NAPLES, Florida — A new survey of registered voters in the city of Naples and Collier County shows broad community support for Naples Airport (KAPF) — and a strong desire to keep the historic airfield at its current location.
The community survey, conducted for the Naples Airport Authority by independent research and polling firm American Pulse, found that 82.9% of residents viewed the airport as being important to the community, while only 15.7% consider it not important.
With a recent exploratory study identifying four potential sites for a possible relocation of the airport, the poll found that 63.1% of Naples residents and 60.8% of others in Collier County prefer the Naples Airport to remain at its current location.
With additional context — including the distance to alternative locations and the projected cost and timeline of building a new airport — support for keeping the airport where it is pushes past 70%, according to Naples Airport Authority officials.
The 37-question survey, which included several open-ended questions where respondents could share their thoughts in their own words, was provided to 1,421 Naples and Collier County voters selected by random sampling.
They were interviewed by telephone and text from mid-March to early April 2025.
In survey sections with a series of related questions, those questions were randomly rotated to avoid any ordering bias, increasing reliability, according to airport officials.
According to the pollsters, the survey has a 2.6% margin of error, with a 95% confidence level.
Of the completed surveys, nearly 72% were conducted by live telephone interviews, with the remainder via a text-to-web response. Using both methods helped increase participation, officials noted.
The survey’s results were presented at the April 17, 2025, meeting of the Naples Airport Authority Board of Commissioners.
“This data-driven survey of community sentiment provides us with valuable insights to better assist the governing board in planning for the future,” said Chris Rozansky, Naples Airport Authority executive director.
Rozansky noted that the survey also showed that many residents remain unfamiliar with the airport’s funding model and its lack of control of flight routes. Most were not aware that the airport receives no local tax dollars, generating its revenue from airport operations. Additionally, many respondents were unaware that the FAA — and not the airport — oversees flight routes.
When those polled were made aware of the airport’s $781 million annual economic impact, it raised favorable impressions to nearly 83% in Naples and more than 90% in the rest of the county, officials added.
To view the complete survey, including the questions and results, go to FlyNaples.com.
