Press Room

Posted on: Thu, 09/14/2023 - 05:00

International traveler count was more than 40,000 for second time ever

(Ontario, California – September 14, 2023) – Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) continued to experience double-digit gains in passenger volumes in August, up 11% over August last year, airport officials announced.

The airport welcomed more than 567,000 passengers last month including 527,000 domestic fliers, 6% more than August 2022, and 40,000 international travelers, nearly three times as many as a year ago. It was the second time ever that ONT drew more than 40,000 international customers in a single month. The airport recorded 43,000 international passengers in July.

On a year-to-date basis, ONT surpassed 4 million total passengers, a 12% increase over the same period last year. The number of domestic travelers increased 8.7% to 3.8 million while international travel more than doubled to nearly 260,000.

“Demand for air travel through Ontario International remained strong in August and for the year, outpacing growth at other California airports, while consumer confidence in our facilities, services and amenities was equally strong,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer, Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “Our mission is to deliver a world-class international gateway for Southern California, and the data shows we are living up to our promise.”

 

Passenger Totals	Aug 2023	Aug 2022	Change	YTD 2023	YTD 2022	Change
Domestic	527,352	497,271	6.05%	3,880,340	3,570,173	8.7%
International	40,156	14,004	186.75%	259,945	122,398	112.4%
Total	567,508	511,275	11.00%	4,140,285	3,692,571	12.1%

 

Commercial cargo shipments remained lower as volume declined 12.9% in August and 11.6% over the first eight months of the year. Global economic issues continue to impact cargo volumes at U.S. airports.

Air cargo (tonnage)	Aug 2023	Aug 2022	Change	YTD 2023	YTD 2022	Change
Freight	59,318	67,214	-11.75%	450,659	511,723	-11.9%
Mail	3,130	4,487	-30.25%	34,302	36,863	-6.9%
Total	62,447	71,700	-12.91%	484,962	548,587	-11.6%

 

“We remain confident in our modern, first-rate cargo facilities and we look forward to continuing to be the premier gateway for Southern California when cargo volumes return to historical growth patterns,” Elkadi said.

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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 which offers nonstop commercial jet service to nearly two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. 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 Councilmember Alan D. Wapner (President), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Vice President), Ontario City Councilmember Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Commissioner) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).