Dayton airport busier, but not recovered
Officials hope to hit pre-COVID passenger volumes in 2025.
The Dayton International Airport saw a big increase in passenger traffic last month, and boardings this year should surpass last year’s tally plus the goal that was set by aviation officials.
But the airport still has a long way to go to return to pre-COVID passenger volumes.
Airlines still face many challenges, including pilot shortages, supply chain issues and high jet fuel prices, which are preventing airlines from reinstating capacity lost during the pandemic, said Gil Turner, Dayton’s aviation director.
“We are cautiously optimistic that (the airport’s) passenger traffic will return to pre-pandemic levels in time, but this is a process,” Turner said. “This is not just an airport effort, but it’s a community effort.”
Good numbers
Through the end of November, the Dayton airport welcomed 570,845 air travelers — 31,800 more fliers than during the same period in 2022 (a 6% increase), according to the newest data from the aviation facility.
Last month, passenger boardings at the Dayton airport jumped 20%, compared to November 2022. That was the largest year-over-year increase since early spring of 2022.
The Dayton airport has now seen five consecutive months of year-over-year passenger growth.
Before this streak, passenger boardings had declined in 10 out of the previous 12 months year-over-year.
“We are ecstatic to see our passenger traffic increasing and moving in the right direction,” Turner said. “However, the aviation industry is still struggling with returning to where it was prior to the pandemic.”
Exceed the goal
About 584,440 people flew out of the Dayton airport last year.
Aviation officials last year set a goal of 605,000 enplanements for 2023, and the final count should easily surpass that number.
Turner said he believes that at least 615,000 people have flown out of the airport.
During budget discussions in October, aviation officials said they hoped to grow passenger traffic to about 682,000 enplanements in 2024.
Turner this week said they are forecasting that enplanements will increase to at least 650,000 next year.
Coronavirus
COVID clobbered air travel and severely exacerbated already declining passenger volumes at the Dayton airport.
The Dayton airport had 892,415 enplanements in 2019. The next year, when COVID hit, only 337,515 people flew out of Dayton (a 62% decline).
Boardings declined for seven straight years between 2012 and 2019. About 1.3 million people flew out of Dayton in 2012.
Turner said the airport also is working to increase the number of seats available on aircraft that come in and out of Dayton. Flights out of Dayton had about 715,665 seats last year. The airport’s goal is to have 850,000 seats next year.
Turner said the airport wants more aircraft and larger aircraft. He said on average about 80% to 85% of the seats in the Dayton market are sold and filled.
The Dayton airport is an important asset for the city and the entire region, said Dayton City Manager Shelley Dickstein.
The city, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce and a new air service consultant are working closely with the airlines and business community to market the airport and attract new service, Dickstein said.
“While the aviation industry does not anticipate full recovery from the COVID disruption until close to 2025, we are not sitting around and waiting for that,” she said.
Flights out of Dayton connect
Dayton International Airport passenger enplanements 2023* 2022 2021 2020 2019
* Through October
SOURCE: DAYTON INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
to the 12 largest airports in the nation, which means travelers can get to anywhere in the world they want to go, Dickstein said.
Turner said marketing the airport is a priority, because people need to know about what local service and flights are available.
“We continuously talk to all airlines, those that currently fly from DAY, those that used to fly from DAY, as well as airlines that have never flown from DAY,” he said.
“We tell them the Dayton story, our growth, our strengths, and where our community needs to go. We remind them how they can be profitable here in the Birthplace of Aviation.”