The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission reports that the state’s eight commercial service airports established a new September passenger boarding record with 104,380 passengers in 2026. This surpassed the previous September high of 103,559 passengers set in 2025. The record was achieved despite a reduction in available airline capacity. Airlines offered approximately 124,000 departure seats during […]
North Dakota
University of North Dakota Joins Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Signing Agreement to Advance Counter-Drone Technologies
The University of North Dakota and Northern Plains Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site (NPUASTS) were part of a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony on Oct. 14, joining forces with the U.S. Department of War’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 (JIATF-401). The agreement, announced by U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and supported by the other members […]
ND Aeronautics Commission Approves $19.2 Million Grant for Grand Forks Runway Reconstruction
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has awarded $19.2 million in additional state grant funding to Grand Forks International Airport for reconstruction of its primary runway, bringing the state’s total investment in the project to $20 million. The Grand Forks investment is part of a broader $90 million legislative appropriation from the Strategic Investment & Improvement […]
North Dakota Aviation Study – Public Presentation Now Available Online
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission has shared a video recording of its recent public presentation highlighting the findings of the 2025 North Dakota Aviation System Plan and Aviation Economic Impact Study. The studies found that North Dakota’s aviation and aerospace industry generates nearly $3.6 billion in annual economic output and supports approximately 28,734 jobs statewide. […]
North Dakota Airline Boarding Update for August
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) reports that the state’s eight commercial service airports recorded 108,460 airline passenger boardings during August 2026, a decrease of approximately 4% compared to August 2025. Airlines provided a total of 129,976 available departure seats during the month, a decrease of 6% from the previous year. Despite the reduction in […]
NASAO Concludes Successful 95th Annual Convention, Announces Newly Elected Board of Directors
NASAO News Release The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) concluded its 2026 Annual Convention and Trade Show in Grand Forks, North Dakota held Sept. 13 -16, 2026, drawing more than 340 attendees and representatives from 37 states, NASAO leadership called the event a resounding success. “NASAO’s 95th annual meeting once again brought the […]
North Dakota Aeronautics Commission Releases July Airline Boarding Update
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its July 2026 airline passenger statistics for the state’s eight commercial service airports. North Dakota’s commercial service airports recorded 117,381 passenger boardings, a decrease of 4% from the 122,238 boardings recorded in July 2025. Despite the year-over-year decline, this represented the second-highest July passenger total on record, […]
Cirrus Expands Grand Forks Manufacturing Facility to Support Growing Demand
Photo – Dignitaries at the Cirrus Grand Forks expansion ribbon cutting. On Friday, Cirrus celebrated the opening of its expanded manufacturing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, marking a significant milestone in the company’s continued investment in manufacturing excellence, safety and quality as well as long-term growth. The multi-million-dollar expansion provides the additional production capacity […]
New Studies Find Aviation and Aerospace Generate $3.6 Billion for North Dakota
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has announced the completion of the 2025 North Dakota State Aviation System Plan (NDSASP) and the 2025 North Dakota Aviation Economic Impact Study (NDAEIS), representing the state’s most comprehensive evaluation of North Dakota’s aviation system in more than a decade. Conducted in partnership with airports, aviation businesses, state and […]
North Dakota Air Travel Remains Strong Through First Half of 2026
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its June 2026 airline passenger statistics for the state’s eight commercial service airports. With the first half of 2026 now complete, North Dakota’s commercial service airports have recorded 642,823 passenger boardings, a decrease of 1.8 percent from the 654,350 passengers recorded during the same period in 2025. […]
