Monroe County reviews Marathon Airport runway, terminal upgrades ahead of commercial flights

Monroe County staff and commissioners moved closer this month to deciding whether Florida Keys Marathon International Airport (MTH) can resume scheduled commercial service after reviewing a multi-step plan Feb. 18 and Feb. 19 to finish terminal work and pursue airline service. The airport completed a federally-mandated reconstruction of Runway 07/25 and related taxiway work in October 2025 and held a ribbon-cutting near the resurfaced runway on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.

Construction work on Runway 07/25 maintained the runway’s dimensions - 100 feet wide and 5,008 feet long - while shifting the runway centerline 40 feet to the north and completely reconstructing the asphalt surface. The runway had been closed to fixed-wing traffic since mid-August; county officials say the project finished slightly ahead of schedule and the airfield reopened on a Tuesday following completion. Preliminary plans called for construction to begin in April 2025 with delivery and placement of fill material to form the new runway base.

The runway relocation cost $30.1 million and county airport leadership says the work brought the field into compliance with modern FAA safety standards while separating the runway from its taxiway so larger aircraft wings can pass while taxiing in opposite directions. Monroe County Executive Director of Airports Richard Strickland told the commission in January the upgrades are part of a rapid capital push: "The total capital investment in a short period of time is $40 million, $37 million of which is either grant-funded or other people's money."

That $40 million aggregate includes a privately funded fuel farm, airport hurricane hardening, and tenant improvements. Fixed-base operator Million Air completed a $5 million fuel farm at the close of 2025, installing two 30,000-gallon jet fuel tanks for a total 60,000-gallon capacity described by airport advocates as a lifeline for hurricane resistance. The terminal received a $2.2 million roof replacement paid for by a Florida Department of Transportation grant and local match, and $1 million in impact windows and doors. FedEx, a tenant since 2001, invested roughly $1 million to repave its parking lot, add a service gate, and improve air cargo access.

County officials say the runway and terminal hardening are central to positioning Marathon for scheduled carriers for the first time since Cape Air left in 2009 and Delta departed in 2007. At the mid-February sessions, Strickland said he would seek Monroe County Commission approval to proceed with design of terminal renovations and expansion to accommodate commercial airline service. Commissioner David Rice pressed staff on feasibility and timing; Strickland promised to provide a "complete picture" at the February session.

The immediate decision before commissioners is whether to authorize design work for terminal renovation and expansion; that design authorization would be the county’s next formal step toward negotiating with airlines or finalizing construction bids. County leadership emphasizes the upgrades restore FAA compliance and improve hurricane resilience even as elected officials weigh costs, timelines, and the market for scheduled service to the Middle Keys.