Traffic Spikes at CCIA at start of Spring Break
Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI - On Friday, March 5, more than 1,000 people came through the Corpus Christi International Airport (CCIA) terminal, most of them destined to catch a flight at CCIA. It was the busiest day at CCIA since the start of the pandemic – surpassing the peak traffic days during both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Levels remained high for the rest of the weekend.
This milestone is the most recent indicator that CCIA is on track to recover from the pandemic faster than other airports in Texas and the nation. “From the number of flights returning to the market, to advanced bookings and customer preference for CCIA, there is reason for a lot of optimism heading in to the second quarter of 2021,” said Kevin Smith, Director of Aviation at CCIA.
Flights
When it comes to the number of flights currently offered, here’s how CCIA is stacking up. For the current month of March, the number of flights offered at CCIA is down 17% when compared to the same period in 2019. In Austin, flights are down 36%. In San Antonio, flights are down 44%. Nationwide, flights are down 35%.
Advanced Bookings
Advanced Bookings are a reliable way to gage how the future is shaping up for air travel in t near term. For the last week of February, future bookings in the U.S. were down 60% when compared to the same week in 2020. At CCIA, future bookings were down only 27%. “So, while there are still fewer people flying out of CCIA than there were before the pandemic, this airport is recovering more quickly,” said Smith. “As travelers return, we’re seeing the numbers reflected in our parking lot, restaurants and in other concessions like the News and Gift shop and the rental car companies.”
Customer Preference for CCIA
Customer preference for CCIA is also on the rise. Last month, 73% of Coastal Bend travelers who got on airplanes did so right here at CCIA. Last year in February, only 57% of the local market chose to fly CCIA while the other 43% drove to airports in San Antonio and Houston to begin their trips.
“As more and more people decide to travel for business or pleasure, the airports that show the greatest demand for service stand to fare well with the airlines,” said Smith. “CCIA is attractive to travelers right now due in part to the fact that there are no long lines and no big crowds to worry about. People will fly when they are ready, and we encourage them to choose CCIA,” said Smith.