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Oklahoma City, Tulsa airports see bumps in passenger use

Travelers lining up to go through security at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City.
Will Rogers World Airport
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Will Rogers International Airport saw an increase in the number of passengers flying in and out of Oklahoma City.

There was a big increase in the number of passengers taking flight from the OKC Will Rogers International Airport last year.

More than 4.6 million people flew in and out of OKC’s airport in 2024, a 4.6% increase from 2023. The Tulsa International Airport saw a 4% increase from 2023, with an estimated 3.2 million passengers, according to a 2024 review report.

“We're always talking about new non-stop routes where we would like to have our current airline partners fly to or based off of the current nonstop service that they are providing,” said Stacey Hamm, the public information and marketing manager for OKC Will Rogers International Airport.

The increased frequency of specific routes offered passengers options, and Hamm said it played a role in the traffic record numbers. Hamm said United Airlines increased service to Chicago and Houston. Frontier Airlines added more departures to Las Vegas and Denver. Southwest added more frequent flights to Nashville, Orlando and Las Vegas, and American Airlines increased its service to Charlotte, Dallas and seasonal service to Miami.

“The more people fly, the more we are able to grow as an airport and to be able to provide space for new air carriers and to provide new destinations,” Hamm said.

Enhancing air service is not the only project underway at OKC’s airport. For the next three years, construction projects will be underway to modernize the airport, such as updating restrooms on the concourse level. Hamm said Will Rogers International Airport measures customers’ satisfaction through surveys, but feedback is also welcome via email or phone.

“Airports want to know where our residents are wanting and needing to fly,” Hamm said. “We are also able to make changes based on the feedback and provide a better customer experience.”

In 2024, Tulsa International Airport saw the most passengers since 2000. The airport increased the frequency of flights to Miami and Orlando, two popular vacation places, and expanded its route with Delta Air Lines flights to New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

Tulsa’s airport is working with more than $160 million toward new projects and improvements.

A new air traffic control tower, a new customs facility that will allow direct flights to Cancun, Mexico, new entryway doors, a new lounge for ticketed passengers and renovated bathrooms are some of the future improvements.

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Luisa Clausen is KOSU's news intern. Born and raised in Curitiba, Brazil, she taught herself English at 13, and first came to the United States as an exchange student in 2019. Clausen is a senior, studying multimedia journalism at Oklahoma State University.
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