Daytona Beach International Airport Gives a Lift to Leisure and Business Travelers
Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) has been a welcoming gateway for leisure and business travelers for decades. Known for its convenient and accessible design, DAB also fuels the region’s economy, generating a substantial $3.2 billion impact according to a 2022 Florida Department of Transportation study.
“We like to say at DAB, you’re a VIP, and that’s because all our travelers receive the highest customer service from all areas of the airport – from the airline ticket counters to the security screening checkpoint,” says Joanne Magley, director of marketing and customer experience at the airport.
Serving over 700,000 passengers annually, DAB’s proximity and efficiency are key advantages for residents in the region. Compared to larger airports in Florida and in the Southeast, travelers here often experience shorter drive times, easier parking, quicker access to the terminal and significantly shorter security wait times, which average less than five minutes.
“All of that adds up to more time to relax, or to work for the business traveler, before your flight. If you are coming here on vacation, that vacation begins when you land, as you are just minutes from the beach, speedway and many other attractions,” Magley says. “If you’re arriving from a vacation or business trip, you don’t have to worry about a long commute to get home – because you are home.”
Soaring Rewards
The airport received Florida’s Commercial Service Airport of the Year award twice in three years, which speaks volumes to the professionalism of the DAB team and the respect of industry peers. As Magley notes, the award is selective to airports that have proven exceptional aviation safety, completed aesthetic improvements and shown innovative management solutions throughout the year.
“This recognition is a testament to the commitment of our team to provide the highest levels of safety and customer service for our passengers, community and airline partners,” Magley says.
With new customer service initiatives, ongoing safety and security enhancements, and the introduction of Avelo Airlines’ new air service, the last couple of years have proved to be full of opportunities for the airport.
Providing an exceptional customer experience is at the heart of everything DAB does for leisure travelers. Staff is continually adding new programs to enhance the passenger experience, including complimentary postcards (with postage) for passengers to mail from the concourse; a TSA mail-back program that gives passengers the option of placing a prohibited object (such as a pocket knife or wine key) in a self-addressed and postage-paid envelope; and the DAB library that offers free digital downloads of books, music, movies and more through a partnership with the Volusia County Public Library.
Partnering Up
The Daytona airport also is a member of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program. This voluntary program for airport passengers identifies hidden disabilities by a green sunflower product that passengers choose to wear, such as a lanyard or bracelet. These Sunflower items indicate to airport personnel that the passenger may require additional assistance.
DAB also is part of the Blue Campaign, a program of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Department of Transportation. This vital program engages in public outreach efforts to combat human trafficking by raising general awareness of the issue and encouraging the public to report any suspected instances of trafficking to authorities.
“We also are proud of our long and lasting partnerships with many community businesses. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) is a major user of DAB for pilot training. These programs are crucial to continuing to add to the pipeline of commercial airline pilots,” Magley says.
“ERAU is involved with many research and development projects that do or will rely on the airfield and airspace at DAB. And Daytona International Speedway manages large-scale events throughout the year that draw not only increased commercial air traffic but also hundreds of private aircraft.”
Boeing Opens Engineering Center of Excellence at ERAU
The Boeing Company and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) have partnered to create the Boeing Engineering Center of Excellence in the Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology.
Boeing leases the entire Cici and Hyatt Brown Center for Aerospace Technology, located in Embry-Riddle’s Research Park on the university’s Daytona Beach campus. The company’s work at Embry-Riddle’s Research Park supports the company’s Defense, Space and Security program and advanced technology capabilities.
Philanthropists Cici and Hyatt Brown pledged $25 million to ERAU to help the university create a new business space focused on high-paying jobs for Floridians. The $25 million pledge from Cici and Hyatt Brown represents the single largest gift in the history of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, which was established in 1926.
Embry-Riddle views the partnership with Boeing as an opportunity to not only bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to the area, but to provide direct economic impact to Daytona Beach and Volusia County through an increased workforce and associated population growth. Additionally, Embry-Riddle is hopeful that Boeing’s presence will be a catalyst to attract other industry leaders to the area as they support the aerospace industry at the tip of Florida’s space triangle.
“Four hundred people and their loved ones will live and work here, invest in our local economy and, more broadly, in the future of aviation and aerospace,” said Mori Hosseini, chairman of Embry-Riddle’s Board of Trustees. “It’s an incredible impact, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the State of Florida, and Cici and Hyatt Brown.”