operates Naples Airport, receives no local tax dollars; it is primarily funded through fuel sales, hangar rentals and other related services. The Florida Department of Transportation has estimated Naples Airport’s annual economic impact at $781 million.