North Dakota’s eight commercial service airports finished calendar year 2019 with a statewide total of 1,191,569 passenger boardings. This is a growth of 108,452 passengers or an 10% increase from 2018 numbers. This also results in the second busiest year on record for North Dakota next to 2014, which occurred during the height of the state’s oil boom.
In 2019, the airports also saw 1,187,533 passenger deplanements for a grand total of 2,379,102 passengers that traveled through the commercial service terminal buildings in North Dakota over the past year.
Seven of the eight commercial service airports in the state saw more passengers in 2019 than they did in 2018. The Bismarck, Devils Lake, and Fargo airports were also able to announce that they had each posted their highest annual airline passenger count on record in calendar year 2019.
The increased number of passengers throughout the state has allowed communities to attract and retain additional air service opportunities. 10 non-stop destinations (of which three are seasonal) are currently available to connect North Dakota to the rest of the world. All eight of the commercial service airports also continue to provide their communities with reliable jet service.
“North Dakota’s airports play an important role in providing efficient transportation options for our businesses, residents, and visitors,” stated Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. “2019 was a monumental year for North Dakota’s aviation sector as our state saw the opening of the new Williston Basin International Airport and posted similar passenger numbers to what the state saw during the height of the recent oil boom. Sound investments in airport infrastructure throughout North Dakota has resulted in increased air transportation opportunities and benefits for our communities.”
