Ontario International Airport, a popular alternative for Southland travelers looking to avoid the bustle of LAX, reported Tuesday a doubling of passenger volume in October compared to last year, with numbers nearly matching pre-pandemic levels.
According to the Ontario International Airport Authority, more than 494,000 travelers passed through the airport in October, up 127% from October 2020. The total was just 1.95% less than October 2019, prior to COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The October passenger figures represented 481,000 domestic travelers, a 125% jump from the same month last year, and more than 13,000 international travelers, a 215% increase. The number of domestic travelers was 0.27% higher than October 2019, while the international passenger number a 46% drop.
According to airport officials, total passenger volume from January through October at ONT topped 3.5 million, up 66% from last year but down 22% from 2019.
“The resurgence of air travel in Southern California is most evident at Ontario International, which is experiencing the quickest pandemic recovery among airports its size and larger,” Curt Hagman, an OIAA commissioner and chair of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, said in a statement. “As demand for domestic air travel grows, airlines and air passengers are showing their confidence in our ability to provide an aviation environment that is safe and secure and a customer experience that is world class.”