August 24, 2026
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its July 2026 airline passenger statistics for the state’s eight commercial service airports. North Dakota’s commercial service airports recorded 117,381 passenger boardings, a decrease of 4% from the 122,238 boardings recorded in July 2025. Despite the year-over-year decline, this represented the second-highest July passenger total on record, trailing only the historic high set last year. The decline in passenger boardings closely corresponded with a reduction in available airline capacity. Airlines provided 136,667 departure seats during the month, approximately 3.6% fewer than in July 2025, while the statewide average aircraft load factor remained strong at 86%. The continued high utilization of available seats indicates that passenger demand remained resilient despite the reduction in capacity.
August 4, 2026
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has announced the completion of the 2025 North Dakota State Aviation System Plan (NDSASP) and the 2025 North Dakota Aviation Economic Impact Study (NDAEIS), representing the state’s most comprehensive evaluation of North Dakota's aviation system in more than a decade. The studies found that North Dakota's aviation and aerospace industry generates nearly $3.6 billion in annual economic output and supports approximately 28,734 jobs statewide. This includes the economic activity generated by the state's 89 public-use airports, aerospace manufacturers, the University of North Dakota's School of Aerospace Sciences, the unmanned aircraft systems industry, and Grand Forks and Minot Air Force Bases.
July 20, 2026
With the first half of 2026 now complete, North Dakota's commercial service airports have recorded 642,823 passenger boardings, a decrease of 1.8 percent from the 654,350 passengers recorded during the same period in 2025. Despite the modest decline, passenger activity remains strong and represents the second-highest January-through-June total on record.
June 18, 2026
North Dakota's commercial service airports recorded 104,951 passenger boardings during May 2026, making it the second-highest May passenger total in state history. The total was just 2.4 percent below the record-setting May 2025 level, demonstrating continued strong demand for air travel across the state.