Travel & Tourism
Ontario International named the fastest-growing airport in the U.S. for the fifth straight year
Southern California’s Ontario International Airport has been named the fastest-growing airport in the U.S. for the fifth straight year by Global Traveler magazine.
The accolades keep rolling in for Ontario International Airport (ONT), the gateway for choice for millions of Southern California air travelers and now, for the fifth straight year, the fastest-growing airport in the United States, according to a leading industry publication.
The ranking is based on a survey of frequent travelers by Global Traveler, a magazine geared to business and luxury fliers who travel extensively in the U.S. and abroad, and comes as ONT is poised to reach its highest annual passenger volumes since 2008. Ontario is on track to serve a quarter of a million more passengers this year than the 5.6 million recorded during the last pre-pandemic year of 2019, making it one of the fastest-recovering airports in the U.S.
Being a member of Global Traveler’s five-time club puts ONT in rarified air and underscores the airport’s emergence as one of the industry’s great success stories since its return to local ownership six years ago. Ontario also is one of the Top 10 cargo airports in North America and a major economic driver in Southern California, generating $3.8 billion in activity, supporting 27,800 jobs and serving as the hub for a global supply chain network that generates $17.8 billion in economic output.
“We’ve committed to establishing Ontario International as a premier aviation gateway, and are thrilled with the response we’ve received from the community and region we serve. Being recognized as the fastest-growing airport in the U.S. is something we’re very proud of, but what matters most is being able to offer our travelers a safe, convenient airport experience they won’t get anywhere else,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.
Atif Elkadi, OIAA chief executive officer, noted that 10 million Southern Californians live or work closer to ONT than any other airport.
“We appreciate the trust our community has put in us and recognize the responsibility that comes with that to grow the right way. As we look ahead to 2023 and beyond, that partnership with the community and the region will allow us to add more flights, more destinations and enhanced customer-experience amenities that matter to travelers from across the Inland Empire and Southern California,” Elkadi said.
The GT survey results, which rank airports, airlines, hotels and other travel-related products and services, were reported in the 2022 Reader Tested Survey, published in its December edition.
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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