{"id":34101,"date":"2026-02-06T15:36:26","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/?p=34101"},"modified":"2026-02-06T15:38:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T15:38:28","slug":"bismarck-to-budapest-airports-report-record-passenger-stats-in-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateaviationjournal.com\/index.php\/news\/airports\/bismarck-to-budapest-airports-report-record-passenger-stats-in-2025\/%20","title":{"rendered":"Bismarck to Budapest \u2013 Airports Report Record Passenger Stats in 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Kim Stevens<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Bismark to Budapest, airports had record-breaking years in 2025. Throughout the U.S. and around the globe, the message was the same \u2013 passenger numbers were up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c2025 was the busiest year in the history of the airport,\u201d said Steven C. Hennigan, C.M., A.C.E., executive director and CEO of the Lee County Port Authority, which operates Southwest Florida International Airport<\/a> (RSW) in Fort Myers as well as Page Field.\u00a0 \u201cWe appreciate the outstanding performance by all of our employees, airlines and airport business partners who support the traveling public every day. We are also grateful for the passengers that use RSW as their airport of choice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Springfield-Branson National Airport<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Annual passenger numbers set a record at Springfield-Branson National Airport<\/a> in Springfield, Missouri as well, marking the third straight record year at SGF. In 2025, a record 1.55 million total passengers used the airport. That\u2019s up 9 percent from the year before and up more than 70 percent since 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Springfield airport continues to see year-over-year growth that outpaces the aviation industry,\u201d said Brian Weiler, director of aviation at SGF. \u201c1.5 million annual passengers is a milestone, and we are thankful to the community for flying Springfield.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A surge in international travel propelled Ontario International Airport<\/a> (ONT) to a record year in 2025. Ontario is making a compelling case for itself as the new global gateway for Los Angeles by posting a record number of international travelers in 2025, the result of expanded nonstop service to Latin America and Asia.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Ontario Int’l Airport<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

According to data released by the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), ONT welcomed 567,000 international passengers last year, a nearly 30% increase over 2024. The sharp rise helped the airport surpass 7.1 million passengers overall for the year, the fifth consecutive year of post-pandemic passenger growth and the highest number since ONT\u2019s transfer to local control in 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a vital gateway for Southern California, Ontario International Airport marked another milestone year in 2025 demonstrating our capacity to meet growing air travel demand while many California airports continued to work toward full recovery,\u201d said Alan D. Wapner, President of the OIAA Board of Commissioners. \u201cWe are particularly gratified by the growth in international travel. Greater Los Angeles is the second-largest air travel market in the United States and the sixth-largest in the world. A region of this scale merits more than one global gateway, and Ontario International is stepping up to meet that demand by delivering a world- class customer experience defined by convenience and the infrastructure necessary to support continued growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internationally, several European airports recorded very strong growth, according to VINCI Airports, a private airport operator. The airports of Budapest<\/a> and Edinburgh<\/a>, the latest additions to the VINCI Airports network, delivered remarkable performances: Budapest airport is experiencing double-digit growth, driven by the dynamism of airlines easyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air across all their markets. Mediterranean connections, especially to Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Israel, are registering significant peaks. Meanwhile, Edinburgh airport shows a solid growth, also supported by the rise of flights to Mediterranean destinations and the British domestic market. Belgrade airport traffic continues its impressive progression, driven primarily in Q4 by the expansion of Wizz Air’s routes to Western Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in the U.S., North Dakota set new all-time airline passenger records in 2025. The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) released its 2025 annual report, confirming that calendar year 2025 was the strongest year for commercial air travel in state history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00a0\u00a0View the ND 2025 Calendar Year Airline Boarding Report<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Dakota\u2019s eight commercial service airports recorded 1,322,791 airline passenger boardings, surpassing the previous record set in 2024 and marking the first time the state has exceeded 1.3 million departing passengers in a single year. This represents an increase of 76,271 passenger boardings and a 6 percent year-over-year growth rate, continuing a multi-year trend of sustained momentum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When combined with arriving passengers, more than 2.6 million total airline