Ontario International Airport Reports Busiest September in History

SoCal gateway welcomed 5.2 million air travelers in first nine months of 2024

Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed more than 600,000 travelers last month, the busiest September in its history, officials have announced.

The Southern California gateway reported 606,015 travelers in September, up 9% over the same month in 2023. The previous September high was recorded in 2005 when ONT served 589,242 passengers.

The most recent total included 575,513 domestic passengers and 30,502 international customers. It marked the 43rd consecutive month of year-over-year passenger growth. The Inland Empire airport is on pace to serve more than 7 million passengers in 2024. From January through September ONT recorded 5.2 million passengers, 11.5% above last year’s pace. Domestic fliers exceeded 4.9 million while the number of international travelers totaled 335,769, increases of 11.4% and 13.5%, respectively.

“We made history in September, and 2024 is shaping up to be another record-breaking year for passenger volume - a milestone moment for us since reclaiming local ownership in 2016. We’re not just setting new benchmarks; we’re closing in on the all-time annual record. What sets us apart is that ONT is an international gateway without the limitations many other Southern California airports face – no flight caps, no curfews, no constraints. This freedom allows us to grow and thrive, positioning ONT as a leader in the region’s aviation landscape,” said Atif Elkadi, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA).

The air carriers with the greatest passenger shares in September were: 1. Southwest Airlines (34.5%) 2. Frontier Airlines (16.6%) 3. American Airlines (15.3%) 4. Delta Air Lines (9.9%) 5. Alaska Airlines (7.7%)

Air cargo (freight and mail) volume jumped 11% in September to 64,798 tons. On a year-to-date basis, air cargo grew by 2.9% to 558,897 tons compared with 543,318 tons in 2023. Ontario International is a top 10 cargo hub in North America.

Ontario International Airport (ONT) is approximately 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles in the center of Southern California. It is a full-service airport that offers nonstop commercial jet service to two dozen major airports in the U.S., Mexico, Central America and Taiwan.