PHILADELPHIA, PA — The City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation has announced a noteworthy increase in passenger volume at both of its airports, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Northeast Philadelphia Airport (PNE), in 2023. PHL welcomed over 28.1 million passengers last year—an impressive 12.6 percent increase from 2022.
Department of Aviation CEO Atif Saeed attributes this growth to a combination of factors, including increased domestic and international flight offerings from airline partners and innovative programs designed to streamline the travel process. Notably, the American Airlines-Landline-TSA program, which offers a streamlined airside-to-airside security check process, has made traveling to and from PHL more convenient.
“New routes that will only be accessible through PHL, such as American Airlines’ service to Copenhagen, Naples, and Nice, and events like WrestleMania will put us even closer to our pre-pandemic record totals in 2024,” Saeed said.
Further breaking down the figures, there were a total of 294,716 plane movements at PHL in 2023, an increase of 3.7 percent from 2022. Domestic passenger volume reached 24,511,411, up by 11.6 percent from the previous year, while the number of international passengers rose by 20.3 percent, reaching 3,620,561.
Meanwhile, PNE, also owned and operated by the Department of Aviation, experienced its own surge in traffic. With 114,674 plane movements, a 19.5 percent increase over 2022, it became the busiest general aviation airport in Pennsylvania and the third busiest in the state. As a general aviation airport, PNE specializes in private transport and recreational flying, and houses major tenants engaged in aircraft manufacturing, building, and flight training.
This growth in passenger volume at Philadelphia’s airports is a positive sign for the city’s economy. Increased air travel typically translates into more tourism and business travel, both of which can stimulate local economies. The rise in international passengers, in particular, suggests that Philadelphia is becoming an increasingly popular destination for travelers from around the world.
As we move further into 2024, the City of Philadelphia Department of Aviation aims to continue its work toward reaching pre-pandemic levels of air travel, contributing to the broader recovery of the aviation industry and the city’s economy.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.