Gulf Shores International Airport receives federal grant to aid with commercial service

In June 2023, since-retired GSA Director Scott Fuller said the hope was to implement commercial service by the spring of 2025. Fuller said while multiple airlines expressed interest in coming to Gulf Shores, the facility simply could not handle the demand that would accompany such a move.

“We have a lot of interest from a lot of airlines basically due to the fact that we have 8 million visitors a year coming in here and a vast majority of those would rather fly,” Fuller said at the time. “The problem is that we don’t have a terminal, so we don’t have a place to put them.”

Prior to Fuller’s retirement, GSA submitted a design plan for the terminal in September, 2023.

Justin Fletcher replaced Fuller as GSA Director and said getting a terminal for the facility remains a top priority. And the federal grant will go a long way towards completing the first phase of the project, which is expected to come in around $10 million.

“This grant represents a major milestone in our vision to bring commercial air service to our community,” Fletcher said. “The new terminal will provide an exceptional gateway for residents and visitors, boosting tourism, economic development and job creation throughout the region.”

In a statement, Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft credited U.S. Rep. Jerry Carl, R-Mobile and Senator Tommy Tuberville for their help in securing the funding.

“With this grant, we are one step closer to realizing the dream of commercial air service in Gulf Shores, and that wouldn’t have been possible without the help of both Congressman Carl and Senator Tuberville,” Craft said. “This project will unlock tremendous economic opportunities, provide easy access to commercial air travel for businesses and residents and enhance the tourism experience for all.”

As for whether or not the grant will expedite the construction process, Fletcher said the timeline is too early to tell.

“This is an exciting milestone in the process of initiating commercial air carrier service to Gulf Shores,” Fletcher said in an email. “We’re still early in the process, as we continue to navigate the terminal facility’s design and construction phases, we can begin establishing a date for airlines to initiate service.”