passengers traveled through North Dakota\u2019s commercial airports in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cReaching more than 1.3 million annual passenger boardings for the first time confirms that North Dakota\u2019s air service system is performing at an exceptionally high level,\u201d said Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. \u201cOur airports are delivering strong demand, outstanding reliability, and disciplined capacity growth that positions North Dakota well for continued growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout 2025, North Dakota\u2019s airports also maintained an average aircraft load factor of approximately 80 percent in 2025, demonstrating strong passenger demand and efficient use of airline capacity. These performance trends signal strong potential for additional routes, frequencies, and aircraft upgrades across North Dakota\u2019s commercial service airports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite challenging winter weather conditions, North Dakota\u2019s airports also outperformed national reliability averages, reinforcing the state\u2019s reputation as a dependable and operationally resilient air service market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite a decline in domestic numbers, in 2025, Minneapolis International Airport<\/a> (MSP) set records in both international destinations at 35 and total international passengers at 3.61 million, equating to 10% of total passengers. MSP\u2019s growth in international reach was amplified by Delta Air Lines\u2019 new service to Copenhagen, Denmark (CPH), and Rome, Italy (FCO), giving travelers a total of eight nonstop European destinations from Minnesota.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter four years of steady passenger growth at MSP, some airlines reduced their network and flight activity this past year due to industry challenges, including aircraft and pilot shortages,\u201d said Brian Ryks, CEO of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), which owns and operates MSP. \u201cDespite those economic headwinds, MSP continued to grow its total number of nonstop destinations anchored by expanded global routes and connectivity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other airports seeing records and reporting note-worthy highlights included Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport<\/a> and Memphis International. Three million travelers used GSP in 2025, marking another record-breaking milestone and its busiest year ever.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Memphis International Airport<\/a> served 4.8 million passengers and handled 6.5 billion tons of cargo in 2025, and the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority (MSCAA) voted to rename MEM after FedEx founder Frederick W. Smith. The Authority presented an overview of 2025 highlights at its Board of Commissioners meeting on January 22 which is highlighted in a video that can be found at https:\/\/youtu.be\/R6Z2OFzlgNU<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was also a new milestone for passenger traffic at Boise Airport<\/a>, just in time for BOI 100. As the Boise Airport enters its 100th year of operation, it is also celebrating a major milestone: Welcoming more than 5 million travelers in 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive year BOI has set a passenger record, with traffic up nearly 5 percent compared to 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of 5,229,399 passengers traveled through the Boise Airport in 2025, up from 4,990,885 in 2024. For the statistics lovers, Boise Airport traffic in 2025 was more than double the entire population of Idaho (5.2 million passengers compared to an estimated 2 million Idaho residents).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the past decade, passenger traffic through BOI has increased nearly 76 percent (2015-2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BOI 100 centennial celebrations are set to begin in April 2026. Boise Airport Director Rebecca Hupp said the record setting passenger traffic illustrates how much Boise, air travel and the airport itself have evolved over the past century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Boise Airport was first established on a gravel bed along the Boise River near what is now Boise State University\u2019s blue turf,\u201d Hupp said. \u201cAir service from our city started by carrying just four people at a time, and now we are welcoming over 5 million passengers a year. We\u2019re excited to celebrate this incredible milestone that really highlights the service we provide to the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Daytona Beach International Airport<\/a> (DAB) experienced a year of growth and enhancements for travelers. Passenger traffic at DAB reached record levels in nearly two decades. In 2025, 772,170 passengers traveled through the airport, an 11% increase over 2024, and the highest passenger traffic levels since 1997. Overall capacity, which is the number of available seats, was up 20.1% in 2025 versus 2024.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s not just about records last year, but what\u2019s on the horizon for future of these airports. At Springfield-Branson National Airport growth is expected to continue in the new year, and with it comes continued growing pains. A 10-month long flooring project will be completed this summer, and a nearly $10 million terminal apron expansion project will wrap in the spring. Also coming this year are improved passenger amenities, including an automated exit lane and electric vehicle charging stations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Included for Memphis in 2026:<\/p>\n\n\n\n