Ontario International Airport Sees Passenger Count Up Nearly 2% in May

A top 10 cargo hub in the U.S., Ontario saw continued growth in air cargo in May, up by 5.1%.
June 23, 2025
3 min read

The number of passengers who traveled through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in California was higher by nearly 2% in May, the 51st straight month of year-over-year growth, while air cargo volume increased 5%, officials announced.

The airport reported 630,137 passengers last month, 1.9% more than May 2024. Domestic passengers totaled 591,336, while the number of international travelers was 38,801, increases of 1.6% and 5.8%, respectively.

The Southern California gateway welcomed almost 2.7 million passengers over the first five months of the year, 0.8% more than the same period last year. Domestic passenger volume grew by 1.1% to 2.5 million.

Passenger

Totals

May

2025

May

2024

Change

YTD

2025

YTD

2024

Change

Domestic

591,336

581,976

1.6%

2,500,546

2,473,047

1.1%

International

38,801

36,685

5.8%

190,165

195,563

-2.8%

Total

630,137

618,661

1.9%

2,690,711

2,668,610

0.8%

“Every traveler we welcome and every shipment we move is a reflection of something bigger – the trust our community places in us, the dedication of our team and the bold vision set by our Board of Commissioners,” said Atif Elkadi, CEO of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA). “ONT’s continued growth isn’t just about numbers. It’s about building something meaningful for Southern California, a world-class airport experience that’s grounded in service, driven by purpose, and powered by people who care deeply about this region and its future.”

The air carriers with the greatest passenger shares in May were:

  1. Southwest Airlines (37.9%)
  2. American Airlines (15.5%)
  3. Delta Air Lines (10%)
  4. Frontier Airlines (9.9%)
  5. United Airlines (9.6%)

Airport officials expect ONT to serve 2.2 million passengers during the summer travel season, which started over Memorial Day weekend and runs through Labor Day.

A top 10 cargo hub in the U.S., Ontario saw continued growth in air cargo in May, up by 5.1%. Freight shipments decreased by 8.6% while mail volume remained strong, gaining 324.3%.

Air cargo

(tonnage)

May

2025

May

2024

Change

YTD

2025

YTD

2024

Change

Freight

58,600

64,116

-8.6%

276,134

291,459

-5.3%

Mail

11,666

2,749

324.3%

56,266

12,992

333.1%

Total

70,266

66,865

5.1%

332,400

304,451

9.2%

From January through May, air cargo tonnage was 9.2% greater than the same period last year, with freight volume 5.3% lower and mail 333.1% higher.

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