Indy Airport touts boost in passenger traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (Inside INdiana Business) — Indianapolis International Airport officials say air travel out of Indy increased significantly during the third quarter. More than 2 million passengers traveled through the airport, marking a 133% increase from the same period last year, though still down 15% from 2019.

The airport cites figures from the Transportation Safety Administration, which show the airport has outpaced the U.S. recovery in passenger throughput in 16 of the last 17 months, as of August 2021.

“IND has consistently outpaced our peer airports in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh in passenger traffic recovery, especially through this summer,” Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez said in a news release. “That’s a big testament to the relationship we have with our airline partners and the keen insight they have in changing market patterns as we’ve come through the pandemic.”

The airport attributes the increase to the addition of new nonstop flights, new airlines joining the airport and key routes resuming operation, which has created more seat capacity.

During the third quarter, the airport says it offered 57% more flights with 55% more seat capacity compared to the same period in 2020. Those numbers are still down 18% and 9%, respectively, in 2019.

The airport says it will end the year with 22 new nonstop flights, including Allegiant’s inaugural flights to Palm Springs beginning Thursday and United Airlines launching a nonstop service to Orlando next month.