The hustle and bustle at Ontario International Airport (ONT) shows no sign of slowing down, with passenger figures for 2023 flying high above pre-pandemic levels for the second year in a row. More than 6.4 million people took to the skies via ONT last year, marking a 12% uptick from 2022 and pushing past the 2019 numbers by nearly 850,000, according to airport authority officials.
Domestic and international flights both have seen a significant increase in traffic, with domestic travelers rising by 8.4% and international jet-setters skyrocketing an impressive 113.5% from the previous year. Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners, emphasized the airport's success, “Since the transfer of the airport to local ownership in 2016, we have been laser-focused on to develop an aviation gateway that appeals to Inland Empire residents and Southern California visitors, drives the regional economy and serves as a hub for commerce,” he told San Bernardino County's official website.
ONT's international passenger figures for 2023 reached an all-time high, surpassing the previous record set in 2019 by a substantial margin. Coming in at 417,000 international travelers, the robust growth reflects the airport's significant role in catering to the rising demand for global connectivity. December alone saw more than half a million passengers, a hefty 15.4% increase compared to the same month in 2022. These figures underscore ONT's strong and steady 34-month streak of year-over-year growth, as reported by OIAA chief executive officer Atif Elkadi in a statement on the same San Bernardino County website.
Elkadi expressed confidence in the continued upward trajectory, citing airlines' growing trust in ONT's capabilities. “Moreover, with the continued confidence of our airline partners and the growth in capacity at ONT, the trend is expected to continue in 2024. Ontario’s world-class facilities, first-rate amenities and services, together with our industry-leading customer experience, appeal to air travelers and our airline partners, and continue to set an example for airports across the region and the country,” he forecasted. ONT also topped the J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, putting it ahead of other California airports in multiple customer service categories.
Despite passenger volume success, ONT faced a downturn in the air cargo business. Freight volume lagged by 12.5% in December and saw an annual decrease of 11.8%, mirroring the broader global economic trends that have impacted the logistics sector. Elkadi addressed the contrast between the thriving passenger division and the struggling cargo segment: “Ontario is at the crossroads of the goods movement industry in California and ONT will always be an attractive destination for shippers and retailers,” he stated.
