Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) recorded an 11.6% increase in passenger volume during the first nine months of 2023, including a 7.6% year-over-year jump in September, airport officials announced.
ONT welcomed nearly 4.7 million passengers from January through September in 2023. This influx of travelers included 4.4 million domestic fliers and over 296,000 international adventurers.
This represents impressive increases of 8% and a staggering 116% over the previous year, respectively.
September Surge
The month of September brought even more astounding growth to ONT, with 556,000 passengers passing through its gates.
This figure is nearly 40,000 more than the same month the previous year. Domestic passengers, who make up the majority of ONT’s visitors, increased by almost 3.5% to 520,000, while international travelers witnessed a remarkable surge of 151%, totaling 36,000 passengers.
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A Statement from the CEO
Atif Elkadi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), expressed his satisfaction with the unprecedented level of growth.
He stated, “Passenger volumes continued to be robust in September and over the first nine months of the year, making Ontario the envy of airport operators across the region.”
“The steady increases in passenger volume and customer satisfaction surveys show what many of us already knew – Ontario International is California’s favorite airport.”
A Feather in the Cap
ONT’s achievements don’t stop at passenger volume; it extends to customer satisfaction as well. In the prestigious J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, ONT outshone other California airports.
The study, which surveyed over 27,000 U.S. and Canadian residents, evaluated North American airports based on six critical factors: terminal facilities, airport arrival/departure, baggage claim, security check, check-in/baggage check, and food, beverage, and retail.
Cargo Challenges
While passenger volumes are reaching new heights, ONT has faced challenges in its commercial cargo shipments.
These shipments decreased by 16% in September and by 12% on a year-to-date basis. This trend reflects the impact of global economic forces on cargo volumes at U.S. airports.
Atif Elkadi reassured ONT’s shipping partners, saying, “While global economic forces continue to impact cargo volumes at U.S. airports, our shipping partners can count on our first-rate cargo facilities when cargo shipments return to historical levels.”
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.
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