Springfield Airport Growth Trumps National and Regional Trends in 2012

By: Rachael Mhire | 11 years ago

Total passenger numbers for the Springfield-Branson National Airport were up 2.8% in 2012, surpassing both national and regional trends. While many airlines have cut costs as a result of lingering effects of the recession and high jet fuel prices, Springfield’s commercial service remains strong with American, Delta, and United offering more than 20 daily flights to the major hubs like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, and Denver.

Airline cutbacks have left most airports across the country with flat or negative passenger growth, but Springfield’s increased numbers exhibit a strong passenger demand in this region and reflect the area’s strong economy. The airline industry pays close attention to the adage that “more employment means more people flying.” For Springfield, Missouri, where the unemployment rate is currently 5.4% compared to a national rate of 7.8%, it appears that just may be true. In fact, representatives for the airport believe that despite capacity cuts there is a good chance this upward trend will continue – especially with the regional economy doing well.

Passenger numbers were not alone in the area of growth for the Springfield airport in 2012; air freight shipments also increased by 6.6%, which exceeded national and regional trends as well.

For more data on the Springfield Region, click here.