FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Scott Miller
(717) 948-3900 ext. 4620

2019 was 2.5 percent busier than the previous record set in 1997

(Middletown, PA – January 29, 2020) – Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) set a new passenger traffic record in 2019, serving more than 1.5 million passengers for the first time in history.

Last year, 1,512,585 passengers flew into and out of the region via HIA—a 16.8 percent increase compared with 2018.  It was the third consecutive year of passenger traffic growth at the airport. 

Airlines offered nearly 11 percent more seats for sale in 2019 and the average load factor—the percentage of seats sold on all flights—increased 4.2 points to a record 86.2 percent.

“The combination of a strong regional economy and new nonstop service to Dallas/Ft. Worth on American, Sarasota and Nashville on Allegiant and expanded service to Chicago, Charlotte and Orlando gave more people the opportunity to choose HIA vs driving hours each way to faraway airports,” said Timothy J. Edwards, executive director.

Prior to 2019, the busiest year was in 1997 as 1,478,184 passengers used the airport. 

Edwards said, “we are grateful to our airline partners for their increased commitment to central Pennsylvania and look forward to working with them throughout 2020 to serve more of our growing region’s air travel needs.”    

The next SARAA Board meeting will take place on Wednesday, February 26^th, 2020 at 8:00 am, in the David C. McIntosh Boardroom, on the third floor of the HIA terminal building.

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About Harrisburg International Airport:
Five airlines serve Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) offering nearly 70 peak day flights to and from 15 nonstop destinations.  The Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority (SARAA) owns HIA, Capital City Executive 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 80,000 aircraft operations and generate a total economic output of more than $990 million annually.