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Ontario Airport passenger volume up more than 10% in July; number of fliers for the year surpassed 3 million

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News Release — ONTARIO, Calif., Aug. 14, 2019 — The number of commercial air passengers who traveled through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in July increased by more than 10% compared to July 2018, continuing a trend of strong, steady growth at the nation’s fastest-growing airport.

The total number of passengers grew to nearly 495,000, an increase of 10.4%. Almost 468,000 were domestic passengers while international travelers totaled nearly 27,000, increases of 10.1% and 15.7%, respectively, according to the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA).

In July, Ontario Airport also surpassed the 3 million passenger mark for the year, a 7% increase over the first seven months of last year. From January through July, domestic passenger volume topped 2.9 million, an increase of 5.4% over the same period a year ago while the number of international travelers grew by nearly 50% to more than 175,000.

“Ontario continues to be a magnet for commercial air service for domestic and international passengers in the greater Los Angeles area,” said Mark Thorpe, OIAA chief executive officer. “We are heartened by the positive responses of our customers to our ongoing efforts to create an appealing international aviation gateway for Southern California, one which meets the needs of business and leisure travelers alike.”

This summer daily, nonstop service has been added to popular aviation hubs in Atlanta, Houston and San Francisco.

Air cargo shipments, meanwhile, grew modestly in July by nearly 2% to more than 64,000 tons. During the first seven months of the year, cargo volume totaled almost 429,000 tons, up 3.4% from the same period last year.

Said Alan D. Wapner, OIAA President: “Along with our continued strong increase in passenger volumes, the steady growth in cargo reaffirms how important ONT is to our region’s economy. Having a great airport has helped the Inland Empire become a global center for e-commerce, and an emerging hub for healthcare, technology and advanced manufacturing – creating jobs and economic opportunity for the region as a whole.”

  July 2019 July 2018 % Change YTD 2019 YTD 2018 % Change
Passenger Traffic            
Domestic 467,990 424,982 10.1% 2,913,914 2,765,627 5.4%
International 26,976 23,317 15.7% 175,414 117,715 49.0%
Total 494,966 448,299 10.4% 3,089,328 2,883,342 7.1%
Air Cargo (Tons)            
Freight 62,563 60,734 3.0% 413,631 397,167 4.1%
Mail 1,780 2,470 -27.9% 15,363 17,676 -13.1%
Total 64,343 63,204 1.8% 428,994 414,844 3.4%

 

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 with nonstop commercial jet service to 21 major airports in the U.S., Mexico and Taiwan, and connecting service to many domestic and international destinations. There is an average of 67 daily departures offered by nine air carriers. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com.

Follow @flyONT on Facebook, Twitter, 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 City Council Member 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).

The Inland Empire Business Journal (IEBJ) is the official business news publication of Southern California’s Inland Empire region - covering San Bernardino & Riverside Counties.

Travel & Tourism

New Global Entry Enrollment Center to open at Ontario International Airport as global travel continues to grow

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International travelers will no longer have to travel to Los Angeles to enroll in the popular program

Ontario International Airport (ONT) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) on Thursday unveiled the new Global Entry Enrollment Center at California’s most popular airport.

The new center is the sixth in California and will offer a convenient, local option for international travelers from the Inland Empire and nearby communities who wish to enroll in the popular program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Up until now, the nearest Global Entry Enrollment Center has been at Los Angeles International Airport.

“We are thrilled that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has selected ONT to serve as the site of its newest Global Entry Enrollment Center and look forward to helping residents across Southern California access this time-saving international travel amenity,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners. 

“The new center reflects CBP’s commitment to improving the customer experience as Global Entry continues to attract thousands of new applicants in the Greater Los Angeles area and neighboring communities,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “We are very pleased with this expansion which brings visitors to the area and helps boost the local economy.”

“Ontario International Airport is a valued asset for the Inland Empire. As your Congresswoman, I am proud to have supported this project and others like to ensure ONT – which sits in the heart of our district – can get people and cargo where they need to be quickly and efficiently,” said Congresswoman Norma J. Torres (CA-35).

Global Entry uses specialized processing technology and dedicated lanes to expedite clearance for arriving international travelers who have passed a rigorous background check and in-person interview. To set up an interview at the Global Entry Enrollment Center, travelers must first receive online pre-approval.

The Global Entry Enrollment Center comes as ONT has seen international travel volumes double over the past year, with popular direct flights to Taiwan, Mexico and Latin America. In October, ONT and CBP partnered to introduce another international travel amenity, Simplified Arrivals, which uses facial biometrics to automate the manual document checks required for admission into the country. The technology provides travelers with a touchless process that further secures and streamlines international arrivals. In 2022, the OIAA Board named the airport’s Federal Inspection Station and any future international terminal after U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who was a strong advocate for the airport’s return to local ownership.

