News and information from the January 2019 SARAA Board Meeting
HIA Traffic Up 8.3 Percent in 2018
Busiest Year since 2013
(Middletown, PA – January 30, 2019) – Today, the Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) reported a total of 1,294,765 passengers used Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) in 2018—an 8.3 percent increase compared to 2017.
“2018 was the airport’s busiest since 2013 and as American Airlines, United Airlines, Allegiant and Frontier all posted year over year passenger traffic increases,” said Timothy J. Edwards, SARAA executive director. “As our airline partners add more flights and new destinations, more central PA residents are choosing the convenience of HIA vs driving hours each way to fly.”
| Airline | 2018 Passengers | Change Vs. 2017 |
| American | 531,825 | + 8.8% |
| Delta | 308,345 | (4.3) % |
| United | 244,518 | + 7.8 % |
| Allegiant | 160,633 | + 17.1 % |
| Frontier | 31,192 | + 100.0 % |
| Charter/others | 18,252 | (14.4) % |
| Total | 1,294,765 | +8.3 % |
New Routes Expected To Increase Traffic in 2019
Edwards said the authority anticipates about a three percent traffic increase in 2019 as new routes are coming to the airport. Frontier now serves the Orlando International Airport market year-round and seasonal Denver service resumes on May 1st—expanding to three flights a week. Allegiant will offer daily flights to Orlando/Sanford beginning February 13th, adds new twice-weekly nonstop service to Sarasota/Bradenton on April 3rd and seasonal twice-weekly Myrtle Beach service resumes on April 4th. United is expanding Chicago O’Hare flights to four times a day in April while American begins new daily nonstop service to Dallas/Ft. Worth on June 7th. “If the region continues to support these flight—as we expect it will—I’m hopeful more flights options can be added later this year or in early 2020.”
2nd Busiest Cargo Year at HIA
HIA total air cargo tonnage grew for the fourth consecutive year as more than 57,300 tons of air cargo flew into and out of the region—an 8.5 percent increase vs 2017. “Our region’s diverse and growing manufacturing, distribution and e-commerce industries are continuing to provide more quality air cargo for FedEx, UPS and their affiliated partners,” said Edwards. “This year the authority begins a multi-year project to expand the air cargo apron so airlines will be able to more efficiently move more air cargo to meet growing regional demand.”
The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, at 8:00 am, in the David C. McIntosh Boardroom, located on the third floor of the HIA terminal building.
About Harrisburg International Airport:
Five airlines serve Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) offering nearly 70 flights daily to 12 year-round and two seasonal non-stop destinations. The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) owns HIA, Capital City Airport in New Cumberland and both Franklin County and Gettysburg Regional Airports. Incorporated in 1997, SARAA is a multi-municipal authority whose mission is to serve the region by providing high quality, efficient airports and promoting regional economic development. Combined these four facilities handle about 90,000 aircraft operations and generate a total economic output of more than $990 million annually.
☁ #InTheCloud ☁ at flyHIA 