North Dakota Airports Set New February Passenger Record Despite Subzero Temperatures
Posted 3/18/25 (Tue)
(Bismarck, ND) – The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its monthly report detailing airline passenger traffic at the state's eight commercial service airports.
In February 2025, North Dakota’s commercial service airports recorded 105,436 passenger boardings, making it the busiest February in state history. This surpasses the previous record of 105,144 set in February 2020 and marks the tenth consecutive month of record-breaking passenger numbers across the state’s commercial service airports.
The recent February numbers also show a 9% increase compared to the same month in 2024, with an additional 8,312 passengers traveling through the state's airports.
This passenger growth comes despite prolonged subzero winter conditions that North Dakota faced throughout the month February, with temperatures dropping below -25 degrees at times. While severe cold and winter storms frequently disrupt travel, the state's airports and airline partners effectively maintained operations with minimal impact on flight schedules. Remarkably, only 1% of flights statewide were canceled due to weather-related issues, underscoring the resilience and reliability of North Dakota’s aviation system.
“Even in periods of extreme cold, our airports and airline partners work diligently to keep flights operating and travelers moving safely,” said Kyle Wanner, ND Aeronautics Commission Director. “As air travel demand continues to rise, North Dakota’s airports remain focused on expanding service, enhancing passenger experiences, and ensuring reliable travel options exist - regardless of the season.”
February Passenger Records:
- The Fargo Hector International Airport achieved a new monthly passenger record with 47,971 passenger boardings. The previous record for the airport for the month of February was set in 2020 with 44,946 passengers. This is also the eleventh consecutive record breaking month for Fargo.
February 2025 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
- Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 105,436
- Available Airline Departure Seats: 131,702
- Average Aircraft Load Factor: 80%
- Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,534
- Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 20
- Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 1.3%
February 2025 Airline Boarding Report
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