Passenger traffic continues to rise at Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.
October passenger traffic at the airport was up 5.65 percent from a year ago to 596,415, according to the latest report.
Passenger traffic for the first 10 months of the year was just over 6 million, a 3.3 percent increase from the first 10 months of 2017.
The October increase was largely driven by additional passengers choosing flights operated by Southwest, Delta, and Alaska, according to airport and county officials.
“Additional nonstop service to Cleveland, Nashville, Salt Lake City, and Seattle really helped boost our October numbers. Our hometown airport is empowering even more people to travel from MKE,” Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele said.
The airport is on pace to reach 7 million passengers for the full year of 2018, which would be the highest annual total since 2012.
“Next year is also looking strong. Nonstop flights to warm weather destinations in Florida, Arizona, and the Caribbean start to pick up in late December, as we move into the 2019 winter travel season,” airport director Brian Dranzik said. “We will offer nonstop service to seven destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean this winter, thanks to Apple Vacations, Delta, Funjet Vacations, Southwest, and Volaris.”
MKE offers nonstop flights to 45 destinations coast-to-coast.
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