Ontario International Airport Buoyed by Freight Shipments in September

Commercial freight volume at Ontario International Airport (ONT) increased more than 20% in September while the number of air travelers rose to almost 200,000, reflecting a gradual recovery at the Southern California airport in recent months.

According to the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA), September’s passenger count was more than 195,000, a decrease of 58.4% compared to the same month last year. The number of domestic passengers exceeded 191,000, while international travelers totaled more than 3,500, decreases of 57% and 84.5%, respectively.

Over the first nine months of the year, ONT welcomed 1.9 million passengers. Domestic travel volume was more than 1.8 million, a decrease of 52% compared to the same period in 2019, with the number of international passengers reaching 76,000.

“Cargo continues to be a point of strength and pride for us as Ontario enjoys the fastest rate of growth among airports in the continental United States,” said Mark Thorpe, chief executive officer of the OIAA. “And while passenger volumes remain significantly lower year-over-year, Ontario’s rate of recovery puts it third among U.S. airports and first among airports in California.”

Since reaching its low point in air travel in April following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, ONT passenger volume has grown on a percentage basis every month between May and September, Thorpe added.

Delta Air Lines began twice-daily, nonstop service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport this month while international carrier Volaris is planning new service to Mexico City beginning in November.

Meanwhile, Ontario experienced a 22.5% gain in commercial freight volume in September, the sixth month this year of better than 20% growth, with shipments totaling more than 73,000 tons. On a year-to-date basis, freight volume was nearly 645,000 tons, almost 20% more than the January through September period in 2019.