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Bozeman is the 7th busiest airport in the region encompassing Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington. Wow!
Airport surpasses 2 million passengers over 12 months setting new record
By Juliana Sukut Chronicle Staff Writer Feb 11, 2022
The Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport at Gallatin Field had about double the state population pass through its gates over the past 12 months.
Setting yet another record for the state’s busiest airport, it was the first time the airport had handled 2 million passengers over a 12-month period, according to the airport’s statistics.
Last year, the airport beat its own record for the most passengers in a single calendar year, with 1.94 million passengers in 2021.The previous record, set in 2019, was 1.57 million.The start of 2022 indicates it could be another busy year for the airport.In January, the airport handled 167,043 passengers — a 92% increase from passengers handled in January 2021, and 20% increase from January 2020.This week was the 10th consecutive month the airport has set a monthly passenger record. The airport outside of Belgrade is the busiest in the state — accounting for 40% of all air travel to and from Montana during 2021.
“The Bozeman market continues to show its strength and resiliency despite the impacts of COVID-19,” said Airport Director Brian Sprenger in a press release.
The pandemic primarily hurt the airport’s passenger totals in 2020 and during the first two months of 2021. In 2020, the airport saw its traffic cut by almost 50% due to the pandemic.
Despite 2020 losses, the airport has seen an 82% increase in passengers over the past five years, Sprenger said.While Bozeman saw a bustling airport, air traffic was still down nationally in 2021. According to TSA statistics, there was a 31% decline in total passengers in 2021 compared to 2019.“(It’s) now ranked in the top 90 airports in the nation in terms of passengers,” he said.
Bozeman ranks 86 nationally, and is the seventh busiest airport in the region — which includes airports in Idaho, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Oregon and Washington.