PIA Passenger Traffic Up 2% in 2017


Peoria International Airport posted its third-best passenger tally in 2017. 

The Peoria Journal Star reported Wednesday night that traffic was up two percent in 2017 with 635,003 passengers. I was close with my prediction last month.

If the two percent increase holds through December, traffic will total about 636,000 this year, the third-best in PIA history. 

Factors for the slight increase include new service to American Airlines' Charlotte (NC) hub (begun in Nov. 3, 2016), Allegiant Air's twice-weekly, seasonal (May to September) nonstops to Destin/Ft. Walton Beach (FL) and larger jets to American Airlines' Dallas/Ft. Worth (TX) hub (begun in February 2017). 

PIA first broke the 600,000-passenger mark in 2014 with 639,320 passengers. The year 2015 gave it an all time record of 641,671 passengers. Traffic dipped in 2016 with a still respectable 623,134. 

With an improving economy and rising sales for Caterpillar promising increased business travel, I expect 2015's passenger record will be broken in 2018. 

Another positive in 2017 is a 26 percent increase in air cargo volume. PIA director Gene Olson told the Peoria Journal Star that the loss of FedEx cargo planes to Bloomington-Normal's Central Illinois Regional Airport reduced volume 40 percent. The increase can be solely attributed to United Parcel Service, which links PIA to its Louisville (KY) and Rockford (IL) hubs. 

- David P. Jordan

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