Record Summer Air Travel Continues for North Dakota
Posted 9/18/24 (Wed)
(Bismarck, ND) – The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its latest report on airline passenger traffic, highlighting record-breaking figures for the state's eight commercial service airports.
North Dakota airports experienced their busiest month of August on record, with 108,035 passengers boarding flights. This surpasses the previous August record of 103,765 passengers set in 2014. All eight commercial service airports saw increased traffic compared to August 2023.
The August 2024 total also reflects a significant year-over-year growth of 12,619 passengers, representing a 13% increase over August 2023.
“This is the fourth consecutive month that North Dakota has seen record-breaking passenger numbers,” said Kyle Wanner, Director of the NDAC. “At this pace, 2024 has the potential to become the busiest year for air travel in the state’s history.”
Air Service Updates:
- Williston Basin International Airport Update: Sun Country Airlines will begin their fourth season of direct air service from Williston to Las Vegas from September 5th through December 17th.
- Fargo Hector International Airport Update: United Airlines initiated mainline service to Denver in early August.
July Passenger Records:
- The Fargo Hector International Airport achieved both a new August record and all-time monthly passenger record with 48,514 passenger boardings which surpassed the previous all-time record that was set last month. The previous record for the airport for the month of August was set in 2023 with 43,871 passengers.
- The Devils Lake Airport also achieved a new monthly passenger record with 881 passenger boardings. The previous record for the airport for the month of August was set in 2023 with 681 passengers.
August 2024 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
- Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 108,035
- Available Airline Departure Seats: 127,837
- Average Aircraft Load Factor: 85%
- Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,611
- Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 7
- Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 0.4%