Travel & Tourism
Ontario International Airport: Summer Travel to Approach Pre-Pandemic Level
Passenger volume at Ontario International Airport (ONT) will approach pre-pandemic levels during the summer travel months, airport officials forecast, as more than 1.4 million air travelers are expected to arrive and depart at the Southern California aviation gateway.
Passenger volume at Ontario International Airport (ONT) will approach pre-pandemic levels during the summer travel months, airport officials forecast, as more than 1.4 million air travelers are expected to arrive and depart at the Southern California aviation gateway.
From the start of Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, ONT officials expect approximately 1,453,000 passengers, based on analysis of current airline schedules and load factor trends. The figure is 87.7% of the total number of passengers (1,657,185) who arrived and departed ONT pre-pandemic during the comparable period in 2019. The Summer 2021 travel period begins Friday, May 28, and ends Monday, Sept. 6.
“The Inland Empire’s strong economy and rapidly growing population have combined to put ONT at the forefront of airline recovery plans in Southern California,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “We look forward to a near-normal summer travel season and welcoming many travelers we haven’t had the pleasure of serving in more than a year.”
Airlines are offering nonstop service to 25 destinations this summer, with six new destinations — Charlotte, Chicago (O’Hare International Airport), Honolulu, Houston (William P. Hobby Airport), Mexico City and San Salvador. Service to San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador, is the first from the Inland Empire to Central America.
The 10 airlines serving ONT have scheduled 66 departing flights per day on average from May 28 through September 6 with more than 1.8 million seats available. By August, the number of daily departures will have increased to 74. ONT forecasts more than 75% of the seats will be occupied.
Air travelers, greeters and other ONT visitors are reminded that face coverings are required in the airport and onboard aircraft.
Travel & Tourism
More than 600,000 passengers traveled through Ontario International Airport in October
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.”
| PassengerTotals | Oct2023 | Oct2022 | Change | YTD2023 | YTD2022 | Change |
| Domestic | 568,484 | 526,004 | 8.08 % | 4,968,861 | 4,598,717 | 8.0 % |
| International | 38,013 | 15,726 | 141.72 % | 334,134 | 152,529 | 119.1 % |
| Total | 606,497 | 541,730 | 11.96 % | 5,302,995 | 4,751,246 | 11.6 % |
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) | Oct2023 | Oct2022 | Change | YTD2023 | YTD2022 | Change |
| Freight | 57,970 | 64,449 | -10.05 % | 564,183 | 642,044 | -12.1 % |
| 2,823 | 4,134 | -31.59 % | 39,933 | 45,229 | -11.7 % | |
| Total | 60,798 | 68,583 | -11.35 % | 604,116 | 687,274 | -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.”
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% |
|
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.”
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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