A banner year for General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport has seen a record number of passengers at the gates, with one month of figures still to come.
With a November passenger count of nearly 62,500, PIA’s year-to-date total eclipsed 741,700. That already represents a 7.6% improvement over PIA’s 12-month record passenger count of about 689,400 in 2019.
“These results demonstrate an important moment in PIA’s history and future,” said airport director Gene Olson. “Crossing into the 700,000-passenger range and surpassing our previous record set in 2019 accomplishes two long-standing goals for our team.
“We can officially move past the old record set prior to the ‘COVID Era,’ and we can finally celebrate reaching our goal of welcoming more than 700,000 passengers. Achieving these milestones in just 11 months is a powerful indicator of where PIA is headed.”
The latest figures continue a run of success for the airport, with passenger records in 14 of the past 16 months putting the facility on a growth trend 20% above last year.
The airport says the passenger totals reflect strong local demand in combination with strategic airline partnerships. With demand expected to remain strong and expanded flight schedules, PIA anticipates continued momentum in 2026 as a key transportation hub in central Illinois.
