Inside the New Midwest Premier at Springfield-Branson National Airport

An expanded and renovated Midwest Premier is taking flight. At Springfield-Branson National Airport (SGF), Midwest Premier is the hub of private and corporate travel. This fall, its $6.7 million renovation and expansion will be complete. On one of Jessica Robinson’s first days in General Aviation, she saw the Sexiest Man Alive, one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors, just outside her window.

“I looked out and there he was, an A List celebrity, literally sitting on the grass with his wife, playing with their new puppy,” she says. “They were on the secure side of General Aviation and couldn’t wait to meet their Saint Bernard. And all of a sudden I realized, oh, this is part of what we do here at Midwest Premier.”

Just east of the commercial terminal, Midwest Premier is the home of private and corporate travel out of Springfield-Branson National Airport. In 2023, 19,439 planes were serviced out of the Fixed Based Operation, an increase of 5 percent over 2022, with more traffic projected. That’s why the Airport Board chose to invest $6.7 million in a year-long remodel and expansion of Midwest Premier. The renovated space features aircraft charter hold rooms, updated restrooms, a dedicated pilot’s lounge and a new (well named) multi-purpose space: the Four One Seven Room.

“The Airport Board made it clear early on that the new GA Terminal should be a strong contributor to the Quality of Place efforts underway in Springfield,” says Brian C. Weiler, Director of Aviation for the Springfield-Branson National Airport. “The ROI to our community is a front door for business leaders and VIPs that makes a positive first impression and shows they have arrived at a quality place.”

On any given day, dozens of private passengers and pilots may walk through Midwest Premier as the front door to the Ozarks. While owned by the airport and City of Springfield, Midwest Premier functions as its own entity. Branded water bottles, custom signage, lounges with TVs playing golf, newspapers and magazines in the lobby—the experience is meant to help upscale customers feel comfortable and at ease.

“In every interaction, we want to make sure that we’re making a good impression,” says Jessica Robinson, director of Midwest Premier. “When you travel as much as our customers, they may see dozens of airports in a very short amount of time. When they are here, even for a brief amount of time, we want this to have a positive impression of our airport and community that they carry with them when they leave to go conduct business.”

To better meet the growing needs of corporate customers that utilize the airport, nearly 4,300 square feet of high-end finishes have been added on to the original facility. A kitchen has been added for catering, and redesigned restrooms now better serve larger planes with more passengers. Built in 1990, the General Aviation facility also manages long-term leases on hangars for corporate aircraft. In total, 21 companies lease space in corporate hangars, including one hometown Fortune 500 company.

“We consider the airport as a whole to be an economic engine for the entire region,” says Dave Schaumburg, assistant director of aviation. “Providing abundant amenities and strong service at the airport helps make this area attractive for businesses and people who want to do business here. It allows us to connect people and places in ways that we all likely take for granted but are truly impressive.”

In total, 17 employees support the traffic on the ramp and overall airport operations. Midwest Premier team members provide safety and security for private passengers, stock food for the nearly 30,000 pilots who landed in 2023 and ensure that all planes are fueled up and ready to for their next flight.

Nearly 1.8 million gallons of fuel were supplied by Midwest Premier in 2023, generating revenue that goes back into supporting the operations of SGF Airport. That improves the aviation experience and facility upgrades for everyone who flies out of southwest Missouri, two key elements to attracting more airlines and flights, says Schaumburg.

“These past two years, we have been updating the Airport Master Plan that is helping define many of our facility improvements needed over the next 10-20 years,” he says. “The strong growth of our community is reflected in our traffic numbers and causing us to look deeply into what areas of the airport need to grow to continue to meet growing demand. The sky’s the limit.”