ROANOKE, Va. – More and more people are flying out of Roanoke as the airport moves closer to pre-pandemic travel numbers.
In May 2021, 41,350 people flew into and out of the Star City; that’s 27% more than the 32,398 in April.
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The increase in passengers accounts or 288 more people flying each day.
Comparing April 2021 to April 2019, traffic was down 47%; however that same comparison using May shows traffic was only down 36%.
“Passengers are more comfortable with the measures taken by the airports and airlines to ensure their safety,” stated David Jeavons, interim executive director of the Roanoke Regional Airport Commission. “Lower overall airfare has stimulated leisure demand, and as airlines rebuild their schedules, it is critical to use our current service not only to keep it but also to have more restored and help our regional economy recover. Air service will be even more important when our business customers return to the sky. We continue to appreciate the community support for choosing ROA and not driving out of the market to fly.”
The airport credits leisure travel, as well as schools dismissing for summer and graduations, which drove up traffic compared to April.