Ontario International Airport Continued Strong Growth in Passenger and Cargo Volume in May

June 25, 2019

Passenger and cargo volumes at Ontario International Airport (ONT) grew at a robust pace of approximately 8 percent last month, according to figures released by the airport authority.

Statistics compiled by the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) show the number of airline passengers who traveled through ONT was more than 475,000 in May, an increase of 8.3 percent over the same month last year.

Domestic passenger volume grew 7.5 percent to more than 449,000 while the number of international travelers rose by nearly 25 percent to more than 26,000 in May.

During the first five months of the year, ONT greeted more than 2.1 million arriving and departing passengers, nearly 6 percent more than the same period last year. The number of domestic travelers was more than 1.9 million, an increase of 3.4 percent. International travelers increased by 72 percent to nearly 122,000.

Cargo shipments were likewise strong last month, registering a 7.8 percent increase over May 2018. More than 68,000 tons of freight and mail moved through ONT compared to more than 63,000 tons in May last year. From January through May, cargo volume grew by 4.4 percent to more than 301,000 tons.

“Customer confidence continued to be strong in the run-up to the summer travel season,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the OIAA. “Our airline partners are adding new flights and expanding their ONT services is evidence that Ontario airport is indeed an attractive international gateway for air travel and freight movement.”


May 2019May 2018Percent ChangeYTD 2019YTD 2018Percent Change
Passenger Traffic





Domestic449,092417,8917.5 percent1,994,7131,928,2553.4 percent
International26,30821,08324.8 percent121,96870,89872.0 percent
Total475,400438,9748.3 percent2,116,6811,999,1535.9 percent
Air Cargo (Tons)





Freight65,55960,3608.6 percent289,905276,6844.8 percent
Mail2,6162,898-9.8 percent11,80812,441-5.1 percent
Total68,17463,2587.8 percent301,713289,1234.4 percent