Passenger count increased 1% and cargo volumes up 8% during first nine months of 2025
(Ontario, California – October 23, 2025) – Ontario International Airport (ONT) welcomed more than 5.2 million passengers in the first nine months of the year while air cargo volume grew to over 600,000 tons, officials announced.
Ontario officials reported 5,278,316 passengers from January through September, 0.8% more than the same period last year. The number of domestic passengers was 4,885,308, a decrease of 0.3%, while international travel volume rose by 17% to 393,008.
The Southern California gateway recorded 599,086 passengers for September, a decrease of 1.1% from a year earlier and ending the airport’s impressive run of 54 consecutive months of passenger gains. The total included 554,651 domestic passengers, a decrease of 3.6%, and 44,435 international travelers, an increase of 45.7%.
Despite last month’s modest decline, ONT passenger volume remains 28% above pre-pandemic levels, the highest percentage among the 10 largest airports in California.
| Passenger
Totals |
Sept 2025 |
Sept 2024 |
Change |
YTD 2025 |
YTD 2024 |
Change |
| Domestic |
554,651 |
575,513 |
-3.6% |
4,885,308 |
4,901,447 |
-0.3% |
| International |
44,435 |
30,502 |
45.7% |
393,008 |
335,769 |
17.0% |
| Total |
599,086 |
606,015 |
-1.1% |
5,278,316 |
5,237,216 |
0.8% |
The top five air carriers based on passenger volume share in September were:
- Southwest Airlines (37.4%)
- American Airlines (14.4%)
- United Airlines (10.6%)
- Delta Air Lines (9.8%)
- Frontier Airlines (9.6%)
“Fifty-four months of consecutive growth is something few airports can claim, and it reflects the spirit of the Inland Empire,” said Atif Elkadi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority. “A streak may pause, but our purpose never does. ONT has always risen to the challenge, and this is simply the beginning of our next bold chapter of more records to break.”
Air cargo tonnage rose for the 15th straight month in September by 1% compared with the same month last year. The volume of mail increased by 38.8% while freight declined by 3.9%.
| Air cargo
(tonnage) |
Sept 2025 |
Sept 2024 |
Change |
YTD 2025 |
YTD 2024 |
Change |
| Freight |
55,143 |
57,371 |
-3.9% |
507,031 |
527,410 |
-3.9% |
|
10,443 |
7,526 |
38.8% |
98,064 |
31,586 |
210.5% |
|
| Total |
65,587 |
64,897 |
1.1% |
605,095 |
558,996 |
8.2% |
Through the first nine months of the year, air cargo tonnage was 8.2% higher than the same period in 2024 with mail volume up by 210% and freight down 3.9%.
“We are always grateful to our shipping partners who recognize the value in Ontario and the surrounding communities we serve as the destination of choice for air cargo in Southern California,” Elkadi said.
