With the highly anticipated Super Bowl set to take place in Las Vegas this weekend, neighboring St. George in Southern Utah is preparing for an influx of air traffic at its regional airport. While hotels in the area don't expect a surge in bookings, St. George residents can anticipate a flurry of private jets passing through their skies.

According to Rich Stehmeier, the managing director of St. George Regional Airport, a significant number of private jets are expected to arrive in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. Many affluent individuals willing to pay the hefty price tag of $6,000 to $50,000 per ticket are opting to land in St. George and then take a short drive to Las Vegas for the big game. This is resulting in an estimated 80 additional aircraft landing at the airport between Friday and Tuesday.

St. George Regional Airport is also set to become overflow parking space for numerous private and semi-commercial planes transporting fans to the event. The four airports in Las Vegas, including Harry Reid International Airport and Henderson Executive Airport, have already reported being at full capacity in terms of landing and parking spots for the over 1,000 private jets expected to arrive.

However, Stehmeier clarified that the airport in Mesquite would only be able to handle planes dropping off passengers without any parking spaces available. Therefore, St. George Regional Airport becomes the natural alternative for those in need of parking arrangements.

While many billionaires, dignitaries, and celebrities will be arriving via private jets, one prominent figure generating attention is pop star Taylor Swift. Although it is uncertain whether she will fly into St. George, Stehmeier expressed that it is highly unlikely since she has other means of transportation available.

To accommodate the surge in air traffic, preparations have been underway for months. The airport has been coordinating efforts with controllers in Los Angeles to handle the increased volume of incoming and outgoing flights. Despite this significant event, Stehmeier revealed that the PGA Tour event taking place in October will likely have an even larger impact on the airport, potentially necessitating Las Vegas airports to handle overflow from St. George.

Residents of St. George should expect heightened air traffic activity in the coming days. While some may notice the increase, Stehmeier reassured that most flights will simply land and depart without causing major disruptions.

In terms of local lodging, tourism officials predict a mild impact on hotels in St. George. Brittany McMichael, director of the Greater Zion Convention & Tourism Office, mentioned that with the abundance of hotels in Las Vegas, there is no indication of a significant surge in bookings for the Super Bowl weekend.

As the Super Bowl weekend draws near, St. George prepares to play its part as a vital hub for air traffic, catering to those attending the highly anticipated sporting event.