International flights push Phoenix Sky Harbor to record growth
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport posted record passenger traffic numbers in May, with new nonstop overseas service and an increase in international travel overall pushing the month to new heights.
In May, Sky Harbor recorded 4.7 million total passengers going through its terminals, a 12.6% increase from May 2023, according to data released June 27 by the Phoenix Aviation Department.
In May, Air France launched its first nonstop service from Phoenix to Paris and Condor launched its seasonal direct service to Frankfurt on a larger plane than in previous years. The new nonstop flights to Europe helped boost the number of international travelers at Sky Harbor, which totaled 247,917 in May, a 27.7% increase from the same month a year ago. In May, more passengers boarded international flights in Phoenix than deplaned.
Overall, almost every international carrier at Sky Harbor saw year-over-year increases in passenger traffic in May – Air Canada, 44.7%; British Airways, 21.3%; Condor, 3.6%; Volaris, 5%; and WestJet, 88.3%. Total international passenger traffic was up even as small Canadian airline Lynx ceased operations in 2024. The airline had 4,742 total passengers in May 2023.
May’s success at Sky Harbor is a continuation of the record numbers of passengers the airport has seen so far this year. Sky Harbor is trending to surpass 2023’s total passengers, which was the busiest calendar year on record at Sky Harbor.
In May, 18,236 commercial flights landed at Sky Harbor, marking a 15.1% increase from the same month in 2023.
Sky Harbor’s two largest airlines — American Airlines (Nasdaq: AAL) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) — played a major role in the increase in passengers in May. The airlines saw monthly total passenger count increase year-over-year by 18.1% and 8.2%, respectively. Those two airlines added to international traffic as well, as they both operated flights to Mexico in May.