Game-changing flights to North Carolina’s busy Charlotte Douglas International Airport helped boost year over year February traffic at the Quad Cities International Airport (QCIA) by 20%.
That also helped make February 2024 the busiest at the Moline-based regional airport since 2020, according to a QCIA news release. American Airlines, which added the Charlotte stops late last year, posted the biggest gains in inbound and outbound passengers, the QCIA announced.
Overall, airline passenger enplanements in February 2023 totaled 21,180. In February 2024, that climbed to 25,283, according to figures provided by the QCIA. Meanwhile, American Airlines’ February enplanements jumped 70% from 5,731 in 2023 to 9,732 in 2024. Total monthly passengers (enplanements and deplanements) rose 20% in February from 41,898 last year to 50,274 in 2024.
Tower movements also rose 91% from 3,084 in February 2023 to 5,876 in February 2024, the data released by the QCIA shows.
“Charlotte has been a game changer for our passengers,” Ashleigh Davis, QCIA public relations and marketing manager, said in the news release. “Adding another major hub means better connectivity and flexibility to travel anywhere you want to go. Passengers have more options to compare times and prices against other hubs to pick the best option for them.”
In all, service to Charlotte adds 56,000 seats annually to the Quad Cities market. The first American Airlines Charlotte flight launched on Dec. 20, 2023. It offers morning and afternoon service to ensure passengers can easily make connections up and down the east coast. International flights to the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe are also available.
Support brings growth
“Local support is key to continued growth,” Ms. Davis added. “Airlines want to know that planes will be consistently filled when they add a destination or a frequency to an existing hub. It takes a commitment as a region to use your local airport as much as possible when you travel, and doing so enhances the overall vitality of our region.”
Most airlines are no longer looking at pre-pandemic traffic as an indicator of recovery or success, the release said. Travel behavior changed dramatically after COVID-19 with an increase in remote work opportunities and many people opting to blend business travel with leisure. Impacts continue to include what days of the week are most popular for travel, where people travel and how often.
In February 2024, United, Delta and Allegiant remained relatively flat compared to February 2023. However, Allegiant will keep Phoenix/Mesa service active throughout the summer compared to past years when it reverted to seasonal service and paused flights between May and October.
Chicago O’Hare is one of the busiest hubs for regional inbound traffic. United and American continually evaluate frequencies to Chicago and adjust in response to busy travel seasons and demand.
The Quad Cities International Airport serves passengers from western Illinois and eastern Iowa. With nonstop and connecting destinations, the airport served more than a half a million passengers in 2023. Four major airlines operate out of QC airport including Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines. For more information, visit qcairport.com.
