Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport no longer will be one of the cheapest places in the nation to fly

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport no longer will be one of the cheapest places in the nation to fly to and from by the time construction of a second major runway is completed.

County commissioners learned Tuesday that the cost to operate the airport will jump from about $4 per passenger this year to $11 by 2014, higher than most urban airports. More than $1.5 billion will be plowed into building the runway, mitigating the extra noise in surrounding neighborhoods and doing some smaller-scale renovations to the terminals.

The costs could soar even further because the county is considering long-range plans that would eventually rebuild much of the airport to expand from 57 gates to as many as 90. And some price tags are growing fast -- a proposed five-gate addition to Terminal One is now estimated to cost $100 million, up from its original estimate three years ago of $65 million.

The historically low cost at the airport has helped lure discount airlines such as Southwest and JetBlue, and some officials worry that a large and rapid increase could drive them away.

"We built this airport on the low-cost carrier, and you have to ask if they will still be here once you pay for this major expansion," said Commissioner John Rodstrom, who long suspected costs would jump dramatically.

The airlines largely pay for the airport's operations through landing fees, terminal rent and other charges. Since the 1990s, that has equated to a cost per passenger of about $4.

Financial analysts told commissioners the cost would increase this year to $6.59 even before the major construction expenses begin. That's because passenger traffic at the airport no longer is growing rapidly, the cost to maintain the facilities has skyrocketed and the county artificially kept the cost low last year by spending almost $14 million in cash reserves.

The average cost at major airports is about $7, but some are substantially more expensive. Operations at Miami International Airport cost $16.93 per passenger in 2005, according to data county consultants collected.

The cost at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International will continue to climb and surpass $10 a passenger in 2012. Landing fees that the airlines pay will go up the fastest and in 2014 will be five times as much as they are today.

In 2012, the analysts estimate the average cost among major airports will remain less than $8 a passenger.

The county is seeking federal approval to expand the short, commuter runway on the south side of the airport so it can handle major airliners. At an estimated cost today of $695 million, the lengthened runway would span over Federal Highway and the Florida East Coast Railway tracks.

Mitigating the noise created in surrounding neighborhoods could top $200 million. The county wants to help as many as 8,500 residents in Davie, Dania Beach and Hollywood.

Under the proposal that has been drawn up, the county would pay to soundproof homes and give the owner 2.5 percent of their fair-market value to cover the additional noise they'll face outdoors.

The county would offer to purchase at fair-market value any home where the owner declined the soundproofing. Also, the county would offer to relocate residents of a Davie mobile home park.

Scott Wyman can be reached at [email protected] or 954-356-4511.