Travel & Tourism
COVID-19 surge led to slightly lower passenger traffic through Ontario International Airport in November

Total traveler volume at ONT was more than 212,000 in November; Run of double-digit increases in air cargo continued
Dec. 15, 2020 — The surge in COVID-19 cases across the U.S. and public health guidance to avoid travel during the holiday season led to a slight decrease in passenger volume at Ontario International Airport (ONT) in November, interrupting a six-month trend of passenger increases, airport officials announced today. At the same time, however, air freight shipments continued to grow at a double-digit pace.
“As the pandemic surges through all regions of California, we are reminded daily of the impact of COVID-19 on global air travel,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “We remain hopeful that new routes announced for early 2021 and the distribution of coronavirus vaccines will lead to a robust recovery in the year ahead.”
Total traveler volume was more than 212,000 in November, approximately 5,000 fewer than October after sixth straight months of increasing passenger volumes. The passenger number was 57% lower than the same month last year.
Domestic passenger volume was 205,000 last month, a decrease of 56% compared to November 2019. On a brighter note, the number of international travelers rose from 4,000 in October to more than 7,000, still 72.5% lower than November last year.
From January through November, more than 2.3 million passengers traveled through ONT, 53.7% fewer than the same period in 2019. Of those more than 2.2 million were domestic passengers with 87,000 who were international air travelers, decreases of 52% and 68%, respectively.
PassengerTotals | November2020 | November2019 | % Change | YTD2020 | YTD2019 | % Change |
Domestic | 205,526 | 475,453 | -56.77% | 2,260,263 | 4,794,636 | -52.9% |
International | 7,200 | 26,186 | -72.50% | 87,685 | 274,307 | -68.0% |
Total | 212,726 | 501,639 | -57.59% | 2,347,948 | 5,068,943 | -53.7% |
Hawaiian Airlines announced recently that it will begin service between ONT and Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport with five flights a week starting in March. Denver-based Frontier Airlines is also planning the addition of new flights and resumption of flights suspended during the pandemic between February and May in 2021.
As for cargo shipments, which remained strong through November, air freight volume exceeded 73,000 tons, 10.3% more than November last year. On a year-to-date basis, freight shipments totaled more than 804,000 tons, almost 20% more than the same period a year ago.
Mail shipments grew more than 150% to 3,300 tons last month from 1,300 tons in November 2019.
Air cargo(tonnage) | November2020 | November2019 | % Change | YTD2020 | YTD2019 | % Change |
Freight | 73,207 | 66,319 | 10.39% | 804,566 | 671,817 | 19.8% |
3,379 | 1,338 | 152.47% | 21,973 | 21,116 | 4.1% | |
Total | 76,586 | 67,657 | 13.20% | 826,539 | 692,933 | 19.3% |
“Commercial freight continues to be Ontario’s lifeblood,” Thorpe said. “Air cargo carriers are showing their confidence by expanding and modernizing facilities as the region’s reliance on e-commerce grows month after month, investments which will serve the Inland Empire well for years to come.”
Travel & Tourism
FAA Awards Ontario International Airport another $10.77 million for taxiway, airfield improvements

Ontario International Airport has received an additional $10.77 million in infrastructure funding from the FAA.
Ontario International Airport will receive another $10.77 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to invest in infrastructure improvements at the aviation gateway of choice for millions of Southern Californians.
The FAA announced this week that it is awarding a total of $518 million to airports across the country, under its 2022 Airport Improvement Program. ONT will receive the largest amount within California – for taxiway improvements and expanding the lighting vault that serves the airport’s runways.
The announcement comes less than a year after ONT was awarded $12.68 million through the FAA and the American Rescue Plan Act for taxiway and runway improvements.
“I’m grateful to our staff for preparing a successful funding application and to the FAA for continuing to bring infrastructure and airfield improvement dollars to the fastest-growing passenger airport in the U.S.,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority Board of Commissioners and Mayor Pro Tem of the City of Ontario.
ONT has been one of the aviation industry’s great success stories, eclipsing pre-pandemic passenger volumes and ranking among the Top 10 cargo airports in North America. The airport also plays a critical role in the Inland Empire’s emergence as one of the fastest-growing population centers in the United States and a global supply chain hub.
“In communities of all sizes, airports are vital to local economies, sustaining jobs and getting people and goods where they need to go,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, in announcing this week’s funding awards. “We’re pleased to announce this important funding to help improve airports around the country and better serve all Americans.”
Travel & Tourism
Ontario International Airport passenger volume exceeds pre-pandemic levels for second straight month in April

