Aviation - Passengers & cargo moved
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Measures of aviation mobility including passenger enplanements and cargo landed weight
Passengers & cargo moved
Passenger enplanements is the number of air passengers departing an airport. Cargo landed weight (reported in thousands of pounds) is the sum of the Maximum Certificated Gross Landed Weight for all Revenue Aircraft Arrivals over a specified period of time.
Source: WSDOT Aviation Division.
Performance highlights
In 2023, all airports in Washington experienced an increase in passenger enplanements. Enplanements at Seattle-Tacoma International increased to 24.6 million, up 10.8% from 22.2 million in 2021. Spokane International Airport had the second largest number of passengers with 2.0 million enplanements. Air cargo tonnage increased by 0.5% at all airports in Washington, from 1.99 million tons in 2022 to 2.00 million tons in 2023.
In 2022, all airports in Washington experienced an increase in passenger enplanements. Enplanements at Seattle-Tacoma International increased to 22.2 million, up 27.6% from 17.4 million in 2021. Spokane International Airport had the second largest number of passengers with 1.9 million enplanements. Air cargo tonnage statewide decreased by 2.9% from 2.05 million tons in 2021 to 1.99 million tons in 2022.
In 2021, all airports in Washington experienced an increase in passenger enplanements. Enplanements at Seattle-Tacoma International increased to 17.4 million, up 78.9% from 9.5 million in 2020. Spokane International Airport had the second largest number of passengers with 1.6 million enplanements. Air cargo tonnage increased by 2.6% at all airports in Washington, from 2.05 million tons in 2020 to 2.1 million tons in 2021.
In 2020, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had 9.5 million passenger enplanements, down 62.2% from 25.0 million in 2019. The second largest number of enplanements occurred at Spokane International Airport, which had 0.9 million enplanements. All airports in Washington state experienced decrease in passenger enplanements in 2020. In 2020, a total of 2.05 million tons of air cargo was landed at airports in Washington state, up 5.2% from 1.99 million tons in 2019.
In 2019, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport had 25.0 million passenger enplanements, up 4.2% from 24.0 million in 2018. The second largest number of enplanements occurred at Spokane International Airport, which had 1.9 million enplanements. Additionally, commercial passenger service at Snohomish County Airport (Paine Field) began in 2019, resulting in a 127.3% increase in passenger enplanements from 3,037 in 2018 to 389,778 in 2019. In 2019, a total of 1.99 million tons of air cargo was landed at airports in Washington state, up 1.9% from 1.95 million tons in 2018.