Eastern Iowa Airport just shy of half-year passenger record

CEDAR RAPIDS - The Eastern Iowa Airport came just a few passengers shy of a record first six months this year.

In the first half of 2017, the airport had 566,046 passengers come through its doors, about a 9 percent increase from the first half of 2016, officials report.

This year's numbers are just slightly below the record first half the airport saw in 2014, when it recorded 566,282 passengers from January through June. That year was also a banner one for annual passenger traffic, when more than 1.13 million people went through the airport.

The airport did post a record in June of this year, though, as flights carried 103,507 inbound and outbound passengers last month. The numbers are the highest for any June in the airport's history, airport officials said this week.

The airport's record for most passengers in any one month came in March 2014 when it had 109,653 passengers.

'We're happy that the airlines are providing us additional service and in kind that passengers are responding,” Airport Marketing Director Pam Hinman said.

Passenger traffic has increased, airport officials said, because of new non-stop flights to Charlotte, N.C., and more seat capacity from the use of larger planes.

In addition, Frontier Airlines announced recently it would start a seasonal, non-stop flight from the airport to Orlando, Fla., on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Dec. 17.

The Orlando flight will mark the 14th non-stop flight from Eastern Iowa Airport, the most direct flights it has ever had. Other direct flights include services to Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas and Minneapolis, among other cities.

Eastern Iowa Airport is also in the midst of the third phase of its terminal renovation. The $31 million project includes the addition of a second floor in the terminal's B concourse and an expansion of its security checkpoint.

Hinman said passengers will see construction walls rise in the next few weeks, but work is not expected to affect passenger travel. Work on the third phase is expected to take about 21 months, she said.

Signs and staff will be available to help travelers if needed, she said.

l Comments: (319) 398-8366; matthew.patane@thegazette.com