Rockford airport saw record number of passengers in 2024

January 22, 2025|By Kevin Haas|In Featured, Rock River Current, 815 News, Rockford, Business, Business/development, Top Stories
Allegiant in Rockford
The first flight from Los Angeles to Rockford lands on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at Chicago Rockford International Airport. Allegiant Air added the seasonal destination with flights running through Oct. 13. (Photo by Kevin Haas/Rock River Current)
By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — The Chicago Rockford International Airport said Wednesday that it served a record number of passengers in 2024 and recorded its third-largest year for cargo weight landed at the airport.

RFD welcomed 262,432 passengers in 2024, which is a 9% increase from 2023. The record numbers came as the airport launched two new flight routes with Allegiant Air to Nashville, Tennessee, and Los Angeles, California.

“We’re thrilled to celebrate record-breaking passenger numbers in 2024,” Zack Oakley, executive director at RFD, said in a news release. “Because of the community’s support in utilizing our passenger services and the success of the new routes to Los Angeles and Nashville last year, we will be reintroducing more flights in 2025.”

More news: Slot revenue rose 3% in Rockford in 2024, marking the second-largest total in video gaming revenue here

The seasonal flights to L.A. and Nashville resume in May. International flights in partnership with Apple Vacations to Cancun/Riviera Maya, Mexico, and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica begin this weekend.

Cargo

Airport officials said 3.14 billion pounds of cargo weight traveled through RFD in 2024, marking the third-largest year for air cargo operations. The record high was more than 3.4 billion pounds of cargo in 2021.

Last year’s cargo weight was a 1.5% from 2023. Airport officials attributed the growth to new international partners and longtime airport tenants.

Last year marked 30 years of UPS operating at RFD. In April, UPS was awarded a significant air cargo contract by the United States Postal Service, making UPS its primary air cargo provider and responsible for moving much of its air cargo in the U.S.

This addition as well as increased flights by Amazon Air and Maersk Air Cargo helped to drive growth in 2024. RFD officials expect growth to continue in 2025.

“We value our long-term partnerships with UPS, Amazon Air, and Maersk Air Cargo and the contributions they bring to our regional economy,” Oakley said. “We look forward to the continued success in 2025.”