PIA Posts May Passenger Record! (Updated)



Peoria International Airport posted a passenger record for May.

Last month, 60,261 passengers went through the local facility. The prior May record was in 2014 when 56,470 passengers were handled. According to this press release, passenger traffic is now five percent higher than during the same period in 2017.

There is room for more growth. The press release states,

Although PIA had its third busiest year in 2017, a recent market analysis showed the airport captures just 58 percent of the air travel within a 25- to 40-mile radius. Of the 42 percent choosing another airport, 33 percent of those are choosing O'Hare International Airport, according to the study.

If the five percent increase holds, PIA could potentially handle 667,000 passengers in 2018. That would be a new record, beating 2015's all-time record of 641,671.

UPDATE: The Peoria Journal Star and WMBD TV-31 are reporting this story.

UPDATE X2: Allegiant Air resumed seasonal Destin/Fort Walton Beach nonstop on May 2 this year so that most certainly factored in the increase in passengers. Service started May 24 last year.

- David P. Jordan

Comments

  1. BobJune 16, 2018 at 8:15 AM

    Very happy to see Peoria Airpottd continued growth. A plus for the area!

    In the Pantagraph CIRA is announcing two new routes on Tuesday. I would guess one very well could be Phoenix. I know a large number of State Farm employees are transferring out to the Phoenix hub. Not sure what second could be.

    What ever the routes, it is another plus for the area!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. UnknownJune 16, 2018 at 1:01 PM

      I’d love to be wrong, Two locations being announced sounds like a single carrier. I’ll place my bet on two new Allegiant routes

      Delete
  2. BobJune 16, 2018 at 2:37 PM

    I tend to agree with you Daniel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. David P. JordanJune 16, 2018 at 10:45 PM

    I wonder if CIRA has convinced Frontier Airlines to return with nonstops to Denver and Orlando? Spirit Airlines is another possibility, though less likely. Otherwise, I'd guess Allegiant Air will expand its offerings to Florida (PGD and VPS).

    ReplyDelete

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