Episode Details

On today's show I sat down with Julie Curtis, VP of marketing and air service development at South Bend International Airport, about its growth and operations.

We discuss SBN surpassing 1.1 million passengers in 2025 (best since 1997), how air service development works (retaining routes, adding new ones, addressing "leakage" to Chicago), and the airport's current nonstop network of 16 destinations on five airlines (American, Delta, United, Allegiant, and Breeze). She explains Breeze's 2024 launch in South Bend and the American-Landline luxury motor coach connection that functions gate-to-gate between SBN and O'Hare.

Our conversation also covers Notre Dame game-week surges, ramp improvements enabling mainline aircraft at all gates, the SBN Up Front front-drive modernization project, the South Shore rail station at the terminal, and how airports operate like "mini cities" with many independent tenants and agencies.

If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.

You are going to learn about:
- South Bend International Airport's Growth and Record 2025
- How Air Service Development Works
- SBN's Nonstop Network
- How Airports are Like Mini Cities

Thank you to our partners:
NCW
Rohrman Automotive Group

Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Airports Like Mini Cities
01:19 Guest Introduction: Julie Curtis, South Bend International Airport
02:43 Julie's Path To SBN
03:52 Becoming International
04:46 What Air Service Means
07:13 Routes Airlines And Breeze
10:37 Fighting Chicago Leakage
12:33 American Landline Coach
16:45 Record Year And 90s Peak
18:13 Notre Dame Game Day Surge
24:09 Misconceptions And Hubs
25:51 SBN Up Front Project
29:37 Multimodal Hub And Staffing
31:43 Airport Authority Ecosystem
34:15 Who Runs What
35:15 TSA Partnership Reality
36:33 Airport Staffing Web
37:12 Concessions Expansion
39:36 Airport Marketing Goals
42:00 Business Travel Mix
42:50 Why Indiana Sticks
44:10 South Bend Glow Up
48:07 Tourist Weekend Pitch
50:19 Travel Perks Myth
51:17 Snack Rules And Hacks
53:05 Indiana Favorites Finale

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