Ontario International Airport continued its run of higher volumes in February

The number of air travelers who chose Ontario International Airport (ONT) in February grew by 9%, extending its run of year-over-year increases to 36 consecutive months, airport officials announced.

Last month ONT welcomed 413,413 domestic passengers and 36,480 international fliers, increases of 5.7% and 68.3%, respectively.

“February proved to be another positive month for Ontario International as we extended our streak of consecutive months with higher passenger volume,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “The numbers speak for themselves and are further evidence that ONT continues to be the airport of choice for Southern California.”

Over the first two months of the year, ONT’s passenger count increased by 9.2% to more than 919,000, with the number of domestic travelers up 5.2% and international passengers nearly 80% higher. The strong start to 2024 continues Ontario’s stellar performance since its return to local ownership in 2016. It was the first airport in Southern California to exceed pre-pandemic passenger levels and in 2023 posted its highest volumes since 2008.

The surge in demand also underscores the vital role ONT plays in California’s fastest-growing population and economic center. At 4.7 million people, the Inland Empire is now the 12th largest metropolitan area in the U.S, surpassing San Francisco, and is expected to grow by another million residents in the next quarter-century. It also is the top job-producing region in California.

“It is critical that those who live and work in the area have access to a first-rate aviation gateway. That’s just what we are providing, and air travelers are taking note,” Elkadi said, noting that Ontario International led all California airports in the prestigious J.D. Power 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

On the cargo side, freight shipments increased by more than 4% in February and 0.5% on a year-to-date basis, consistent with industry forecasts that show worldwide cargo volumes turning the corner after recent downward trends. ONT is the 9th largest cargo airport in the United States and is the hub of one of the world’s largest supply chain networks.

Air cargo(tonnage)	Feb2024	Feb2023	Change	YTD2024	YTD2023	Change
Freight	53,922	51,710	4.3%	110,691	110,092	0.5%
Mail	2,583	4,481	-42.4%	5,244	8,870	-40.9%
Total	56,505	56,191	0.6%	115,935	118,962	-2.5%