Airport passenger traffic up but still behind pre-pandemic levels

CLEARWATER -- The number of travelers using St.Pete-Clearwater International Airport jumped over last year in March but traffic still trailed behind pre-pandemic levels.

The airport reports a 23% increase in passenger traffic in March when compared to last year when the first flight was canceled because of the pandemic March 17.  Despite the increase, St. Pete Clearwater says the number of travelers was down 25% from March 2019, one of its busiest months on record.

In all 174,644 passengers used the airport in March and 386,404 have used it so far this year, according to a statement. 

The number of passengers traveling through St. Pete-Clearwater has been climbing since the pandemic began though it’s no surprise that they have not returned to the levels seen in previous years.

For example, in July the airport served 137,462 passengers traveling on domestic flights, a 44% decrease from the same month in 2019 but a vast improvement from the 97% drop in the initial stages of the pandemic. 

The airport currently offers non-stop flights to 54 locations domestically, mostly through Allegiant Air. The airline is adding two more destinations later this year – Little Rock, Ark in May and Portsmouth, N.H. in June.

International service through Sunwing Airlines is currently suspended.