Sacramento airport sees record number of passengers in 2024. What’s behind the growth?
Sacramento International Airport saw a record number of passengers in 2024.
More than 13.6 million travelers passed through the airport over the course of the year, an increase of 5.1% over 2023, the Sacramento County Department of Airports reported on Tuesday.
The Sacramento airport also set new records for the number of passengers served monthly.
“2024 was an incredible year for SMF,” Cindy Nichol, director of the Sacramento County Department of Airports, said in a news release.
Why did Sacramento airport see record increase in passengers?
The growth of the Sacramento community and an increase in the number of flights and destinations available at the Sacramento airport led to an influx of passengers, according to Scott Johnston, senior public information officer for the Sacramento County Department of Airports.
“People have more options flying with us,” Johnson said.
The Sacramento airport is also gaining recognition from people outside of the community, he added.
“You see people coming from San Francisco or Napa or Redding ... to use our airport, as opposed to the airports that may be closer to them,” Johnston explained.
Sacramento was recently named one of the 50 best places to travel by Travel & Leisure due in part to a massive expansion project underway at the Sacramento airport.
What is under construction at Sacramento airport?
Sacramento International Airport saw a boost in traffic amid the launch of various construction projects across its property.
In 2024, the Sacramento airport broke ground on its $1.3 billion “SMForward” initiative, which is expected to bring major upgrades to its campus.
Those include new gates in Terminal B, an updated rental car center and a ground transportation center.
The airport began work in August on a pedestrian walkway that will connect Terminal B to Concourse B with moving sidewalks and escalators. The walkway is expected to be completed in December, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting.
In October, crews started construction on a new 5,500-space parking garage, replacing the hourly B parking lot.
That six-story garage is estimated to be ready by fall 2026,The Bee reported previously.
All projects under the SMForward initiative are expected to be completed by 2028.
What else is new at the airport?
Sacramento International Airport added multiple new routes offered by two airlines.
Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines will operate a total of eight new flights from Sacramento to domestic and international destinations in 2025.
Alaska Airlines will fly to:
- Anchorage, Alaska
- Los Cabos, Mexico
Orlando, Florida
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
- Tucson, Arizona
Southwest Airlines is adding flights to:
- Kahului, Hawaii
- Kona, Hawaii
- Tucson, Arizona
According to Tuesday’s release, Sacramento International Airport will offer more than 180 daily nonstop flights across 12 airlines by July.
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