The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) released its monthly report detailing airline passenger traffic at the state’s eight commercial service airports, showing that in October 12,273 passengers boarded flights in the state, making it the busiest October on record and surpassing the previous high of 110,013 passengers set in October of 2014.
The latest figures represent an 11% increase over October 2023, with 10,896 more passengers. This October also marked the sixth consecutive month of record-breaking passenger totals across the state’s commercial service airports.
Year-to-date, North Dakota’s airports have served 88,388 more passengers than in the same 10-month period in 2023, reflecting a 9% increase year-over-year. The state also remains on track to achieve its highest-ever annual passenger traffic in 2024.
“Six straight months of record-breaking passenger numbers highlights the current strength of our North Dakota’s airports and their communities,” said Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the NDAC. “As we enter the holiday season, we expect demand for air travel to remain strong as more travelers rely on flights to reach their destinations. To make the most of the travel experience, we encourage passengers to plan ahead, arrive early, and be ready for increased activity levels at the airports.”
October Passenger Records:
The Fargo Hector International Airport achieved both a new October record and an all-time monthly passenger record with 48,627 passenger boardings which surpassed the previous all-time monthly record that was previously set in August 2024. Additionally, the previous record for the airport for the month of October was set in 2023 with 43,332 passengers.
The Devils Lake Airport also achieved a new monthly passenger record with 785 passenger boardings. The previous record for the airport for the month of October was set in 2023 with 714 passengers.
View the October Airline Boarding Report
October 2024 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
- Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 112,273
- Available Airline Departure Seats: 136,572
- Average Aircraft Load Factor: 82%
- Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,671
- Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 1
- Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 0.1%
