Stewart Airport Is About to Get a Lot More Private Jets

Travel a little over an hour north of New York City and you’ll arrive at Stewart International Airport in the city of Newburgh. It’s a welcome alternative to its more crowded counterparts in NYC and Newark; years ago, I flew from there to Edinburgh on an airline that no longer exists and had a fantastic experience. Stewart Airport has experienced some challenges as of late, including JetBlue officially nixing its service from the airport earlier this year.

A new report suggests that Stewart’s fortunes might be changing for the better, though. Writing at Gothamist, Edward Russell reported that Stewart is set to expand its ability to handle private jets in the coming years, putting the airport’s proximity to New York to good use and tapping into a growing market for high-end travel.

Gothamist cited a recent decision by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to allow developers to build what the agency described as “a corporate jet park facility” on an undeveloped stretch of the airport’s property. The developers are required to invest $60 million in the facility, which would open within four years. As Russell noted, airports like Teterboro Airport don’t have as much space on hand for private jets — something that could represent a market that Stewart can take advantage of.

Sky Harbour, one of the companies at the center of the planned Stewart Airport expansion, has been expanding its footprint in the Northeast. Earlier this year, it announced plans to build similar facilities at Bradley International Airport and Hudson Valley Regional Airport.

Why Are So Many Airlines Ending Service at Smaller Airports?

It’s another big change for air travel

That isn’t the only bit of news related to Stewart that’s arrived this month. Earlier in June, the Icelandic airline Play announced service from Stewart to a host of international destinations, including Cardiff and Marrakech. Service from Stewart to the Faroe Islands is also set to resume later this summer.