Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 6:42 AM - For Immediate Release
SMF Tops 10 Million Passengers Served for 1st Time Since 2008
SACRAMENTO – Sacramento International Airport served more than 10 million passengers in 2016, a significant milestone not achieved since 2008. The steady growth in passenger traffic reflects airline response to passenger demand for new air service and is another indicator of continued growth in the regional economy.
Sacramento International Airport served 10.1 million passengers in 2016, a 5.3 percent increase over 2015. The airport’s all-time traffic record was 10.7 million passengers in 2007.
The airport has recouped passenger numbers lost during the recession with almost three years of steady month-over-month growth.
“Our passengers let us know they want nonstop service to new destinations and more choices to the cities we already serve, and the airlines responded,” said John Wheat, Sacramento County Director of Airports. “We are very grateful to our passengers, our staff, our airline partners and our stakeholders for helping us reach this goal.”
New or expanded nonstop service added in 2016 includes:
- Daily nonstop service to Baltimore/Washington on Southwest
- Daily nonstop service to Boise on Southwest
- Daily nonstop service to Chicago on American Airlines
- Expanded seasonal nonstop service to Boston on JetBlue
- Expanded seasonal daily nonstop service to Charlotte on American Airlines
New or expanded service in 2017 includes:
- Seasonal nonstop service to Cabo San Lucas on Alaska Airlines beginning June 10
- Three-times-a-day nonstop service on Alaska Airlines to San Diego beginning in March
- Daily nonstop service on Southwest Airlines to Salt Lake City in March
“We are very proud that Sacramento International Airport topped the 10 million mark in 2016,” said County Executive Nav Gill “They accomplished this by maximizing operational efficiencies and providing customer service that is consistently ranked among the best in the nation.”
Airport officials expect passenger growth of about four percent in 2017.
The Sacramento County Department of Airports is responsible for planning, developing, operating and maintaining the county’s four airports: Sacramento International Airport, Executive Airport, Mather Airport and Franklin Field. Sacramento International Airport offers more than 155 daily nonstop flights on 12 domestic and international carriers to 36 destinations. The regional economic impact of the Sacramento County Department of Airports is more than $4 billion annually. For more information, visit sacramento.aero.