Tri-Cities Airport’s passenger numbers are on a record pace. Here’s why 

The Tri-Cities Airport is on track to finish the year with a record number of travelers after a busy summer.

Nearly 120,000 passengers took flights from the airport in Pasco during the summer months of June, July and August.

It was an 11 percent increase over last summer, according to the airport.

“With our expanded summer schedule and new nonstop flight to L.A., we were able to offer more opportunities for quick and easy travel than ever before,” said Buck Taft, director of the airport.

For the year to date, 286,537 passengers have taken flights from the airport, up 13 percent from last year.

Last year was the busiest on record for the airport, with 785,164 travelers, placing it among the most used small airports in the nation.

In June the airport was named the eighth busiest of 543 small north American airports, according to the Official Aviation Guide, an aviation tracking firm.

It was in the top 2 percent of airports in its class, averaging 20 flights daily and 518,000 passenger seats annually.

New flights, bigger airplanes

The high use was attributed to a growing population, increased demand from travelers and the addition of new flights and larger planes.

All four airlines that serve the airport have shown growth this year, according to the Tri-Cities Airport.

▪ United Airlines had the largest increase — 32 percent — after the airline added a third daily flight to Denver last spring and began new nonstop service to Los Angeles this spring.

▪ Delta Airlines served the larger number of travelers in the Tri-Cities, with 55,199 passengers boarding its planes in the Tri-Cities during the three summer months. Boardings were up 16 percent over last summer.

▪ Alaska Airlines, which flies six times daily to Seattle, is up 9 percent from last year.

▪ Allegiant Airlines moved to an all-Airbus fleet, allowing 13 percent more outbound passengers than last year.