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Ontario International Airport passenger volume exceeds pre-pandemic levels for second straight month in April

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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%

Mail

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%

Mail

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.”

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

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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Travel & Tourism

China Airlines restores daily service between Ontario, California, and Taipei

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Airline resumes flights at pre-pandemic frequency with larger aircraft

China Airlines will fully restore daily round-trip service between Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Taipei beginning March 26, 2023, ONT officials announced.

The return of daily service connecting ONT and Taoyuan International Airport (TPE) marks a major milestone in Ontario’s recovery of international air service, all of which was suspended at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly three years ago.

“We have eagerly awaited the resumption of daily service between Ontario and Taiwan,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “This exciting development is a testament to the demand for long-haul international travel from the Inland Empire and the exceptional service provided by our global gateway.”

After suspending service in March 2020, China Airlines resumed ONT-TPE flights in June 2021, gradually increasing service levels as demand returned. The resumption of daily service occurs at the same time that China Airlines marks its five-year anniversary at ONT.

The first carrier to offer nonstop, transoceanic passenger service to ONT after its transition to local ownership, China Airlines will upgrade the aircraft operating the route from an Airbus A350-900 to a larger Boeing 777-300ER, increasing seat capacity from 306 to 358 across premium business, premium economy and economy classes. The service is also scheduled to provide customers with seamless one-stop connections to additional destinations throughout Asia.

TPE is the primary international gateway to northern Taiwan’s more than 9 million residents, while ONT is the closest and most convenient international gateway airport for more than 10 million Southern California residents in San Bernardino, Riverside, northern Orange and eastern Los Angeles counties.

Domestic air travel through ONT surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2022, a milestone achieved by few other airports in California.

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