(Ontario, California – May 21, 2026) – Ontario International Airport (ONT) officials reported passenger volume was steady in April and higher by nearly 3% for the year. Cargo tonnage, meanwhile, rose more than 5% last month and 8% on a year-to-date basis.

The total number of passengers was 574,504 last month, including 518,928 domestic travelers, a decrease of 3.7% compared with the same month a year ago, and 55,576 international travelers, an increase of 52%.

The Southern California gateway welcomed more than 2.1 million travelers over the first four months of the year, an increase of 2.9%. Domestic passenger volume was more than 1.8 million, a slight decrease of 1.4% compared with the same period in 2025, and more than 237,000 international travelers, an increase of 56.9%.

“Our April passenger level remained steady despite the volatility felt across the aviation sector speaks to the resilience of air travel through our regional gateway,” said Atif Elkadi, chief executive officer of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “ONT has been the fastest-growing of the 10 largest airports in California since the pandemic.”

Elkadi added, “International air travel through Ontario continued to be a highlight as it has been for many months, reaffirming our standing as a popular aviation gateway for Southern California.”

Passenger Totals	Apr 2026	Apr 2025	Change	YTD 2026	YTD 2025	Change
Domestic	518,928	539,067	-3.7%	1,883,413	1,909,210	-1.4%
International	55,576	36,556	51.5%	237,430	151,364	56.9%
Total	574,504	575,623	-0.2%	2,120,843	2,060,574	2.9%

 

The air carriers with the greatest passenger shares April were:

1. Southwest Airlines (37.4%)
2. American Airlines (15.3%)
3. Alaska Airlines (10.1%)
4. United Airlines (10%)
5. Delta Air Lines (9.9%)

 

Air cargo including commercial freight and U.S. mail increased by 5.3% in April with freight tonnage 10.2% higher while mail volume was 16.7% lower.

On a year-to-date basis, cargo tonnage rose by 8.1% to more than 283,000 tons with freight up by 12.0% and shipments of mail lower by 11.0%.

Air cargo (tonnage)	Apr 2026	Apr 2025	Change	YTD 2026	YTD 2025	Change
Freight	64,029	58,098	10.2%	243,731	217,534	12.0%
Mail	10,847	13,015	-16.7%	39,707	44,600	-11.0%
Total	74,876	71,114	5.3%	283,438	262,134	8.1%

 

“Our strategic location in the Inland Empire, strong regional economy, modern facilities and exceptional customer service are the reason Ontario is a top 10 destination for our shipping partners,” Elkadi said.