A Southwest Airlines passenger jet takes off from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport in this file photo.
RENO, Nev. — For the first time in a decade, Reno-Tahoe International Airport posted more than 4 million passengers in a year.
These numbers for 2017 were an increase of 9.6 percent over 2016. The last time RTIA recorded 4 million passenger was in 2008. The number of seats available into and out of Reno also rose 9.5 percent over 2016.
Increases can likely be contributed to more flights being added to the airport last year. Southwest began flying nonstop to Dallas Love Field airport in January 2017, and to San Jose in June. United Airlines commenced service to Chicago O’Hare in June, and Frontier Airlines added Denver in November.
President and CEO Marily Mora confirmed that in conjunction with dozens of regional partners, including the Regional Air Service Corporation, Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, the airport’s air service development team and the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board of Trustees are constantly working with airlines to bring new destinations to the airport.
“The new non-stop flight on Frontier to Austin announced this month only cements the fact that Reno has the attention of our airline partners,” Mora said.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport ended the year strong with increased passenger counts during the holidays. In December 2017, the airport served 321,857 passengers, an increase of 7.1 percent versus December 2016. This represents 31 consecutive months of year-over-year monthly passenger growth.
Air cargo recorded a slight downward shift from its high of more than 156,000,000 pounds in 2016. In 2017 the airport handled 152,135,268 pounds total.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport currently offers 59 daily departures to 21 destinations on nine commercial airlines with 6,946 daily departing seats available. With seasonal flights, that number grows to 23 destinations.
