LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Los Angeles International Airport set a record for the number of passengers who traveled through the airport in one year, with nearly 88.1 million people in 2019, officials said today.
The increase was generated by increasing demands for domestic flights.
“Los Angeles is a global crossroads, a city known the world over as a creative capital, a hub for commerce and a leading tourist destination,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “Another year of record passenger traffic at LAX is the latest milestone in our work to bring Los Angeles to the world and the world to Los Angeles.”
The passenger total at LAX increased 0.62% compared to 2018, topping the previous record of 87.5 million travelers.
“LAX's multibillion-dollar modernization investment and terminal upgrades are beginning to bear fruit,” said Sean Burton, the president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners. “In 2020, the airport will continue its role as a critical driver of the local economy, generating hundreds of thousands of high-paying jobs while keeping Southern California connected to the world.”
Although the number of international travelers was lower in 2019 for the first time since 2009, last year's total was 3.4% higher than the nearly 25 million international passengers who traveled through LAX in 2017, airport officials said. Domestic passengers accounted for 70% of the total traffic in 2019, with international passengers at 30%.
Some of the highlights of 2019 at LAX include the addition of nonstop service in two European markets, Helsinki International Airport on Finnair and Milan's Malpensa International Airport on Air Italy.
Nonstop service to and from Stockton returned via United Airlines in 2019 with twice-daily regional jet service.
The most popular international destinations from LAX in 2019 were Guadalajara, Mexico, with 885,882 passengers. London-Heathrow was the second most popular destination, with 757,855 travelers. Paris-Charles de Gaulle was third with 687,985 passengers.
Photo: Getty Images