Esterly: It is cheaper to fly out of Valley International Airport

HARLINGEN, Texas – Airline passengers flying out of the Harlingen can save over 34 percent on tickets, as compared to McAllen or Brownsville, Valley International Airport Aviation Director Marv Esterly tells the Rio Grande Guardian.

Esterly said this information is independently verifiable via the Texas Department of Transportation.

“You can get 30, 35, percent cheaper flights just because of the competitive nature between the airlines (at VIA),” Esterly told the Guardian, in an in-depth video interview. “So, lease look at Valley International Airport as it could be saving you a lot of money.”

The interview also focused on VIA’s runway extension project, the airport’s new air traffic control, and the imminent arrival of tens of thousands of Winter Texans from the Upper MidWest.

“We were experiencing amazing growth,” Esterly told the Guardian.

An ad produced by Valley International Airport for print media.

Asked about the runway extension project and why it is important, Esterly said: “The runway was originally 8,300 feet. That was the longest runway down here in the Rio Grande Valley. We have large cargo wide-bodied jets flying in here twice a day with FedEx and twice a day with DHL, bringing cargo in and out of the Rio Grande Valley. Those cargo jets, large wide-bodied jets, were limited on takeoff ability. They could only carry 48 percent of their maximum gross takeoff weight. Now, with the runway extension adding 1,100 feet to 9,400 feet, we’re able to go to 75 percent of their maximum gross takeoff weight, which is normal for that type of operation.”

Esterly confirmed that VIA’s runway is the longest south of Austin.

“It not only helps those cargo carriers, but also… we always look, in the aviation industry, at the longer the runway being better, right? When you have fog or inclement weather, pilots will able to fly their approach down closer to the ground in order to see the runway in order to land. So, your chances of delays or cancelations on flights here at Valley International Airport are much, much better. You will not have those issues that you will have other airports.”

As for the new air traffic control tower, Esterly said VIA benefitted from $5 million Congressman Vicente Gonzalez was able to secure.

“This project probably couldn’t happen at any other time in history. But with the infrastructure bill, from a COVID time period… it was a culmination of funding from (various) programs coming together to finance this project.”

The current air traffic control tower was built in the 1970s. Esterly said it shows. “The infrastructure on that tower is compromised with corrosion and other issues. It doesn’t meet the requirements. As we move forward, and we continue to expand here – which is amazing with the growth that we are seeing – we ensure that we maintain a safe operation.”

Esterly hastened to add that he is not that the current tower is unsafe.

“It is just that we need to be able to raise the tower in order to see certain areas on the airfield, particularly with the runway extension, to be able to see that end as well. So, it will just make it that much safer. So, we’re really excited about that.”

Esterly said work on the new air traffic control tower should begin in early 2025. “We’re looking at 18 to 24 months to finalize the project,” he said.

Esterly said VIA is now in full swing for the Winter Texan season. That means lots of flights from Sun Country and Delta Air.

“We’re working really closely with our friends and partners at South Padre Island, the Convention & Visitors Bureau, to get the word out in the Upper Midwest that these (seasonal) flights are available, and to make them aware that South Pole Island is a great place to come to for a vacation and the Rio Grande Valley is a great place to come to.”

Easterly said VIA saw a record number of visitors from the Upper Midwest in October. “We already carry over 75 percent of all air passengers that are going to South Padre Island,” he said.

“We really want to concentrate on bringing passengers to the Rio Grande Valley, particularly from that Upper Midwest area. That’s really kind of ripe for the picking. That’s, that’s dollars that are coming into our communities here locally. So, we really concentrate on that. We’ll advertise extensively in the Upper Midwest and a lot of those cities.”

Editor’s Note: Here is the Rio Grande Guardian’s video interview with Marv Esterly:

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