“Ontario International Airport is proud to partner with CBP in providing an opportunity for our community to avail themselves of the Global Entry program,” said Atif Elkadi, OIAA chief executive officer “As we expand our international travel options, all CBP programs will play a significant role in providing a more expedited and safe inspection process and today marks the start of how our region has proven itself as a key gateway into Southern California.”

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Travel & Tourism

More than 600,000 passengers traveled through Ontario International Airport in October

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The highest total in a single month since return to local control

The number of air passengers who traveled through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in October topped 600,000 for the first time since the airport’s return to local ownership and was a 12% increase over the same month last year.

The total passenger count of 606,497 included 568,484 domestic and 38,013 international travelers, increases of 8% and 141%, respectively.

From January through October, ONT reported more than 5.3 million passengers; 4.9 million domestic fliers and 334,000 international travelers. The total was 11.6% higher than the same period last year.

Domestic travel volume was 8% higher over the first 10 months of the 2023 while the number of international passengers more than doubled. 

“Our robust passenger volumes are no surprise given population growth in our service area and the rising popularity of our world class gateway,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer, Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “Our airline partners and air travelers recognize the value of our airport, hallmark hassle-free experience and first rate amenities and services, making Ontario International California’s favorite airport.”

According to a recent Los Angeles Times report, “Riverside County gained 36,000 residents between July 2020 and July 2021, the third most in the country. San Bernardino County grew by 11,970 people, helping the IE overtake San Francisco to become the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S.”

PassengerTotalsOct2023Oct2022ChangeYTD2023YTD2022Change
Domestic568,484526,0048.08 %4,968,8614,598,7178.0 %
International38,01315,726141.72 %334,134152,529119.1 %
Total606,497541,73011.96 %5,302,9954,751,24611.6 %

Shipments of freight and mail totaled 60,798 tons in October, 11.3% lower than October a year ago. On a year-to-date basis, cargo registered 604,116 tons, 12% lower than the first 10 months of 2022.

Air cargo(tonnage)Oct2023Oct2022ChangeYTD2023YTD2022Change
Freight57,97064,449-10.05 %564,183642,044-12.1 %
Mail2,8234,134-31.59 %39,93345,229-11.7 %
Total60,79868,583-11.35 %604,116687,274-12.1 %

“The trend toward lower air cargo volumes remained through October,” Elkadi said. “While global economic forces are still impacting cargo volumes at U.S. airports, we remain confident that our shipping partners will continue to choose our Southern California gateway as volumes rebound.”

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Travel & Tourism

June was Another Record Month at Ontario International Airport

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Southern California gateway broke marks for both total passengers and international travelers

Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) set a record in June for passenger volume, welcoming more than 559,000 travelers and breaking a record set just a month earlier, officials announced.

The aviation gateway also recorded more than 37,000 international travelers, which was the most in a single month ever at ONT.

The total passenger count for June was 8.7% higher than June last year. The number of domestic passengers grew by 5% to 522,000, while international air travel more than doubled to 37,000.

The previous high for total passengers in one month since the airport’s return to local ownership in 2016 was recorded in May 2023, when 557,000 traveled through ONT.

Over the year’s first six months, total passenger volume was nearly 3 million, 12.4% greater than the first half of 2022. The passenger count included 2.8 million domestic travelers and 176,000 international passengers, increases of 9.5% and 94.4%, respectively.

“Since taking ownership of the airport our goal has been to create an international gateway for Southern California with the amenities, facilities and services befitting the region,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer, of Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “We couldn’t be more pleased that demand for air travel through Ontario remains strong, outpacing other California airports, driven by large increases in population and jobs across our region.”

Ten million Southern Californians live or work closer to ONT than any other airport, and eight of the 10 fastest-growing California cities with over 100,000 population are in ONT’s primary service area.

 

Passenger

Totals

Jun

2023

Jun

2022

Change

YTD

2023

YTD

2022

Change

Domestic

522,088

496,950

5.06%

2,813,917

2,570,272

9.5%

International

37,359

17,534

113.07%

176,238

90,677

94.4%

Total

559,447

514,484

8.74%

2,990,155

2,660,949

12.4%

Volumes of commercial freight and mail declined by 14% in June and 10% on a year-to-date basis, consistent with lower cargo volume globally which has been anticipated by industry analysts.

Air cargo

(tonnage)

Jun

2023

Jun

2022

Change

YTD

2023

YTD

2022

Change

Freight

57,410

67,525

-14.98%

338,431

380,612

-11.1%

Mail

4,260

4,479

-4.89%

27,725

28,107

-1.4%

Total

61,670

72,004

-14.35%

366,156

408,720

-10.4%

“Despite the slow-down in freight movement worldwide, Ontario International is a vital cog in the U.S. supply chain,” Elkadi said. “Our modernized and expanded cargo facilities remain key components for shippers serving Sothern California.”

 

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