Ontario International Airport cargo volume still stronger than pre-pandemic levels

Traveler count grew 7% over 2019 level with domestic volume up 10% 

The number of passengers who traveled through Southern California’s Ontario International Airport (ONT) in April was nearly 7% above the April 2019 total, beating pre-pandemic levels for the second straight month, officials announced today.

Total ONT passenger volume was almost 476,000 last month, 6.92% more than April three years ago. The number of domestic travelers increased by 9.65% to more than 461,000.

Passenger traffic increased by 4% in March compared with the same month in 2019.

“Demand for air travel through Ontario International remained strong in April as passengers took to the airways for spring break vacations and to visit friends and family for religious holidays. Ontario International was rapidly growing before the COVID-19 pandemic, so it is not a surprise that we’re among the quickest to recover,” said Alan D. Wapner, president of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners.

From January through April, total passenger volume was more than 1.62 million, within a percentage point of the total from the first four months of 2019. The number of domestic passengers was 1.57 million, an increase of 1.6%.

Air cargo shipments also remained strong in April at 67,000 tons, 8.6% greater than April in 2019. On a year-to-date basis, shipments of freight and mail combined were 15.5% higher than the January through April period in 2019, at nearly 270,000 tons.

Air cargo (tonnage)	April 2022	April 2019	Change	Yth 2022	Yth 2019	Change
Freight	62,291	59,359	4.94%	250,623	224,346	11.7%
Mail	4,860	2,454	98.05%	19,068	9,192	107.4%
Total	67,152	61,813	8.64%	269,692	233,539	15.5%

Air cargo (tonnage)	April 2022	April 2021	Change	Yth 2022	Yth 2021	Change
Freight	62,291	70,422	-11.55%	250,623	278,143	-9.9%
Mail	4,860	4,085	18.98%	19,068	14,383	32.6%
Total	67,152	74,508	-9.87	269,692	292,526	-7.8%

“Ontario International remains a point of pride as an increasingly popular passenger gateway in Southern California and attractive hub for e-commerce,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the OIAA. “With our growing customer base in the Inland Empire, support of our community neighbors and strong political will of our city and county leaders, I am confident Ontario International will continue to attract new and increased flights from passenger and cargo air carriers.”