Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed nearly 520,000 passengers in May – the most in a single month since the airport’s return to local ownership in 2016.
The May totals were 41.5% above a year ago and exceeded May 2019 passenger volumes by 9.2% – the third straight month in which ONT has surpassed pre-pandemic levels. The Southern California gateway – America’s fastest-growing airport four years running – recorded 519,085 passengers during the month, including 502,042 domestic travelers and 16,843 international fliers.
“Ontario’s remarkable performance is a tribute to the dedicated efforts of our outstanding team, the dynamic market we serve and the faith and confidence of our airline partners. We look forward to continuing our robust growth and providing travelers with a customer experience that is even better than before the pandemic,” said Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners and Mayor pro Tem of the City of Ontario.
Airport officials reported more than 2 million domestic air travelers from January through May along with 73,000 international passengers, 1.4% higher than the same period in 2019 and 74.6% greater than last year.
Passenger Totals | May 2022 | May 2019 | Change | YTD 2022 | YTD 2019 | Change |
Domestic | 502,242 | 449,092 | 11.83 % | 2,073,322 | 1,994,713 | 3.9 % |
International | 16,843 | 26,308 | -35.98 % | 73,143 | 121,968 | -40.0 % |
Total | 519,085 | 475,400 | 9.19 % | 2,146,465 | 2,116,681 | 1.4 % |
Passenger Totals | May 2022 | May 2021 | Change | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 | Change |
Domestic | 502,242 | 355,648 | 41.22 % | 2,073,322 | 1,203,328 | 72.3 % |
International | 16,843 | 11,289 | 49.20 % | 73,143 | 26,037 | 180.9 % |
Total | 519,085 | 366,937 | 41.46 % | 2,146,465 | 1,229,365 | 74.6 % |
Shipments of air cargo were 11.6% higher on a year to-date-based compared with 2019.
Air cargo (tonnage) | May 2022 | May 2019 | Change | YTD 2022 | YTD 2019 | Change |
Freight | 62,454 | 65,559 | -4.74 % | 313,077 | 289,905 | 8.0 % |
4,556 | 2,616 | 74.20 % | 23,625 | 11,808 | 100.1 % | |
Total | 67,010 | 68,174 | -1.71 % | 336,7022 | 301,713 | 11.6 % |
Air cargo (tonnage) | May 2022 | May 2021 | Change | YTD 2022 | YTD 2021 | Change |
Freight | 62,454 | 65,124 | -4.10 % | 313,077 | 343,266 | -8.8 % |
4,556 | 3,955 | 15.21 % | 23,625 | 18,338 | 28.8 % | |
Total | 67,010 | 69,078 | -2.99 % | 336,7022 | 361,605 | -6.9 % |
“We are immensely pleased with the pace of Ontario International’s performance as we move into the heart of the summer travel season. Our commitment to welcoming more leisure and business travelers, as well as processing more cargo, is unquestionable, as is our intent to be an engine for economic growth in Southern California,” said Atif Elkadi, OIAA Chief Executive Officer.