Traveler count grew 7% over 2019 level with domestic volume up 10%
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% |
|
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% |
|
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.”
Travel & Tourism
Ontario International Airport achieves milestone in March as passenger volume exceeded pre-pandemic level

March passenger total 4% higher than March 2019; cargo shipments up 22%
Ontario International Airport (ONT) officials had eagerly awaited a month in which passenger volume would be higher than the same month before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now the wait is over as the Southern California airport welcomed 454,000 air travelers last month, 4% more than in March 2019.
“Ontario is setting the pace of recovery among airports in California and, as a result, it is an attractive metropolitan gateway for airlines restarting suspended services and establishing new routes as public health restrictions ease and demand for air travel increases,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.
Domestic passengers totaled 439,531 last month, while the number of international travelers was almost 15,000, increases of 71% and 446%, respectively, compared with March of last year. The total number of ONT passengers was 75% higher in March.
Most importantly, domestic and international passenger volume combined was 3.97% higher in March compared with March 2019. Domestic travel increased more than 6.5% to 439,531 while international volume was 40% lower at 14,492.
“The March passenger numbers are a tremendous achievement for our airport and airline partners, launching Ontario International’s pandemic recovery to an even higher level. We can’t say for sure what the coming months will bring, but the March passenger count shows what full recovery looks like,” said OIAA Chief Executive Officer Atif Elkadi,
The emergence of ONT as an increasingly popular aviation gateway comes as the Inland Empire experiences a steady influx of new residents, particularly from the coastal areas of Los Angeles and Orange counties, drawn by employment opportunities, available housing and high quality of life. According to U.S. Census data, San Bernardino and Riverside counties have experienced the fifth-largest population gain among the top 50 metro areas in the U.S.
Passenger
Totals |
March 2022 |
March 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Domestic |
439,531 |
256,837 |
71.13% |
1,109,780 |
552,494 |
100.9% |
International |
14,492 |
2,654 |
446.04% |
41,859 |
11,150 |
275.4% |
Total |
454,023 |
259,491 |
74.97% |
1,151,639 |
563,644 |
104.3% |
From January through March, the number of passengers who traveled through ONT doubled compared to the same period last year. The first quarter figures were 3.7% lower than 2019.
Passenger
Totals |
March 2022 |
March 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Domestic |
439,531 |
412,440 |
6.57% |
1,109,780 |
1,124,922 |
-1.3.% |
International |
14,492 |
24,261 |
-40.27% |
41,859 |
71,411 |
-41.4% |
Total |
454,023 |
436,701 |
3.97% |
1,151,639 |
1,196,333 |
-3.7% |
Shipments of air cargo likewise remained strong in March compared with March 2019, increasing by 22%. On a year-to-date basis, shipments of freight and mail combined were 18% higher than the first quarter of 2019 as the Inland Empire continued to be a hub for commercial freight movement.
Compared to 2021, March and year-to-date cargo shipments decreased 6.5% and 7%, respectively.
Air cargo
(tonnage) |
March 2022 |
March 2021 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2021 |
Change |
Freight |
67,795 |
74,367 |
-8.84% |
188,332 |
207,720 |
-9.3% |
5,303 |
3,828 |
38.54% |
14,208 |
10,298 |
38.0% |
|
Total |
73,098 |
78,195 |
-6.52% |
202,540 |
218,019 |
-7.1% |
Air cargo
(tonnage) |
March 2022 |
March 2019 |
Change |
YTD 2022 |
YTD 2019 |
Change |
Freight |
67,795 |
57,582 |
17.74% |
188,332 |
164,988 |
14.1% |
5,303 |
2,325 |
128.06% |
14,208 |
6,738 |
110.9% |
|
Total |
73,098 |
59,907 |
22.02% |
202,540 |
171,725 |
17.9% |
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