PEORIA, Ill. — 2019 could end up being a banner year for the General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport.
June saw 65,919 passengers go through the airport during that month, which was a record month for passengers at that time.
July then eclipsed that mark with a total of 68,447 passengers to set the all-time monthly record.
As of Tuesday, the airport was on track to surpass by 3.25% 2018’s all-time record of 672,594 passengers.
Director of Airports Gene Olson attributed the success to the Airport Authority’s “Go Global/Fly Local” campaign.
“In Peoria, you are one connecting flight away from almost the entire United States and maybe a third of the world,” he said, “so that’s why we say go anywhere in the world you want to go, but start your trip here.”
Olson also said people used the airport in 2018 and 2019 more often because of wanting an alternative to more metropolitan airports.
“Why would you want to go and fight all the traffic and maybe have to drive up to the airport the day before to catch that early flight, stay in a hotel, and pay a lot of money for parking, when you could just visit the airport here and bypass all your troubles?” he mused.
The airport in August completed close to 100% of its scheduled flights.