The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on air travel across the globe. While some city’s Airports have experienced substantial passenger growth since the pandemic, others have seen drastic declines.
Analysis of passenger data from 2024 highlights 25 airports across the Americas that have achieved growth of more than 1 million passengers compared to pre-COVID levels.
Top 10 Airports with Passenger Traffic Gains (Over 1 Million)
According to the data provided by AvBench, several major cities have gained over 1 million passengers since the pre-COVID period.
| Rank | Airport Code | City | Traffic Gain | 2024 Est. Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DEN | Denver | +9,358,201 | 43,440,854 |
| 2 | MIA | Miami | +7,532,649 | 46,450,254 |
| 3 | DFW | Dallas | +7,379,345 | 51,968,445 |
| 4 | MCO | Orlando | +5,424,587 | 31,459,175 |
| 5 | CLT | Charlotte | +5,095,962 | 29,388,372 |
| 6 | LAS | Las Vegas | +4,207,752 | 29,166,956 |
| 7 | CUN | Cancun | +3,673,240 | 15,336,077 |
| 8 | BOG | Bogota | +3,554,077 | 20,057,507 |
| 9 | BNA | Nashville | +3,439,435 | 12,609,185 |
| 10 | AUS | Austin | +2,682,508 | 11,312,047 |
With Denver International Airport (DEN) emerging as the clear leader in passenger traffic gains. Denver added an impressive 9.3 million passengers to its pre-COVID numbers, achieving an estimated traffic of 43.4 million passengers in 2024.
Miami (MIA) and Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) airports follow closely, each gaining over 7 million passengers, with Miami reaching 46.4 million and Dallas handling nearly 52 million passengers.
The Southeast region of the United States shows particularly strong recovery, with Orlando (ORL) and Charlotte (CLT) each gaining more than 5 million passengers.
Tourism-driven markets demonstrate significant rebounds, as evidenced by Las Vegas’s (LAS) 4.2 million passenger increase and Cancun’s (CUN) gain of 3.6 million travelers.
Notable growth is also seen in emerging markets, with Bogota (BOG) adding 3.5 million passengers, while Nashville (BNA) and Austin (AUS) round out the top 10 with gains exceeding 2.6 million passengers each, reflecting the strong economic growth and population shifts to these regions.
Top 10 Airports with Passenger Traffic Losses (Over 1 Million)
On the other side, a number of cities have lost over 1 million passengers since the pandemic.
| Rank | Airport Code | City | Traffic Loss | 2024 Est. Traffic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SFO | San Francisco | -4,317,536 | 30,364,954 |
| 2 | CHI | Chicago | -2,862,088 | 49,369,728 |
| 3 | YTO | Toronto | -2,705,638 | 24,487,552 |
| 4 | LAX | Los Angeles | -2,357,402 | 53,505,809 |
| 5 | DTT | Detroit | -2,264,155 | 16,124,864 |
| 6 | SJC | San Jose | -2,192,984 | 5,752,318 |
| 7 | POA | Porto Alegre | -1,252,185 | 2,793,408 |
| 8 | PDX | Portland | -1,222,236 | 8,658,486 |
| 9 | RIO | Rio De Janeiro | -1,206,281 | 10,077,562 |
| 10 | BSB | Brasilia | -1,152,156 | 7,125,642 |
San Francisco (SFO) saw the biggest decline, losing 4.3 million passengers. Chicago (CHI), Toronto (YTO), and Los Angeles (LAX) also experienced substantial losses, with decreases of 2.8 million, 2.7 million, and 2.3 million passengers, respectively.
The tech corridor shows particular vulnerability, with both San Francisco and San Jose airports appearing in the top losses list, the latter losing 2.1 million passengers.
South American airports also feature prominently among those with significant declines, with Porto Alegre, Rio de Janeiro, and Brasilia collectively losing over 3.6 million passengers.
Detroit’s loss of 2.2 million passengers and Portland’s decline of 1.2 million passengers further emphasize how traditional industrial and West Coast markets continue to struggle to reach their pre-pandemic passenger levels.
Bottom Line
The report also provides insights into the recovery status of these cities, comparing their 2024 traffic projections to their pre-COVID levels.
Many cities, such as Charlotte (CLT), San Juan (SJU), and Sarasota/Bradenton (SRQ), are projected to exceed their pre-pandemic passenger numbers, indicating a strong recovery.
Other cities, like Washington (WAS) and Santiago (SCL), are still lagging behind, with recovery status below 1.
This analysis highlights the uneven impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel across different regions.
While some cities have rebounded strongly, others continue to struggle to regain their pre-pandemic passenger levels. Understanding these trends can help airlines and airports better allocate resources and adapt their strategies to the changing market conditions.
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