FlyUSA opens 50,000-sq-ft hangar and owners' lounge at Tampa International

FlyUSA has opened a 50,000-square-foot hangar and private lounge at Tampa International Airport, expanding its aircraft capacity and signalling a move into larger jets.

The hangar can accommodate up to 20 jets of varying sizes and will be FlyUSA's primary maintenance facility. The private lounge is exclusively for FlyUSA aircraft owners and includes owner lockers, a conference room, and other amenities; charter clients will use normal FBO facilities.

Capacity for larger aircraft

FlyUSA CEO Barry Shevlin said the expansion addresses a longstanding constraint on the operator's growth. "The sheer size of the hangar should help accelerate our move into managing larger aircraft," Shevlin said in a press release. "Because we have space for them now."

Shevlin added that hangar space remains scarce for owners of the newest large-cabin aircraft. "The hangar shortage is still definitely an issue, and it's particularly bad for people buying the newest ultra-long-range aircraft like the Gulfstream G700. They don't fit in most hangars that were built more than five years ago."

According to Private Jet Card Comparisons, FlyUSA needed more capacity to accommodate newer aircraft with a larger footprint. The Tampa facility opens the operator's roster to these jets without building from scratch or relocating existing clients.

Plans for second facility and growth targets

FlyUSA plans to open a second 50,000-square-foot facility in Lakeland, Florida, in 2028 or 2029. Shevlin said that facility would likely handle longer heavy-maintenance checks, while Tampa remains the company's primary base.

The operator has made its third consecutive appearance on the Inc. 5000 list. Shevlin said FlyUSA plans to manage 100 aircraft and reach $500 million in annual revenue by 2032.

Shevlin indicated the Tampa model would inform expansion into other markets. "We expect the combination of hangar space and owners-only lounge to be the blueprint for locations in other important markets," he said.