Analyst Sees Bright Future for Atlantic City Airport Despite Spirit Airlines Departure

ATLANTIC CITY — While passenger traffic at Atlantic City International Airport has declined sharply following the departure of Spirit Airlines earlier this year, longtime transportation executive and casino analyst Anthony Marino believes the airport is already on the road to recovery.

Marino, who spent more than 30 years with the South Jersey Transportation Authority and closely followed operations at Atlantic City International Airport during his career, said recent passenger declines were anticipated long before Spirit ended service.

"The demand that Spirit left behind has not disappeared," Marino said during an appearance on WOND's The Don Williams Show. "That demand for air service between Atlantic City and points to our south, particularly Florida, remains."

Spirit Airlines ceased operating from Atlantic City in May after emerging from bankruptcy and restructuring its route network, leaving a significant gap in the airport's commercial service.

Marino said South Jersey Transportation Authority officials had been preparing for that possibility well in advance by recruiting Allegiant Air and Breeze Airways to expand service.

"In anticipating Spirit leaving, the SJTA administration did a nice job of lining up Allegiant and then Breeze Airways to try to fill in the gap as soon as possible," he said.

While passenger numbers dropped dramatically during the transition, Marino expects those figures to steadily improve over the coming months.

He noted that Breeze Airways has already begun adding destinations previously served by Spirit and said the airline is expected to restore nearly all of those routes by December.

"By the end of this year, they have made a commitment that they will be meeting about 70 percent of the demand that Spirit had done in December of last year," Marino said.

He believes passenger traffic could continue climbing throughout 2027.

"As the months go by, I think we'll see those numbers begin to get closer and closer to the numbers that Spirit was operating last year," Marino said. "Probably not fully 100 percent by the end of the year, but hopefully by 2027."

Marino cautioned that Atlantic City International's future lies in serving a specific niche rather than competing directly with major hub airports.

"We're not going to be an airport that's going to serve five million passengers a year," he said. "But up to two million could be logical with the right kind of subsidy program and really exploring what markets we can serve."

He said the airport's strongest market continues to be leisure travelers flying primarily to Florida and other southeastern destinations.

Unlike Philadelphia International Airport, which relies heavily on business travelers, Atlantic City's passenger base consists largely of vacationers and seasonal travelers seeking affordable fares.

Marino also highlighted another growing service that he believes many South Jersey residents may not realize exists.

Through American Airlines' Landline partnership, travelers can check in at Atlantic City International Airport, clear TSA security locally, board a luxury motor coach to Philadelphia International Airport and connect directly to American Airlines flights without having to go through security a second time.

"They go to the Atlantic City airport, check in there, have little problems, no long delays going through security," Marino explained. "They board luxury buses, and then they're bused to Philadelphia. They are brought to the air side in Philadelphia. They do not have to go through security again."

He said the service already operates several trips each day and could continue growing as passenger demand increases.

Marino acknowledged that airline incentives remain an important part of maintaining commercial service in Atlantic City but said those investments are appropriate.

"Government agencies are not in the business to make a profit," he said. "They're in the business to provide service. Air service from Atlantic City is kind of an essential feature of living in South Jersey."

Although the airport faces challenges replacing Spirit's extensive network, Marino said the long-term outlook remains encouraging.

"I think we have a future," he said. "The airport certainly has a future."