A preliminary financial report released last month shows revenue and passenger counts at Spokane International Airport are on the rise, with data showing consolidated revenues of nearly $11.5 million through April, about 7.1 percent above budget. 

Todd Woodard, director of marketing and public affairs for Spokane Airports, says most of the increase can be attributed to additional parking and terminal revenues, and increased concession revenues due to higher passenger traffic. 

Data shows passenger traffic increased 8.7 percent to 515,960 passengers through April, over last year’s total of 474,639 for the same period.  

Woodard says increased passenger counts were due to several factors including “an increase in the number of seats available, as well as in business and leisure travelers, increased spring break traffic, a small bump from Gonzaga successes in tournaments, and increased interest in the area by Asian travelers.” 

Woodard says increases in Spokane’s passenger traffic are most comparable to similarly-sized population centers with airports that aren’t being used as hubs by airlines. 

He says comparable markets would include cities like Boise; Grand Rapids, Mich.; or Omaha, Neb., which saw increases of 6.4 percent, 7.8 percent, and 5.6 percent, respectively, through April.

Woodard says the higher increase in passenger traffic is usually a lagging indicator of the regional economy, in part because airlines have restricted capacity despite the presence of more demand.

He adds that the airport expects both passenger counts and revenues to continue to increase, due mostly to the induction of five new cities to its nonstop offerings.

“The airlines are responding well in 2017 to the Spokane regional market by adding five cities,” he says. “Some of which were previously served such as San Francisco, Chicago, San Diego, and Sacramento, and new markets like Dallas/Fort Worth.”

In March, the Journal had reported total combined revenue during 2016 for Spokane International Airport, the Airport Business Park, and Felts Field was $33.1 million, surpassing projected revenue by about $1.7 million.

That story indicated the airport was expecting further gains in revenues this year due to increases in rental rates for terminal tenants, higher landing fees, and added revenues from parking and ground transportation.