Sacramento International tops 10 million travelers for first time since 2008

For the first time since 2008, Sacramento International Airport has topped 10 million passengers.

The flying public has returned to use Sacramento International after the recession, airport officials said. The steady growth in passenger traffic is also tied to new air service.

“Our passengers let us know they want nonstop service to new destinations and more choices to the cities we already serve, and the airlines responded,” said John Wheat, Sacramento County director of airports, in a news release.

A total of 10.1 million passengers used the airport in 2016, an increase of 5.3 percent over 2015. The airport’s record for number of travelers is 10.7 million in 2007.

In 2008, the airport served 10.1 million passengers. However, by 2013 the number served at Sacramento International had dropped to 8.6 million travelers.

The airport has steadily recovered from the recession, with nearly three years of month-over-month growth, according to airport officials. Airport officials expect passenger growth of about 4 percent this year.

New or expanded nonstops added in 2016:

▪ Daily nonstop service to Baltimore/Washington on Southwest Airlines.

▪ Daily nonstop service to Boise on Southwest.

▪ Daily nonstop service to Chicago on American Airlines.

▪ Expanded seasonal nonstop service to Boston on JetBlue Airlines.

▪ Expanded seasonal daily nonstop service to Charlotte on American.

Upcoming added service in 2017:

▪ Seasonal nonstop service to Cabo San Lucas on Alaska Airlines beginning June 10.

▪ Three-times-a-day nonstop service on Alaska Airlines to San Diego beginning in March.

▪ Daily nonstop service on Southwest to Salt Lake City in March.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 7:56 AM with the headline "Sacramento International tops 10 million travelers for first time since 2008."