The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its April 2026 airline passenger statistics for the state’s eight commercial service airports.
North Dakota’s commercial airports recorded 105,393 passenger boardings during April, establishing a new statewide passenger record for the month and surpassing the previous April high of 104,271 boardings set in 2025.
Four North Dakota airports also established new all time April passenger records during the month, including the Bismarck Municipal Airport, Devils Lake Regional Airport, Hector International Airport, and Jamestown Regional Airport.
Airline capacity within North Dakota also continued to strengthen during April. Compared to April 2025, airlines provided approximately 3,500 additional passenger seats and operated 84 additional scheduled flights across the state’s commercial service airports.
“Achieving a new statewide April passenger record while airlines also expanded seat capacity and flight activity reflects continued confidence in North Dakota’s air service markets and the overall strength of the state’s aviation system,” said Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the ND Aeronautics Commission.
The statewide April record is particularly noteworthy given the recent rise in oil prices and the increasing fuel cost pressures facing the airline industry. Historically, sustained increases in fuel prices can affect airline operating costs, ticket prices, route planning decisions, and overall passenger demand, particularly if higher airfares begin contributing to demand softening. Continued escalation in energy prices could create additional operational and economic challenges for airlines and the broader aviation industry in the months ahead.
Individual Airport April Passenger Records:
- The Bismarck Municipal Airport established a new monthly passenger record of 25,261 boardings, surpassing its previous April record of 24,690 set in 2020.
- The Devils Lake Regional Airport established a new monthly passenger record of 929 boardings, surpassing its previous April record of 734 set in 2025.
- The Fargo Hector International Airport established a new monthly passenger record of 49,544 boardings, surpassing its previous April record of 47,232 set in 2025.
- The Jamestown Regional Airport established a new monthly passenger record of 1,018 boardings, surpassing its previous April record of 953 set in 2022.
View the April Airline Boarding Report
April 2026 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
- Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 105,393
- Available Airline Departure Seats: 141,324
- Average Aircraft Load Factor: 75%
- Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,764
- Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 8
- Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 0.5%
