Topping the previous best in 2018, the traveler count for 2019 sets record for regional airport

Passenger numbers at the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport (SBP) reached an all-time high in 2019, as 544,575 passengers traveled through the airport. The amount is 12 percent higher than 2018’s 485,911 traveler count and sets the record for the most annual passengers in the airport’s history. Previously, 2018 was the airport’s busiest year on record. 

United Airlines reinforced its position as the airport’s largest carrier. With a total of ten daily flights to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Denver, the airline flew 294,799 passengers last year. American Airlines, which flies four flights a day to Phoenix and increased to twice-daily Dallas/Ft. Worth service, carried 199,421 passengers. Alaska Airline’s daily flight to Seattle carried 48,607; Contour Airlines entered the San Luis Obispo market in October and carried a total 1,748 passengers for the year. The route addition helped December become the airport’s best month in 2019, as 50,419 total travelers passed through the terminal.

“I’m so proud that our team continues to provide high levels of customer service while we increase the number of travelers that we serve each year,” said Kevin Bumen, Director of Airports for San Luis Obispo County. “We’re grateful for every guest who chooses to fly out of San Luis Obispo, and hope that they keep using their local airport.” 

The San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport currently serves eight markets: Dallas/Ft. Worth, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle. This coming year will see additional opportunities for growth, as Alaska Airlines launched nonstop service to San Diego in January 2020 and will begin daily nonstop flights to Portland in June. 

Additional 2019 statistics can be found here.