Ontario International Airport closed out 2024 by surpassing 7 million passengers, marking the first time in 18 years it has hit this milestone.
The airport reached 7,084,864 passengers last year, 10.2% more than in 2023 and 27% more than in 2019, making it the fastest growing among medium- and large-size airports in California, Ontario airport officials reported.
“This was a threshold we had hoped to surpass from the beginning of the year,” spokesperson Steve Lambert said.
The last time the Ontario airport saw this many passengers was in 2007, before the Great Recession.
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After a period of decline, passenger numbers have steadily risen since the airport returned to local ownership. In 2023, Ontario had 6,430,033 passengers.
Previously, the airport was owned by the same entity that operates Los Angeles International Airport, but after a long process, control was transferred to the Ontario International Airport Authority in 2016.
In 2025, airport officials look forward to improving on 2024’s numbers.
New flights and airlines may be contributing to the trend.
Southwest Airlines recently announced the first direct flight from Ontario to Washington, D.C., which is set to begin in summer. Ontario also expanded flight options when Avelo Airlines in October launched nonstop service to Sonoma County.
“The more people use the airport, the more the airlines are going to be adding flights,” Lambert said.
Convenience has also been a major reason behind the airport’s growth.
“People can get from the parking lot through security and to their gate in almost 15 minutes,” Lambert said.
Nearly 10 million people in the Inland Empire, San Gabriel Valley, Orange County and surrounding areas live or work closer to Ontario Airport than they do to the Los Angeles International airport, Lambert said.
“That convenience is a huge, huge factor,” he added.
For Omar Haddad, a Riverside resident flying Thursday morning, Jan. 30, to Phoenix, Ontario is “just easier for me,” he said while wheeling his suitcase toward the self check-in kiosks. “I can get here quickly, and security moves pretty fast. LAX has more flights, sure, but for regional trips like this, Ontario makes the most sense.”
Samantha Nguyen, who moved to Chino Hills last year from West Covina, agreed that the Ontario airport makes traveling easier.
“I fly through so many airports nonstop for work, and they each have their place,” Nguyen said. “It’s close to my townhome, and I can have my husband drop me off without all the stress.”
Population growth in the Inland Empire, home to an estimated 4.7 million people, also played a significant part in the airport’s success, Lambert said.
The region is projected to add another million people in the next 25 to 30 years, Lambert said.
In addition to passenger traffic, Ontario’s cargo operations remain strong, Lambert said.
Ontario is the 10th largest cargo airport in North America, Lambert said, referring to its importance as a supply chain hub for the region.
As Ontario International Airport looks to the future, there are plans to add conveniences and expand international flights in the years to come.
In December, plans for a proposed 4.2-mile underground shuttle connecting a Rancho Cucamonga train station to the airport were released for public review.
In 2022, the airport honored Sen. Dianne Feinstein — who helped return the airport to local control — by deciding to name its international terminal after her when it opens. Plans for the terminal are still in development, airport officials said.
Jose Ramirez, a Fontana resident who had returned Thursday from a work conference in Denver, is one passenger who hopes to see more travel to other countries.
“I fly pretty often and Ontario just works better for me most of the time, but I do wish they had more international flight options, Ramirez said.
While future plans take shape, Ontario airport remains focused on making travel easy.
“Going to the airport ought to be a pleasurable experience, and we’re happy that that’s the case here,” Lambert said.
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