Boise Airport says passenger traffic up 8% year-to-date; airlines adding capacity and new routes
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Summary
Air service manager reported June was the airport’s busiest month on record, passenger traffic is up 8% year-to-date, airlines are increasing capacity and several new or returning routes were discussed.
Boise Airport’s air service manager told the commission on Aug. 6 that passenger traffic is up 8% year-to-date and that June was the airport’s busiest month on record.
Shauna Samuelson, air service and marketing manager, said the airport continued to outpace many peer markets. "During 2010 to 2023, our community increased 34% while the national average is 8%," Samuelson said, adding that Boise’s geographic isolation and regional catchment give the airport a wide draw across neighboring states.
Samuelson reviewed airline market data showing modest seat-capacity increases through the end of the year and a slight dip in load factor due to added capacity. She said Boise has nine airlines serving the airport with Frontier returning and Sun Country operating; Alaska, Southwest, Delta, United and American were among those listed as market leaders by share.
Service changes and targets: - Alaska announced a year-round Ontario, Calif., nonstop and plans to keep Bozeman year-round when it resumes service in October. - The airport currently offers 26 nonstop destinations and access to roughly 350 one-stop connections worldwide via same-airline connections under four hours. - The airport continues to use an air service incentive plan, offering reimbursable marketing and limited cost abatements targeted to new or unserved routes; staff said incentives are "icing on the cake" for routes airlines already consider viable.
International and longer-haul prospects: Commissioners asked about Hawaii, Canada and Washington, D.C. Samuelson said the Alaska–Hawaiian Airlines combination has slowed, but not ended, conversations about Hawaii service; she suggested Honolulu would be the island most likely to attract the highest incentives if a route were pursued. The airport has discussed Calgary with WestJet as a preclearance-linked opportunity and reported some interest in Mexico, but said there has not been sufficient airline commitment to pursue a customs expansion.
On Washington, D.C., Rebecca Hough and Samuelson noted that Reagan National Airport (DCA) is slot-controlled and that additional nonstop service into DCA would require congressional action altering the slot rules; staff said they have pitched Baltimore and Dallas as alternatives and continue to pursue D.C.-area service within current constraints.
Why it matters: Airport officials said passenger growth underpins service conversations with carriers and supports the airport’s broader capital plans. Samuelson described active outreach including airline meetings, headquarter visits and a summer conference where staff met with multiple carriers to pitch target markets.
Ending: Samuelson asked commissioners to help keep Boise top-of-mind with business and community partners as staff continue route development and incentive discussions.
