https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/stillwater-regional-airport-receives-funding-for-new-terminal/article_e79fbba8-da62-11ee-a642-23324706f62b.html

Great news for Stillwater, OSU, and the state as a whole. Can't wait for the new terminal

Since the new terminal will benefit OSU, alumni ought to be generous enough to step up and fund what is still needed. Funding for the new $112 million ag building to open fall 2024 started with a $25 million lead gift.

Groundbreaking for SWO’s new terminal this month.
https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/groundbreaking-for-swo-s-new-terminal-this-month/article_48e969a4-542f-11ef-bcb7-2f9056663932.html

Are they still almost exclusively flying to Dallas or are there other locations?

Are they still almost exclusively flying to Dallas or are there other locations?

Just two roundtrip flights to Dallas daily right now. I know many of us who have flown from there would love another destination or airline. The new terminal may make this a possibility.

Just two roundtrip flights to Dallas daily right now. I know many of us who have flown from there would love another destination or airline. The new terminal may make this a possibility.

I looked and it looks like it is just through American Airlines. It's nice to have a connection to one of the busiest airports in the nation, if they could add something like Denver or even St Louis through SW, that would be a big get for the northern part of the state.

Denver, Atlanta, Houston would all make sense as connectors to busy hubs. Question is whether or not the airlines have the capacity to expand offerings

I'm genuinely curious - why spend this money to cannibalize passengers that could (should?) fly from OKC or TUL?

I'm genuinely curious - why spend this money to cannibalize passengers that could (should?) fly from OKC or TUL?

Good point as we continue to feed the Dallas (DFW/SWA) system.

I'm genuinely curious - why spend this money to cannibalize passengers that could (should?) fly from OKC or TUL?

I am sure Stillwater Regional Airport has stats of some sort on their passenger count and how many are local zip codes in Payne County, and if they are also pulling in people from Enid or Ponca City. With Oklahoma State, I imagine it is convenient for university travel, both for the athletic fan bases in and out of Stillwater, and faculty/staff at OSU traveling to conferences, or even students who are from out of state traveling back home without having to drive 90 minutes to Tulsa International or Will Rogers Airport.

The closest example of passenger traffic at SWO I can think of is Manhattan Regional Airport that is a similar distance away from Kansas City MCI, similar city population, and serves the Kansas State University population with flights to Chicago.

Liberal, KS has United flights to Denver and often serves as a inclement weather diversion airport if needed for DEN, with these terminal upgrades in Stillwater, it could serve a similar purpose for American with bad weather in OKC, Wichita, or Tulsa.

Denver, Atlanta, Houston would all make sense as connectors to busy hubs. Question is whether or not the airlines have the capacity to expand offerings

Chicago, too. The other probably more important question to ask will Stillwater and OSU be able to come up with more money to subsidize empty seats on flights to additional hubs. The parking lots at Stillwater Airport seem to appear to be well occupied. Hopefully, that means there aren't many empty seats.

Groundbreaking for Stillwater’s new terminal is this month.

https://www.stwnewspress.com/news/groundbreaking-for-swo-s-new-terminal-this-month/article_48e969a4-542f-11ef-bcb7-2f9056663932.html

I'm genuinely curious - why spend this money to cannibalize passengers that could (should?) fly from OKC or TUL?

Both those are growing just fine even with SWO. More air service to Oklahoma is far more important than any effect it has on OKC to TUL.

Some of which probably doesn't occur. By the time you drive Stillwater to OKC, park get through security, board and take off it's about the same as just driving Stillwater to Dallas.
With SWO being 10 mins away, it saves a ton of time to fly to Dallas versus drive. Plus students from Dallas use it, OSU, etc. It's more additive than cannibalistic.

And from the metros perspective, only the most northern portions of OKC or most western portions of Tulsa are getting "cannibalized" - such as Guthrie or Sand Springs. Everything else is an hour or more away, which as gopokes stated, isn't really worth the cost savings.