GREEN BAY, Wis. — While there was a bit of a mid-day lull in commercial flights at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport on a March afternoon, that’s expected to change in the coming month.
Airport Director Marty Piette said he expects the ramp and terminal to be a busy place for the week of the 2025 NFL Draft at the end of April.
“Full. It’s going to be full,” he said. “We’re pretty use to hosting home games with the Packers during the regular season and into the playoffs. We’ve seen up to 150 large aircraft come for those games. I expect this to be similar, but it’s going to be a little more drawn out than just a home Packers game.”
Airlines have beefed up service for existing cities like Chicago and Detroit while adding draft-specific flights from places like Los Angeles and New York.
“That’s important to allow us to get more people in and out of Green Bay,” Piette said.
Carriers at Appleton International Airport are also adding flights specifically for the draft.
“On a normal day, we see about 20 departures and 20 arrivals. We’ll see over 30 during the draft time,” said Jesse Funk, Appleton’s air service and business development manager. “That’s the Wednesday before the draft and then the Saturday and Sunday for the departures as well.”
Bottom line? It’ll be busy.
“There are all kinds of different aspects we wouldn’t normally deal with. Black car and chauffeured limousine service,” Funk said. “Obviously, a much higher gate utilization than we have today. So, putting together a plan for the airlines and which airlines are going to which gates.”
With around 250,000 people expected to attend the draft, the area’s airports are serving as the front door to the event.
Both Appleton and Green Bay have undertaken terminal renovation or expansion projects.
Piette said the airport is the first and last thing travelers see in the community.
“I think we look at it as an opportunity to showcase the community,” he said. “There are visitors who are coming to town, whether they’re driving or flying, have maybe never been to Green Bay. We’re just trying to give them a reason to come back.”