The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its May 2026 airline passenger statistics for the state’s eight commercial service airports.
North Dakota’s commercial service airports recorded 104,951 passenger boardings during May 2026, making it the second-highest May passenger total in state history. The total was just 2.4 percent below the record-setting May 2025 level, demonstrating continued strong demand for air travel across the state.
The modest statewide decline from May 2025 was primarily attributable to airline service adjustments in Grand Forks and Minot, including the suspension of Allegiant’s Las Vegas service in Grand Forks and reductions to Allegiant’s leisure travel schedule in Minot. Despite these changes, passenger activity across North Dakota remained historically strong.
Airlines continued expanding service in North Dakota during May, providing 136,811 departing seats, a 5.6 percent increase over the previous year, while operating 1,776 successful flight departures. Operational reliability also remained strong, with only 12 flight cancellations statewide, resulting in a cancellation rate of just 0.7 percent.
Individual Airport May Passenger Records:
- The Devils Lake Regional Airport established a new May passenger record with 1,102 boardings, surpassing its previous May record of 947 set in 2024.
- The Fargo Hector International Airport established a new May passenger record with 49,603 boardings, surpassing its previous May record of 47,983 set in 2025.
View the May Airline Boarding Report
May 2026 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
- Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 104,951
- Available Airline Departure Seats: 136,811
- Average Aircraft Load Factor: 77%
- Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,776
- Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 12
- Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 0.7%
