Fresno Yosemite International Airport Reaches All-Time Record With 1.96 Million Passengers Served in 2019

Milestone year with an 11 percent increase generated by new destinations and added flights

Fresno, CA – (January 31, 2020) Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) today announced historic passenger volume of 1.96 million passengers served in Calendar Year 2019, representing an 11 percent increase over Calendar Year 2018, which served 1.77 million passengers.  FAT has been experiencing significant and sustained growth in recent years and has grown 68 percent since 2010.

“With more travelers using Fresno Yosemite International Airport as their airport of choice, our airline partners continue to meet this demand by expanding flight schedules, transitioning to larger aircraft, and adding service to new destinations,” said Director of Aviation Kevin Meikle.  “Strong passenger activity is an important part in growing air service for our region and sustains FAT as a major engine of economic development and job creation.”

Seat capacity offered by airlines serving FAT continues to outpace industry averages.  The number of seats out of the Fresno market, comparing January 2020 to January 2019, increased by 12.5 percent, compared to 4.7 percent gained by airports of similar size, and four times the amount experienced at all airports nationwide.  FAT’s international market to the Guadalajara region in Mexico increased 19.1 percent for the month of January 2020 alone, as compared to the same month last year.

2019 Air Service Review

Expanded flight frequencies, transitions to larger aircraft and new destinations through FAT in 2019 included:

• New twice-weekly international nonstop service to Leon, Mexico by Volaris.
• Enhanced service between FAT and Chicago by United Airlines from seasonal service to year-round service.
• Added seat capacity with United Airlines mainline service to Denver operated with the larger Airbus aircraft on one of four daily flights.
• Added seat capacity with a mid-day Phoenix flight operated with American Airlines mainline service on the larger Airbus A319 aircraft.
• Added seat capacity to Salt Lake City with the transition from the CRJ aircraft to the larger Embraer E175 aircraft on Delta Airlines.

2020 Air Service Preview

Added capacity through FAT planned later this year includes:

• Increased frequency to Denver on Frontier from three weekly flights to four weekly flights starting in April.
• Added seat capacity with Alaska Airlines mainline service to Seattle operated with the larger Airbus aircraft on one of four daily flights starting in May.
• Increased frequency to San Diego on Alaska Airlines with a fourth daily flight starting in May.
• Increased frequency to Volaris’ daily service to Guadalajara, Mexico with a second flight on Thursdays starting in May.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport – Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) is the largest driver in economic activity in the Central San Joaquin Valley with $844 million of annual economic activity and 9,800 direct, induced and indirect jobs. Domestic and international carriers serving FAT offer Valley travelers daily nonstop flights to Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Guadalajara, León, and Morelia, Mexico.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport is a municipally owned entity operating as a self-supporting enterprise. No City of Fresno general funds are used to operate Fresno Yosemite International Airport or Fresno Chandler Executive Airport.

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