Pensacola International Airport (PNS)
History, Facts and Overview

(Pensacola, Florida - FL, USA)

In 1933, a local pilot from Pensacola purchased more than 500 acres / 200 hectares of wooded land next to Skinner's Mill Road. Much of this area was soon cleared and Pensacola Municipal Airport, as it was known then, began its commercial flights as far back as 1934, with just two grassy runways and one large hangar. In 1938, the city decided to create a municipal airport on this site and employed a work force of around 400 locals.

Civilian flights continued through the war years of the forties, although the Navy did lease the airport at this time. In 1950, Pensacola Airport constructed a new terminal building and soon after, a number of scenes from John Wayne's 'Wings of Eagles' movie were filmed here. By the mid-sixties, Pensacola air traffic was reported as being amongst the densest in the whole of America and the facility became Florida's ninth-busiest airport.


Named as Pensacola Regional Airport (PNS) in the 1990s, today the airport contains all of the essential passenger facilities that you could possibly require. These include cash machines on the first floor, close to the check-in and departures areas, while postal services are also available. Shopping and dining options are fairly limited, but do include the excellent Varona's Restaurant and Varona's News and Gift shop, both of which are located on the upper level.

Business facilities at Pensacola Regional Airport come in the form of a conference room located on the upper level of the terminal building, featuring telephone and fax services. There is also wireless Internet access throughout the airport, suiting those with laptop computers.