More passengers are traveling through San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport.
485,911 passengers went through the airport’s doors in 2018, according to new numbers released Thursday. The airport says this sets a new record for the most annual passengers in its history.
This is a 19.2 percent increase from 2017 when 407,696 passengers came through the airport.
United Airlines is the airport’s largest carrier. It added a second daily flight to Denver and brought in larger planes on its existing routes last year. 279,326 passengers flew United out of San Luis Obispo on its 10 daily flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver.
American Airlines was the second-largest carrier with 158,780 passengers. It has four flights each day to Phoenix.
Alaska Airlines carried 47,806 passengers on its daily flights to Seattle.
“We’re thrilled to see the growth here at the airport,” said Kevin Bumen, Director of Airports for San Luis Obispo County. “As airlines invest more in the region by offering new flights, the community is investing in return by flying out of their local airport. We thank each and every person who flew in and out of San Luis Obispo in 2018, and hope to see them again this year.”
October was the busiest month at the airport, with a total of 46,514 travelers.
The airport expects growth to continue this year after American Airlines announced it would begin daily nonstop service to Dallas-Ft. Worth. The service will begin in April.
The airport was also recently named one of the fastest-growing airports in North America.
