Ocean Aviation breaks ground on $67 million Miami Executive Airport campus

Ocean Aviation has broken ground on a $67 million campus at Miami Executive Airport, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons. The groundbreaking took place at the airport, located about 17 miles southwest of Miami International Airport.

The 40-acre development will accommodate an FBO, a terminal, communal and private hangar space, a dedicated fuel farm, new space for the Wings Over Miami Air Museum, and a 32,000 sq. ft. common-use taxi ramp serving U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Officials expect construction to generate 2,900 jobs and 250 permanent positions. Miami-Dade County expects to receive $41 million in land and improvement taxes over the next 40 years.

Miami-Dade Mayor Danielle Levine-Cava spoke at the groundbreaking event, describing the campus as "a cutting-edge aviation campus that will welcome even more visitors to this community". She highlighted that it would include "the new Wings Over Miami Museum", "expanded aircraft parking", and the Eig-Watson School of Aviation of Miami-Dade College.

Ocean Aviation, founded in 2024 and backed by Kennedy Lewis Investment Management, operates from Miami and also runs an FBO at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport after acquiring National Jets. Romain Grosjean, executive chairman, said in a press release that the groundbreaking was "a defining milestone for our company" and that the campus would "set a new standard for the FBO experience in South Florida".

Miami's role in private aviation

Miami International Airport is congested with over 1,000 daily flights. Some jet card and charter programmes charge a high-density airport surcharge for flights into Miami International. Of the 25 busiest private jet airports in the U.S., Florida has five, all in South Florida: Palm Beach, Miami, Opa Locka, Naples, and Fort Lauderdale. Opa Locka, 30 miles north of Miami Executive, ranks seventh busiest nationally.

The new Ocean Aviation campus adds capacity to a region where private aviation demand has driven traffic at multiple airports. It is unclear from available reporting whether existing charter or jet card customers will see any change in pricing or availability at Ocean Aviation's operations.