Ontario International Airport had busiest September ever, smashing record from 2005

Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed more than 600,000 travelers last month, the busiest September in its history, officials announced.

The Southern California gateway reported 606,015 travelers in September, a 9% increase compared with the same month in 2023. The total included 575,513 domestic passengers and 30,502 international customers. The number of domestic travelers was 10.7% higher than last year while the international count was 15.7% lower.

The previous September high was recorded in 2005 when ONT served 589,242 passengers.

From January through September ONT recorded 5.2 million passengers, 11.5% more than the same period a year ago. Domestic fliers exceeded 4.9 million while the number of international travelers totaled 335,769, increases of 11.4% and 13.5%, respectively.

Inland Empire airport is on pace to serve more than 7 million passengers in 2024.

“We made history in September, and we expect to set a new record in 2024 for calendar year passenger volume since the airport’s return to local ownership in 2016,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA).

“Moreover, we are closing in on the all-time annual record which is achievable in part because our international airport is unconstrained by passenger and flight caps, curfews and other constraints common among peer airports in Southern California,” he said.
Passenger
Totals
Sep
2024
Sep
2023
Change
YTD
2024

YTD
2023

Change

Domestic
575,513
520,037
10.7%
4,901,447

4,400,550

11.4%

International
30,502
36,176
-15.7%
335,769

295,948

13.5%

Total
606,015
556,213
9.0%
5,237,216

4,696,498

11.5%

The air carriers with the greatest passenger shares in September were:
Southwest Airlines (34.5%)

Frontier Airlines (16.6%)

American Airlines (15.3%)

Delta Air Lines (9.9%)

Alaska Airlines (7.7%)

Air cargo (freight and mail) volume jumped 11% in September to 64,798 tons. On a year-to-date basis, air cargo grew by 2.9% to 558,897 tons compared with 543,318 tons in 2023.

Air cargo
(tonnage)
Sep
2024
Sep
2023
Change
YTD
2024

YTD
2023

Change

Freight
57,272
55,554
3.1%
527,311

506,213

4.2%

Mail
7,526
2,803
168.5%
31,586

37,105

-14.9%

Total
64,798
58,357
11.0%
558,897

543,318

2.9%

“Ontario International is a top 10 cargo hub in North America and the preferred freight hub in Southern California,” Elkadi noted.
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About Ontario International Airport

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is California’s most popular airport, according to J.D. Power’s most recent North America Airport Satisfaction Study. Located in the Inland Empire, ONT is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport which offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan. More information is available at www.flyOntario.com. Follow @flyONT on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram

About the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA):

The OIAA was formed in August 2012 by a Joint Powers Agreement between the City of Ontario and the County of San Bernardino to provide overall direction for the management, operations, development and marketing of ONT for the benefit of the Southern California economy and the residents of the airport’s four-county catchment area. OIAA leaders include Ontario City Council Member Alan D. Wapner (President), San Bernardino County Supervisor Curt Hagman (Vice President), Ontario City Council Member Jim W. Bowman (Secretary), Retired Riverside Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge (Treasurer) and retired business executive Julia Gouw (Commissioner).