MOLINE, Ill. — January's winter storm may have grounded some flights, but that didn't stop the Quad City International Airport (MLI) from reporting one of its best months since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Wednesday, Feb. 21, airport officials announced that January 2024 was the busiest January since 2020. Outbound passenger volume increased by 7% in January 2024 compared to 2023.
“An overwhelming number of regional airports still have fewer flights today than prior to the pandemic, including MLI, but January’s activity shows that as airlines add capacity back to our market, we can fill planes,” said Ashleigh Davis, public relations and marketing manager at the airport. “Demand in the Quad Cities is strong, particularly for American Airlines’ new daily service to Charlotte. We hope this will give airlines confidence to continue investing in our market."
There's more for frequent flyers to look forward to in the near future, as well. Davis said that Allegiant Air extended their service to Phoenix and Mesa through the summer; the flights were previously seasonal and paused between May and October.
“In addition to working with our current airline partners to advocate for increased frequency and service, we believe there is opportunity for new airline partners to enter our market as well,” said Davis. “Airlines decide when and where to add service but we are continually evolving our approach to advocacy and data collection so we can tell the best possible story about our region and travel needs.”
Davis said that much of the growth can be attributed to American Airlines' new daily service to Charlotte, through which the airline gained 12 points of market share.
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