Mark Gale, CEO/Director of Aviation, Broward County Aviation Department/Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

May 2026 — Invest: spoke with Mark Gale, CEO and director of aviation for the Broward County Aviation Department, about how Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is navigating industry shifts, preparing for long-term growth, and strengthening its role as one of the region’s core economic engines. “Our guiding priority is the guest experience. We want FLL to remain welcoming, affordable, and intuitive for travelers,” Gale said.

How have recent changes in the aviation industry shaped operations and planning at FLL?

Every airport feels industry shifts differently, and understanding FLL’s history is essential to understanding our current moment. For years, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has been a fierce competitor in the low-cost airline environment, with low-cost carriers consistently representing more than half of our market share. Spirit, JetBlue, and Southwest have historically been the largest players, with other low-cost carriers such as Frontier, Allegiant, Avelo — and now Breeze — gradually expanding their presence. At the same time, legacy carriers like United, American, and Delta maintain solid positions and help provide a diverse air-service portfolio.

Industry dynamics over the last two years have challenged the low-cost segment. Legacy carriers have sharpened their ability to compete on price while still benefiting from scale, loyalty programs, and diversified revenue streams. That puts pressure on low-cost operators whose cost structures have risen meaningfully. Spirit’s financial struggles reflect the pressures many ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCCs) are facing.

We’ve seen these trends directly in our numbers. JetBlue is resurgent and is on track to become our largest carrier again in the coming months. Delta, a legacy carrier, now ranks third in market share here. Meanwhile, Southwest relocated a portion of its international operations from FLL to Orlando, which affected overall traffic. When you combine all these shifts, it wasn’t surprising that our most recent fiscal year saw a modest decline in total passengers.

Still, we’re optimistic. Carriers are not waiting to see how the Spirit situation plays out — they’re already backfilling capacity. JetBlue has announced two rounds of significant growth, bringing its daily departures back to roughly its 2019 high-water mark. Frontier, Allegiant, Breeze, and others are also expanding. Several legacy carriers have added flights as well. With these additions, we expect to see stabilized traffic and meaningful growth return in 2026.

What trends are you seeing in passenger behavior and expectations?

“Premium” has become the defining word in the airline industry. Legacy carriers have become more competitive with low-cost airlines on price, and low-cost carriers are now searching for ways to compete in the premium space — an almost unthinkable idea five years ago.

Across the industry, carriers are rolling out premium economy or true first-class offerings on aircraft that previously had a single-class configuration. Spirit has its Big Front Seat; Frontier, Allegiant, Breeze and others are exploring premium products; and JetBlue is expanding Mint and other elevated cabin options. The fare gap has widened dramatically as these products gain traction. It’s not uncommon now to see first-class fares that are 300% to 400% higher than economy, and those seats are still filling — signaling real consumer demand.

Passengers also expect a premium experience inside the airport. Lounges, specialty amenities, and upgraded environments drive significant value, even for travelers who aren’t loyal to a specific airline. Our Escape Lounge consistently performs extremely well. As we design new facilities, we’re intentionally planning for enhanced spaces that match evolving traveler expectations.

With anticipated growth ahead, how is FLL preparing to meet future demand?

We’re optimistic about the market, but also pragmatic. The industry is still navigating issues ranging from the recent federal government shutdowns to rising operational costs, geopolitical dynamics, and global migration patterns. Yet Broward County is in a period of significant regional investment — from the expanded 1.2 million-square-foot convention center and its new Omni hotel to major developments at Port Everglades. As the airport serves this fast-growing market, we must prepare to support that economic momentum.

At the core of our strategy is our long-term master plan, which we’ve discussed in previous years. The difference now is that we’re moving into implementation. We recently briefed our County Commission on our progress and updated them on our negotiations with the airlines that back our debt. As part of the negotiations, the airlines pledged to support an initial capital development program of nearly $5 billion for Phase 1A and the start of Phase 1B, in exchange for a new seven-year agreement. With that alignment in place, major development can advance confidently.

We also hosted an Industry Day event at the convention center, attracting around 650 participants from architecture, engineering, construction, and development firms. We announced approximately 25 requests for proposals expected to open in 2026 to support this modernization program. There is tremendous enthusiasm from the market, which reinforces the importance and timeliness of these investments.

On the infrastructure side, construction is underway on Terminal 5, a new five-gate facility expected to be completed in 2029. Following that will be some of the most transformative components of our plan: a major intermodal center on the east side of the airport and an automated people-mover (APM) system that will replace buses, reduce roadway congestion, and improve our environmental footprint. Each of those projects is currently estimated at roughly $1.4 billion and will take six to seven years to complete.

Phase 1A fundamentally focuses on “fixing the front door” — modernizing the roadways and access points so tens of millions of passengers can move in and out efficiently. Only once that work is underway can we logically add new gates, concourses, and expansion capacity. But these projects will overlap, not sequentially follow one another, allowing us to bring new gate capacity online as soon as the front-of-house improvements open.

How does the broader Broward County ecosystem influence the airport’s future?

One of Broward County’s greatest strengths is the alignment across its major economic engines. Visit Lauderdale, Port Everglades, and FLL all sit under the county umbrella and report through one county administrator. That creates a unified mission and exceptional synergy across tourism, travel, trade, and economic development. We each have our own priorities and brands, but our strategic direction is coordinated — something that isn’t the case in many other regions.

Between the expanded convention center, new hotel, port modernization efforts, and the county’s growth as a leisure and business destination, we expect Broward to look very different — and very improved — within the next decade. Our job is to ensure the airport continues to provide the capacity, efficiency, and experience necessary to support that evolution.

Is there anything else you would like to highlight about FLL’s direction?

Our guiding priority is the guest experience. We want FLL to remain welcoming, affordable, and intuitive for travelers. We are often recognized for having some of the lowest airfares in the country while still offering a diverse range of service options. At the same time, we continue upgrading facilities, gates, concessions, and technology.

Looking back over the past decade, the transformation across concessions, seating areas, gate environments, parking systems, and terminal amenities has been dramatic. But we still have significant work ahead. As we modernize, we’re focused on ensuring elevators and escalators work reliably; restrooms are clean; signage is clear; air conditioning is consistent; parking guidance systems are accurate; and biometrics and digital tools advance passenger convenience. These fundamentals matter.

Airport directors can experience “airport envy,” meaning we see great ideas elsewhere and want to bring them home. That mindset motivates us to keep raising the bar. Ultimately, we’re committed to delivering a friendly, inviting, modern airport that keeps pace with Broward County’s growth and enhances the travel experience for everyone who comes through our doors.