Ontario International Airport marks 36 months of continuous growth with 9% increase in February

Monday, March 18, 2024

In February, Ontario International Airport (ONT) experienced a 9% rise in air traveler numbers, marking a continuous 36-month streak of yearly growth, as announced by airport officials.

ONT saw the arrival of 413,413 domestic and 36,480 international passengers last month, recording upticks of 5.7% and 68.3%, respectively.

“February proved to be another positive month for Ontario International as we extended our streak of consecutive months with higher passenger volume,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “The numbers speak for themselves and are further evidence that ONT continues to be the airport of choice for Southern California.”

During the initial two months of the year, Ontario International Airport (ONT) saw a 9.2% increase in its passenger numbers, surpassing 919,000. This includes a 5.2% rise in domestic passengers and a nearly 80% surge in international visitors. This robust beginning to 2024 follows ONT’s impressive performance since its transition back to local control in 2016. Notably, ONT was the first Southern California airport to rebound to its passenger numbers before the pandemic, achieving its highest traffic since 2008 in 2023.

This growing demand highlights ONT’s critical importance within the Inland Empire, California’s rapidly expanding population and economic hub. Now the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. with 4.7 million residents—overtaking San Francisco—the Inland Empire is projected to welcome an additional million people over the next 25 years. It also leads California in job creation.

“It is critical that those who live and work in the area have access to a first-rate aviation gateway. That’s just what we are providing, and air travelers are taking note,” Elkadi said, noting that Ontario International led all California airports in the prestigious J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

Here’s the table displaying passenger totals, comparing February 2024 to February 2023, and Year-To-Date (YTD) figures for 2024 against 2023, including the percentage change for domestic, international, and total passengers:

In terms of cargo, ONT saw a significant uptick with freight shipments rising over 4% in February and showing a modest increase of 0.5% year-to-date, aligning with global industry predictions that indicate a recovery in cargo volumes after previous declines. As the 9th largest cargo airport in the United States, ONT serves as a central node in one of the world’s most extensive supply chain networks.

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