Abbotsford airport on pace for record-setting year

The Abbotsford International Airport is on track to welcome a record-setting 1.2 million passengers by the end of 2023.

The Fraser Valley airport opened in 1997 and since 2015, its passenger volumes have been growing. After a setback during the COVID-19 pandemic, the airport says it is expecting to exceed pre-pandemic levels.

In September, the facility broke its 2019 record of just over one million passengers.

Parm Sidhu, general manager of the Abbotsford International Airport, says during peak days in June and July, the airport saw approximately 7,400 passengers pass through.

“We’re becoming the Las Vegas of Canada in many ways, as our parking demand drives up on Thursdays and empties out Monday morning as people are flying to all parts of Canada and coming back after the weekend,” Sidhu said.

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Sidhu says a large factor in the airport’s success is the fact that it doesn’t charge an Airport Improvement Fee, which allows it to increase capacity and provide lower fares.

The three airlines that currently operate out of Abbotsford International Airport — WestJet, Swoop, and Flair — offer direct flights to domestic destinations such as Edmonton, Winnipeg, and Toronto as well as international destinations such as Puerto Vallarta and Los Cabos.

On a larger scale, the Vancouver International Airport announced on Wednesday it welcomed 7.1 million passengers over the summer, putting it on par with its pre-pandemic numbers. In a statement, the airport says it’s a time of growth for the industry as a whole.

Heading into 2024, Sidhu says the Abbotsford airport hopes to continue to offer passengers more options at more affordable prices.

“The goal is to continue to make travel more affordable and accessible,” he said.