More airline seats and frequency for local travelers helped drive a 6%-increase in passenger numbers in May, the Quad Cities International Airport (QCIA) reported.
According to the airport’s monthly statistics, a total of 65,467 passengers traveled through the airport in May, a 6% increase over May 2025. Airport leaders said the growth reflects a continued upward trajectory in regional air travel demand.
The total also marks the airport’s highest monthly passenger numbers since October 2019 when 65,572 passengers traveled through the airport.
“These results demonstrate the importance of added frequency and improved connectivity for Quad Cities travelers,” Ashleigh Johnston, QCIA’s public relations and marketing manager, said in a news release Friday, June 26.
“When airlines add seats in our market, it gives passengers more options to fly locally and helps us show how the region responds to expanded service,” she said. “That’s an important message as we continue working to attract additional air service to the region.”
The increase also was supported by an additional daily frequency to Atlanta through Delta Air Lines that began in May for QC passengers. The Moline airport also has seen additional frequencies to Chicago O’Hare with United Airlines, and American Airlines has added a third daily frequency, intermittently, to Dallas-Fort Worth.
The monthly statistics also showed the total number of enplaned passengers in May was up 7% to 32,753, which compared to 30,701 a year ago. Year to date, enplanements – or boardings – are up 1% to 142,869 vs. 141,713 the same time last year.
The QCIA airlines reported these enplanements in May: Allegiant, 7,061, up 8%; American, 10,530, down 14%; Delta, 4,211, up 6%; United, 9,967, up 37% in the month. A total of 662 charter passenger enplaned in May, an increase of 33%.
SAFECON visitors, aviators
In addition, the month tower movements – any time a plane takes off and lands – were up a whopping 157% at 14,469. A year ago, the QCIA had 5,367 tower movements in the month.
Ms. Johnston attributed the significant increase to the QCIA having hosted the National Intercollegiate Flying Association’s SAFECON competition from May 18-23. More than 500 top student aviators descended on the QCIA for the premier national aviation NIFA competition and conference.
The increased traffic comes amid the airport’s ongoing construction of Phase II of Project Gateway, a multi-year terminal modernization project. The $19 million phase began with a brick-breaking ceremony – to bid farewell to the longtime rumbly brick floor – in late April. In early May, Davenport-based Estes Construction, this project’s construction manager, began work on the public-facing renovations.
