Fontainebleau FBO Coming to Fort Lauderdale
South Florida luxury icon, Fontainebleau Development, today announced that the company will build a new luxury gateway for private aircraft owners and passengers in South Florida.
The joint venture between Fontainebleau and Skyservice Business Advisors will oversee the construction of a Fontainebleau-branded Aviation FBO Facility at Fort Lauderdale International Airport (FLL).
The proposed facility will feature over 100,000-square-feet of hangar, executive suite and lobby space. The developers envision creating the premier destination for private aviation in South Florida for both business and leisure travelers.
The new Fontainebleau FBO Facility is scheduled to open in 2025.
Florida FBO Facilities Going Upscale
The Fontainebleau FBO announcement raises the bar for a segment of Florida aviation that has gotten increasingly competitive and decidedly upscale as established Fixed Base Operators (FBOs) seek to woo more business and leisure travelers to the Sunshine State.
Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Naples, Fort Myers, Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville are all home to new and expanding FBO facilities that offer a wide range of fueling services, on-site maintenance, tie-down and parking, aircraft rental, flight instruction and other aircraft support services.
The Top Ranked FBOs in Florida and Nationwide
A recent article in Business Air News took a deep dive into the world of FBOs with an annual ranking and interviews with the management teams behind the Top 1o FBOs in the United States, according to the 2023 North America BAN FBO survey.
Texas had the most FBOs in the Top 10 ranking with 4, followed by Florida with 3, New Jersey with 2 and Atlanta with 1.
#1: Galaxy FBO in Houston
The survey ranked Houston’s Galaxy FBO at North Houston Regional Airport as the top FBO in the country. In addition to KCXO, Galaxy operates two other facilities at Houston Hobby International (KHOU) and Addison Airport (KADS) in Dallas County.
#2: Banyan Air Service in Fort Lauderdale
Florida snagged the number 2 and 3 spots in the ranking with two Fort Lauderdale FBOs: Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport and National Jets Air Center at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL).
Banyan Air Service has also received the #1 Best FBO ranking in the annual Pro Pilot PRASE Survey and the Aviation International News award for Top 5% of all FBOs in the Americas.
The Banyan Main Lobby features a tropical “Key West” style terminal complete with cascading waterfall, 800-gallon saltwater aquarium, 30-foot palm trees and plantation-style paddle fans. Other amenities include an executive business center, three conference rooms, private showers and three private lounges.
#3: National Jets Air Center in Fort Lauderdale
National Jets Air Center at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International earned the number three spot in the 2023 North America BAN FBO survey.
National Jets offers everything that you need to oversee your aircraft and crew, including a state-of-the-art Air Center where you’ll find more than 22,000 square feet of hangar space and ramp parking for private and military aircraft.
The Boy family (Carl, James and Thomas) established the company in 1947 in Durham, North Carolina. The simple start came from a family-owned service station that grew into an industry-leading aviation corporation.
Contact CII Today
If you own a business that provides aviation support services and would like to get a better understanding of the current market value of your operation, please reach out to a CII advisor for a no-obligation, initial consultation.