The Waynesville-St. Robert Regional Airport is getting a new terminal building as passenger numbers continue to rise at the regional airport at Fort Leonard Wood.
More than 11,000 passengers boarded flights at the airport in 2025, marking the third consecutive year the airport has surpassed that threshold. Contour Airlines operates all of the flights to and from the airport.
That milestone is significant because annual grants from the Federal Aviation Administration increase when an airport has more than 10,000 passengers.
"I want more than just our local community to utilize this facility," said Waynesville Mayor Sean Wilson. "So as we continue to improve our marketing across the board, we want people to find this is the place they want to fly out of instead of driving to Springfield or taking other alternatives."
Waynesville-St. Robert struggled to increase passenger counts for more than a decade, falling as low as 5,400 in 2019.
St. Robert Mayor James Breckinridge said the new terminal will be modern, spacious and more inviting for passengers than the current space, but its success will ultimately depend on whether it attracts more travelers.
"It is really to increase the flow of individuals through our area into Pulaski County whether they're a tourist, whether they're a family visiting their soldier," Breckinridge said. "This is going to be an opportunity for them to fly into here."
The airport serves both soldiers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood and civilians from the surrounding area. It's one of 21 such "joint use" airports at military bases around the country.
"This airport represents a lifeline for our soldiers," said Garrison Commander Col. Steven Bartley. "We want to make our entire region more accessible."
Contour Airlines served the airport from February 2019 through October 2021 with flights to St. Louis. The airline returned in 2022 with flights to Dallas and Nashville. The Nashville service was replaced by Chicago, but Mayor Wilson said it may go back to Nashville in the near future.
Contour Airlines operates under the Essential Air Service program, a federal subsidy that supports commercial flights at small and rural airports including Waynesville-St. Robert and the Quincy Regional Airport.
That program limits the subsidized airlines to two destinations, making it unlikely that the airport will add a new market, but it could increase the number of flights.
The new terminal building will cost $20 million, paid for with a combination of local, state and federal money. It is scheduled to open this summer.
Copyright 2026 St. Louis Public Radio