Indy Airport Sets New Historical Bar in March for Passenger Traffic

INDIANAPOLIS (May 9, 2019) – Nearly 2.2 million passengers flew through the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) in the first quarter of 2019, and March alone set a new record with more than 880,000 passengers. In all, the first quarter 2019 passenger traffic increased 2% over first quarter 2018.

“March was our busiest month in Indy airport history,” said Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “With so many new nonstop leisure destinations leaving out of Indianapolis compared to previous years, families and spring break travelers have a plethora of options at affordable prices. That combination helps the airport provide value to travelers across the board.”

Some of those new nonstop flights include Spirit Airlines’ routes to Orlando and Las Vegas which launched in March. In addition, markets were online in 2019 that were not available in the first quarter of 2018. Those markets included Charleston, South Carolina and Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla. (Allegiant Air), Austin, Texas and Oakland, California (Southwest Airlines), and Seattle and Paris, France (Delta Air Lines).

International traffic is up 81% compared to the first quarter of 2018 and international seat capacity was up 88% thanks to the Paris flight.

“Flights throughout the year are going to further destinations with airline seat miles increasing about five percent,” said Rodriguez. “That increase is, in part, due to increased West Coast connectivity and increased international access.”

In 2018, more than 9.4 million passengers flew through the Indy airport, breaking the previous passenger record of 8.77 million set in 2017. The Indy airport averages 145 daily flights to 50 nonstop destinations.