Port Authority seeks new airline deals for Stewart Airport

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was working with regional partners on a new public-private push to bring more airline service to New York Stewart International Airport, a move that could matter most to Orange County residents who still drive to larger airports for better schedules and fares.

At the center of the effort is a minimum revenue guarantee program, a tool regional airports use to reduce a carrier’s early financial risk by promising a revenue floor while a new route builds. The Port Authority is working with the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation and its president, Michael Oates, on the plan as Stewart continues to search for a more durable commercial base in Newburgh.

The airport’s history has been uneven. Scheduled domestic service began in 1989 with American Airlines, followed by American Eagle and United Express, but Stewart never held onto the kind of broad network that turns an airport into a major regional draw. The field saw repeated starts and stops as 9/11, the Covid-19 era, airline consolidation and the collapse of startup carriers pushed out legacy names including American, Delta, United and US Airways, while newer entrants like Midway and Independence Air also disappeared.

Today, Stewart is served only by Allegiant Air and Breeze Airways, with routes aimed largely at Florida destinations. That leaves a gap for local travelers who want more than leisure flights, and for employers trying to sell Orange County and the Hudson Valley as places with easy access to air service. More airline choices at Stewart could mean less time driving to Newark, LaGuardia or Kennedy, and a stronger pitch for business recruitment.

Port Authority officials have long argued that Stewart still has room to grow. The airport sits about 57 miles north of New York City and has access to a population of 15.6 million within a 60-mile radius. The agency adopted a five-point strategic plan in 2019, completed a new customs and immigration facility in November 2020, and finished a runway rehabilitation project in 2017 that restored two runways and added LED lighting. In August 2024, Stewart received a $24.2 million federal grant tied to that runway work.

The airport has also picked up new international and low-cost service in recent years. Frontier Airlines began flying from Stewart to three Florida destinations in October 2021, and PLAY Airlines started daily service to Reykjavik in June 2022 after a January 2022 announcement. Breeze later added service to Orlando and Charleston.

Stewart’s broader growth plan is not limited to airlines. In May 2024, the Port Authority approved two hangar leases expected to create 245 permanent private-sector jobs, underscoring that the airport’s future depends on both commercial flights and private aviation. For Orange County, the question is whether this latest partnership becomes a real turnaround or just another short-lived attempt to make Stewart a true Hudson Valley gateway.