Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport recorded its busiest year ever in 2023, according to data made public Jan. 30 by the Phoenix Aviation Department.
In 2023, 48,872,974 total passengers traveled through Sky Harbor, which was 10.1% more total passengers than in 2022 and 5.6% more than 2019, the previous full-year record.
The increase in travelers can be attributed to airlines adding more flights to Sky Harbor, increased tourism in Phoenix and Arizona and major events being held in the Valley.
In 2023, two new airlines – Flair and Lynx Airlines – started operations at Sky Harbor. In total, airlines added 21 new routes from Sky Harbor in 2023.
Besides its busiest year, Sky Harbor also had its busiest day on record in 2023. On Feb. 13, the day after the Super Bowl was played in Glendale at State Farm Stadium, more than 200,000 people traveled through Sky Harbor. The city of Phoenix, which owns and operates Sky Harbor, said the WM Phoenix Open, Major League Baseball’s Cactus League spring training and the Arizona Diamondbacks’ appearance in the World Series all added to the usage of Sky Harbor.
“The record-breaking number of passengers Phoenix Sky Harbor saw in 2023 is a testament to the efficiency of our airport and of the strong guest experience we offer travelers and businesses,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, said in a statement. “I’m so proud to see our state’s number one economic engine in the state shine, particularly on the fronts of innovation and customer service. The airport has accomplished so much over the last year, and I look forward to welcoming new investments, development, and programs in 2024.”
The largest airline at Sky Harbor, American Airlines, had 19.5 million total passengers for the year, which actually was 1.75 million less than the airline had in 2019.
The other major airlines at Sky Harbor saw increases in 2023 over 2019, with Southwest Airlines recording 15.9 million total passengers in 2023 and Delta recording 3.7 million.
One of the biggest changes from 2019 to 2023 was Frontier Airlines, which went from 872,890 total passengers in 2019 to 3,678,665 in 2023 – a 321% increase.
A busy holiday travel season helped push Sky Harbor over the record. The latest report from the Aviation Department showed that in December 4,255,474 total passengers flew into or out of Sky Harbor, which was up 9.8% compared to the same month in 2022 and up 1.7% compared to the same month in 2019.
The report came out a week after Air France announced it would be starting nonstop service between Phoenix and Paris later this year.
