Sky Harbor traffic tanked in April; What happened in May?

After an abysmal April due to travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport staff now have data to prove what they suspected anecdotally: May saw a significant rebound in passenger traffic at Phoenix’s largest airport.

Sky Harbor served 584,283 passengers in May. That’s more than double the number of passengers during the height of travel restrictions in April when just 282,243 passengers flew through the airport.

Exact passenger data for the airport typically runs a month behind, so figures for May were just released this week.

“While June numbers aren’t going to be available for several more weeks, we have seen additional increases in passenger traffic from May,” spokeswoman Heather Shelbrack said when reached by email.

Airport staff is optimistic about the figures. Already, the airport’s largest carrier, American Airlines, has added some Sky Harbor flights in July.

“We anticipate this to continue, especially around the July 4th holiday and as more people opt to take their summer vacations,” Shelbrack said.

Traffic still sharply down

Still, for an airport that saw 46 million passengers in 2019, those figures are nowhere near normal for this time of year.

In May 2019, Sky Harbor welcomed 3.9 million passengers through its gates, putting the overall decrease at 85.2% year over year.

The slowdown has affected services at the airport. The Park and Walk lot (formerly the West Economy lot) is temporarily closed. Most restaurants before security are closed.

Even on the other side of security, many shops and restaurants are closed or operating reduced schedules.

If you’re planning to travel through Sky Harbor this summer, make sure to check the airport’s website for the latest information about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on your travel and the amenities available.