Airport Overview
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE) is a Pinellas County-owned commercial airport on the Pinellas peninsula along Tampa Bay, about 7 miles southeast of Clearwater and 9 miles north of downtown St. Petersburg. The FAA classifies it as a small-hub primary commercial service airport, with scheduled airline service alongside an active general-aviation and Part 135 charter community. For private travelers, PIE is a practical, less-congested alternative to Tampa International (TPA) on the west side of the bay.
Runway Capability
PIE's primary Runway 18/36 is 9,730 feet of asphalt and ILS-equipped, while crosswind Runway 4/22 adds 5,997 feet. At 11 feet field elevation, this runway length comfortably supports the full spectrum of business jets — from light jets through super-midsize, heavy, and ultra-long-range types such as the Gulfstream G650 and Bombardier Global 7500 — with generous margins for hot-day and high-gross-weight departures.
FBO & Ground Services
Sheltair operates the business-aviation FBO at PIE, located at 15875 Fairchild Drive. The facility offers Jet-A and 100LL, a large ramp sized for the largest aircraft, hangar space, ground handling, a passenger lounge, pilot rest and shower facilities, conference rooms, catering, and rental-car and limousine arrangements. The FBO runs 24 hours.
Customs & International Arrivals
KPIE has on-field U.S. Customs and Border Protection, so international flights can clear directly at the airport rather than diverting to another port of entry. Operators should still file inbound notice (eAPIS) and coordinate CBP arrival times in advance; The Jet Finder handles this coordination for international itineraries.
Safety & Planning
PIE is a towered airport with ILS and RNAV (GPS) approaches, and Part 135 charter flights operate under IFR for the structure and ATC separation it provides. The dominant operational consideration is Florida's warm season: convective thunderstorms build rapidly between roughly 14:00 and 18:00 local, so morning departures consistently see the smoothest, clearest conditions.
Regional Context
PIE anchors the western side of the Tampa Bay metro and serves Clearwater, St. Petersburg, and the Gulf beaches. It complements Tampa International (TPA) across the bay, and the wider region — one of the most active private-aviation markets in the country thanks to year-round flying weather — offers multiple alternates. The Jet Finder compares PIE against nearby fields on runway, FBO, fuel, and drive time to match the right airport to your trip.