For the first time since 2008, Reno-Tahoe International Airport says it served almost 4.5 million passengers, up 5.7% over 2018, and the fifth consecutive increase in year-over-year passenger growth.
The Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority says record growth at RNO can be attributed to the community’s “team” approach to air service. The Regional Air Service Corporation, Reno Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority, Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority Board of Trustees and RNO’s Air Service Development team have worked in concert to bring new flights and seats.
Passenger traffic at RNO has grown 35% since 2014 and can be attributed to the introduction of larger aircraft on several west coast routes and added frequencies to existing markets such as Alaska Airlines to Portland and American Airlines to Chicago and Dallas. In addition, markets that used to be seasonal, like United Airlines to Houston, were upgraded to daily, year-round service, also contributing to the increase in travelers through RNO in 2019.
The airport authority says the increase in passenger traffic is expected to continue into May 2020 when Allegiant Airlines will double its capacity to Las Vegas and Alaska Airlines will upgrade from 76-seat aircraft to 737’s on three of its four round-trip flights to Seattle. Delta’s recent announcement to shift RNO – Atlanta service from seasonal to daily in February also gives more opportunities for travelers to fly in and out of Reno-Tahoe.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport ended the year strong with increased passenger counts during the holidays. In December 2019, the airport authority recorded 55 consecutive months of year-over-year monthly passenger growth with 381,897 passengers, up 11.9% over December 2018.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport currently offers 65 daily non-stop departures to 21 destinations on nine commercial airlines.
(Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority contributed to this report.)
