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Ontario International Airport passenger volume exceeds pre-pandemic levels for second straight month in April

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Traveler count grew 7% over 2019 level with domestic volume up 10%

 

(Ontario, California – May 12, 2022) – The number of passengers who traveled through Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) in April was nearly 7% above the April 2019 total, beating pre-pandemic levels for the second straight month, officials announced today.

 

Total ONT passenger volume was almost 476,000 last month, 6.92% more than April three years ago. The number of domestic travelers increased by 9.65% to more than 461,000.

 

Passenger traffic increased by 4% in March compared with the same month in 2019.

 

“Demand for air travel through Ontario International remained strong in April as passengers took to the airways for spring break vacations and to visit friends and family for religious holidays. Ontario International was rapidly growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is not a surprise that we’re among the quickest to recover,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.

 

From January through April, total passenger volume was more than 1.62 million, within a percentage point of the total from the first four months of 2019. The number of domestic passengers was 1.57 million, an increase of 1.6%.

 

Passenger

Totals

April

2022

April

2019

Change

YTD

2022

YTD

2019

Change

Domestic

461,300

420,699

9.65%

1,571,080

1,545,621

1.6%

International

14,441

24,249

-40.45%

56,300

95,660

-41.1%

Total

475,741

444,948

6.92%

1,627,380

1,641,281

-0.8%

 

 

 

Passenger

Totals

April

2022

April

2021

Change

YTD

2022

YTD

2021

Change

Domestic

461,300

295,186

56.27%

1,571,080

847,680

85.3%

International

14,441

3,598

301.36%

56,300

14,748

281.7%

Total

475,741

298,784

59.23%

1,627,380

862,428

88.7%

 

Air cargo shipments also remained strong in April at 67,000 tons, 8.6% greater than April in 2019. On a year-to-date basis, shipments of freight and mail combined were 15.5% higher than the January through April period in 2019, at nearly 270,000 tons.

 

Air cargo

(tonnage)

April

2022

April

2019

Change

YTD

2022

YTD

2019

Change

Freight

62,291

59,359

4.94%

250,623

224,346

11.7%

Mail

4,860

2,454

98.05%

19,068

9,192

107.4%

Total

67,152

61,813

8.64%

269,692

233,539

15.5%

 

Air cargo

(tonnage)

April

2022

April

2021

Change

YTD

2022

YTD

2021

Change

Freight

62,291

70,422

-11.55%

250,623

278,143

-9.9%

Mail

4,860

4,085

18.98%

19,068

14,383

32.6%

Total

67,152

74,508

-9.87

269,692

292,526

-7.8%

 

“Ontario International remains a point of pride as an increasingly popular passenger gateway in Southern California and attractive hub for e-commerce,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the OIAA. “With our growing customer base in the Inland Empire, support of our community neighbors and strong political will of our city and county leaders, I am confident Ontario International will continue to attract new and increased flights from passenger and cargo air carriers.”

 

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About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is the fastest growing airport in the United States, according to Global Traveler, a leading publication for frequent fliers. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to 33 major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.comFollow @flyONT on FacebookTwitter, and Instagram

 

 

 

 

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA)

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport's four-county catchment area. OIAA Commissioners are Ontario Mayor Pro Tem Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).