St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (IATA: PIE, ICAO: KPIE, FAA LID: PIE) is a public and military airport located in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It serves the busy Tampa Bay Area and sits close to several cities, including Pinellas Park, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater.

In 2014, the airport welcomed over one million passengers, marking a significant milestone for its growth. While most travelers in the Tampa Bay Area fly from Tampa International Airport, St. Pete–Clearwater is popular with budget-friendly airlines and private plane pilots. It is especially important for the airline Allegiant Air, based in Las Vegas.

The airport uses the slogan “Tampa Bay The Easy Way” and is often called “Fly2PIE” because of its short IATA and FAA codes. It is known for being a quieter option compared to nearby Tampa International Airport.

History

The airport is on the west shoreline of Tampa Bay, six miles north of St. Petersburg, Florida. Just after the Wright brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk in 1903, the first tickets for airline travel were sold by the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line led by Tony Jannus. Using a Benoist XIV amphibious aircraft, the first flight took place from near the downtown St. Petersburg Pier. The first passengers were Mayor Abram C. Pheil of St. Petersburg and Mae Peabody of Dubuque, Iowa, flying across the bay to Tampa.

Construction of the airport at its current site began in March 1941. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, it was used by the United States Army Air Forces as a military training base. During World War II, it trained pilots and flew patrols along the Gulf of Mexico.

After the war, the airport returned to civilian use. It was first called Pinellas International Airport, then changed to St. Petersburg–Clearwater International Airport in 1958 because tourists did not know where Pinellas County was.

The airport has had many changes over the years, with different airlines coming and going. It saw the arrival of jet planes in the 1960s and has continued to grow and improve its facilities. In 2009, a major renovation added larger gates and new passenger jet bridges. Today, the airport is planning to update one of its runways to better serve airlines and local emergency services.

Facilities

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport covers 1,900 acres and sits at an elevation of just 11 feet above the ground. It has two runways made of asphalt for planes to take off and land.

The airport is also home to the Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, which is the busiest in the United States, and it has important federal services like customs and air traffic control. It also helps bring jobs and economic benefits to the Tampa Bay area.

Events

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport is the home for the Honor Flight of West Central Florida. Each year, American veterans take a special trip to Washington D.C. to see memorials for people who fought for the United States in different wars. Around 75 to 80 veterans join this trip each year. The program helps older veterans who usually cannot travel to Washington D.C. on their own.

Terminals

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport has one terminal with two gate areas, called A-Side and B-Side. A-Side includes gates numbered 1 through 6, and B-Side includes gates numbered 7 through 12. Gates 1 and 12 are special because they are only for arriving passengers. Gate 1 leads to the Ticketing A lobby, and gate 12 leads to the baggage claim area.

Airlines and destinations

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport is a place where many airplanes take off and land. Several airlines use this airport to fly people to different places. The airport helps connect the Tampa Bay Area with other cities and towns.

Destination Map

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport has many places you can fly to. Some flights go all year, while others only fly during certain times of the year. The map shows where you can travel from this airport, with different colors meaning different types of flights.

Statistics

Top destinations

Annual traffic

Top domestic destinations
(March 2025 – February 2026)

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Knoxville, Tennessee	74,080	Allegiant
2	Asheville, North Carolina	74,020	Allegiant
3	Grand Rapids, Michigan	62,130	Allegiant
4	Cincinnati, Ohio	56,720	Allegiant
5	Allentown, Pennsylvania	46,660	Allegiant
6	Flint, Michigan	45,740	Allegiant
7	Indianapolis, Indiana	40,620	Allegiant
8	Des Moines, Iowa	34,560	Allegiant
9	Bangor, Maine	32,500	Allegiant
10	Charlotte-Concord, North Carolina	31,600	Allegiant