Airport Passenger Traffic Continues Record Growth Pattern

Passenger traffic at Albany International Airport continued a six-year pattern of growth during 2019. Enplanements during 2019 totaled 1,518,969, an increase of 3.6 percent over 2018 during which 1,466,706 passengers boarded at Albany.

"Business and leisure travelers in the Greater Capital Region continue to benefit from the Airport Authority's successful effort to attract new airlines that have provided new non-stop destinations for our travelers," said Rev. Kenneth Doyle, Chairman of the Albany County Airport Authority. "We believe that our existing carriers and new airlines will continue to view Upstate New York as an opportunity for growth in the years to come."

A good portion of the increase in enplanements was the result of two ultra low-fare carriers launching service at Albany International Airport. Allegiant Airlines and Frontier Airlines together accounted for over 136,000 passengers during 2019.

More than 56-million passengers have traveled through the Albany International Airport since the new terminal opened in 1998. Florida continues to be the most popular destination among Albany travelers with more than one out of four passengers traveling to airports in Ft. Lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Orlando and Tampa.

The Airport Authority recently embarked on a $60 million program to upgrade the terminal with new terrazzo floors and escalators, improved restrooms, new way-finding signage, LED lighting, modern wall coverings and upgraded airline hold rooms. In addition, the Authority, with the assistance of a $22 million grant from Governor Andrew Cuomo,is nearing completion of a new 1,000 space parking garage.

Four new concessions including The Albany Empire, Chick-fil-A, Burger King and Wolfgang Puck Pizza have been added to improve the customer experience. A fifth new concession, The Beer Union, is now under construction on Concourse-B.