Fourth busiest ever at HIA, and second consecutive monthly passenger traffic record

(Middletown, PA – June 26, 2019) – May 2019 was the busiest May ever at Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) and the fourth busiest month in the 50-year history of the airport. 

A total of 137,621 passengers used Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) throughout May up 22.8 percent vs May 2018.    

HIA served 589,184 passengers between January 1 and May 31, 2019 up 17.3 percent compared to the same period in 2018.

“Every airline serving the airport offered more seats for sale this year than last and the region responded as flight were nearly 87 percent full—also a new record,” said Timothy J. Edwards, SARAA executive director.  “New nonstop service to Orlando International Airport and resumed seasonal service to Denver on Frontier, new service to Sarasota/Bradenton and increased flights to Orlando Sanford and Punta Gorda on Allegiant and larger planes to Chicago on United and American generated most of the traffic increases.  At this pace, 2019 is expected to be the busiest year for passenger traffic since 1999.” 

Nashville and Dallas Off to Strong Starts

Edwards said HIA’s two newest destinations—Thursday and Sunday flights to Nashville on Allegiant and a daily flight to Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) on American Airlines—are proving to be quite popular for central Pennsylvania leisure and business travelers.  “Nashville is a cool, fun place to go and get away for the weekend while DFW is AA’s largest hub and provides easy connections to cities worldwide.  AA passengers flying over Dallas are connecting to places throughout the Western U.S, Mexico, central America and Asia.”

The new flights to Nashville and Dallas/Ft. Worth are expected to increase HIA traffic by about 35,000 passengers over the remainder of 2019.

The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, August 28^th, 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 14 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.