Peoria Station

It is that time of year again! Although changes may be few overall, I like to post an annual review of air service happenings at the Gen. Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport. Let's start with a run down by air carrier. (Above video shot July 13, 2019.) ALLEGIANT AIR Allegiant Air offers nonstops to six destinations from Peoria - Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, Phoenix-Mesa, Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers and St. Petersburg/Clearwater. Destin/Ft. Walton Beach service is seasonal, ending after September 3. The Las Vegas-based carrier is offering 18 weekly departures in July 2019. See below for details. Monday - Las Vegas, Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers Tuesday -  Phoenix-Mesa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Wednesday -  Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford, Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers Thursday -  Phoenix-Mesa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater Friday -  Las Vegas, Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers Saturday -  Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Orlando-Sanfo...

One thing for sure, if Peoria Int'l Airport posts a monthly passenger record, we'll know about it through a press release or reporting by Peoria's newspaper of record. And if there isn't a record, there won't be a press release, or an article by Peoria's newspaper of record.  Fortunately, records are frequent, and PIA posted another for May 2019. According to this article , 61,848 passengers passed through the local facility that month. That is the most for May of any year and the third busiest in the airport's long history. May 2019's numbers are 2.6 percent higher than those posted in May 2018. Airport officials are still reviewing June figures, hoping for another record. During the first five months, PIA has handled 280,905 passengers, which is 2.7 percent higher than the same period in 2018. - David P. Jordan