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Colorado Springs Airport runs a self-sufficient $21 million annual budget. There are strategic initiatives and meetings held on a regular basis to make sure that budget is maintained. Nearly $9 million comes from revenue, $5.2 million from parking, $3.3 million from rental car, $1.5 from ground/building rent, $1.2 from "other income" ($960,802 from terminal concessions, $426,235 from interest income).

That money is dependent upon locals using Colorado Springs Airport as their main source of airline travel. And officials at the airport are doing what they can to convince travelers that Colorado Springs Airport can deliver the services that ensure a pleasant flying experience.

"It's all about making it the best possible customer experience ever," said Aviation Director, Mark Earle. "But then there's the air-service side as well and we're doing everything we can that we have direct control over. "

COS Airport has renovated the facility to give travelers more space, shorter lines, food and drink options, and even personal space.

"We added more room on the other side for people to recover from the screening process, that'll be just for the passengers," said Earle. "Where they got plenty of room to spread out, recover all of their stuff and...get dressed."

But with a three-hub airport just up Interstate 25, Colorado Springs Airport is trying to prove that they are a viable option to those taking to the skies.

"We're not going to go out and beat people over the head for driving up to Denver when they feel like it's in their interest to do that," said Earle. "But we do ask people to always take a look and see if there is a way to find service that works for you out of the COS Airport first. Because the more you support it, the more that we have to make an argument to the airlines that they need to add service. If you don't use it, they draw that service down immediately."

As for Frontier ending their direct service to Orlando, San Diego and Denver, Earle says that albeit early, ending the direct flights to Orlando and San Diego was always part of the plan.

"Those aircraft are not owned by Frontier," said Earle. "They are owned by Republic Airlines who owns Frontier. And Republic has made the decision to take those aircraft and shift them elsewhere in the system."

Frontier will continue direct flights to LA and Phoenix. And Earle also says that an open dialogue is always kept with any other airline provider looking to expand its services to Colorado Springs.