St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line opened scheduled service
On January 1, 1914, the St. Petersburg-Tampa Airboat Line opened what aviation histories recognize as the first scheduled commercial passenger flight.
Before airports became part of daily life, Tampa Bay tried a short flight on a schedule.
On January 1, 1914, pilot Tony Jannus carried one passenger from St. Petersburg to Tampa in a Benoist flying boat. The route covered about 18 miles. Even with a brief stop on the bay to fix the drive chain, the trip took 23 minutes.
The first ticket became a public event of its own. Abram Pheil won the seat at a charity auction with a $400 bid. He was a local businessman and a former St. Petersburg mayor. Percival Fansler organized the line, Thomas Benoist supplied the planes, and local backers helped pay for the trial.
The line kept a regular schedule for only a few months. Still, it showed that a plane could carry paying riders on a set route and timetable. That is why air-travel histories treat the Tampa Bay trip as more than a test flight.
To follow the story, start near the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront. Check current markers and museum exhibits for the old pier area and the people behind the flight. Tampa still sits across the water, which makes the simple idea behind the line easy to see.
Where to see it
Downtown St. Petersburg waterfront and Tampa Bay aviation-history markers. Check current marker locations, museums, and waterfront access before visiting.
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Last checked against these sources: July 29, 2026.
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