Passenger numbers for Fresno Yosemite International Airport in 2023 show people have been traveling — a lot.

The 2.4 million people who flew out of Fresno in 2023 are a record number for the airport. That figure represents a 12% increase from 2022.

“The continued growth of Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a point of pride for our city, and these numbers show that investment in our airport is working,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer. “I’m thankful to the millions of passengers who have flown through Fresno, and I’m looking forward to continued momentum and even more new passengers in 2024.”

Fresno’s International Flights Grew 4%

In May, the airport broke ground on the largest airport development in its history. The new $127 million terminal will expand the passenger screening checkpoint, add a new concourse wing, and build a new Federal Inspection Station for international arrivals.

FYI’s Director of Aviation Henry Thompson said the terminal expansion project positions the airport to accept even greater numbers.

“Our ongoing terminal expansion is crucial for accommodating the growing demand for domestic and international travel at Fresno Yosemite International Airport,” Thompson said. “We are committed to providing convenient travel experiences for our passengers while also supporting the additional economic growth of the region.

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International travelers were 13% of passengers at the airport. In 2023, 332,922 passengers flew from Fresno to Mexico, a 4% increase from 2022.

The airport will expand its destinations in 2024. Beginning in May, seasonal nonstop service to Chicago O’Hare International Airport will resume.

In addition:

• Delta Airlines will launch daily nonstop flights to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
• Southwest Airlines will add a Saturday nonstop flight to Dallas Love Field in June.
• And, Southwest will increase daily flights to Las Vegas to four from three.

Airline Travel Crawling Back to Pre-Pandemic Levels

Nationally, airline travel numbers are returning to where they were before the COVID-19 pandemic. After the record billion passengers in 2019, airports processed a mere 339 million passengers, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

Where 2.6 million people went through a TSA security check on April 21, 2023, airport security only processed 114,969 that same date in 2020.

The 858.6 million passengers in 2023 represented a 153% increase from 2020, but still 194 million short of the 2019 figure.

But the upward trend hasn’t stopped. Already, January’s year-over-year passenger count up to Sunday from the TSA showed a 6.4% increase from 2023.

FYI’s Director of Aviation Henry Thompson said the terminal expansion project positions the airport to accept even greater numbers.

“Our ongoing terminal expansion is crucial for accommodating the growing demand for domestic and international travel at Fresno Yosemite International Airport,” Thompson said. “We are committed to providing convenient travel experiences for our passengers while also supporting the additional economic growth of the region.”