Springfield-Branson National Airport sets record for monthly passengers
June was the busiest month in the history of Springfield-Branson National Airport, with 88,587 passengers.
The previous record, the airport said on its Facebook page Wednesday, was set in June 2005, when there were 88,024 passengers.
While Springfield has historically been served by 50-seat regional jets, airlines have gradually started using bigger jets to serve Springfield in recent years, due to both demand and an industry-wide movement away from the smaller jets, airport officials have said.
The airport announced last week that American Airlines will begin flights to its hub in Charlotte, North Carolina, in November. It will be the 11th city to which the airport has nonstop service.
Last year was the fourth-busiest year in the 69-year history of the airport, with 846,324 passengers — a 12 percent increase over 2013.
“If passenger numbers continue the current growth trend, 2015 could be our best year ever,” the airport said on Facebook Wednesday.