Number exceeds 4.5 million
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) recorded more than 4.5 million passengers in the 2025 calendar year, it has announced, breaking its previous record, which came in 2023, based on a Sarasota News Leader review of data that the facility has released over the years.
The new total officially was 4,514,781, a news release said. That was up 6.34% from the 2024 number of 4,245,686.
In 2023, SRQ handled 4,322,408 passengers, it announced in January 2024. That number exceeded the record the facility set in 2022, which was 3,847,606.
In December 2025, 417,468 passengers traveled through the airport, the latest news release noted. That figure represented a 3.05% increase, compared to the December 2024 count of 405,115 passengers, the release added.
“The continued growth we have experienced at SRQ over the past several years has been exceptional,” said Paul Hoback Jr., president and CEO of Sarasota Bradenton International Airport, in the release.
The Sarasota Manatee Airport Authority voted unanimously in June 2025 to hire Hoback as the new president and CEO of the facility, to succeed Frederick “Rick” Piccolo, who was in his 30th year in the position.
Hoback previously served as the executive vice president and chief development officer for the Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA), which operates Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), the SRQ announcement about his hiring pointed out.
Hoback began work in October 2025.
“Surpassing 4.5 million passengers in 2025 is an important milestone and reflects strong demand for affordable and reliable air service,” Hoback added in the release. “We remain focused on supporting our airline partners, enhancing the passenger experience, and meeting the long-term needs of our community and region.”