Press Releases

BTR has come a long way in the past year, overcoming the challenges of COVID-19 and positioning itself for growth in the future. Between managing the aftermath of the pandemic and experiencing population growth, a significant increase in passenger volume has occurred this year.

One of the key factors contributing to the growth in passenger volume at BTR is the addition of new flights and airlines. United and Delta have both increased their seating capacity at BTR through the use of larger, two-class aircraft and mainline Boeing 717s. All of American Airlines' flights at BTR currently utilize larger, dual-class regional jets. Likely to boost numbers even more is the incoming addition of nonstop service to Washington, D.C. (DCA), coming June 1 on American Airlines.

According to recent data, the total passenger volume for BTR this March was 62,696 passengers. This marks:

• A 19.78% increase compared to March 2022.
• A 19.11% year-to-date increase through March, which is 91% of the 2019 pre-pandemic volume for the same period.

The increase in passenger volume at BTR helps facilitate growth in jobs and economic activity, helping sustain BTR’s annual economic impact of $1.1 billion and nearly 4,500 direct and indirect jobs. Additionally, the increase in passenger volume contributes to revenue growth for BTR, which operates as an enterprise fund and generates its own revenues for operations as opposed to using local tax dollars. Revenue growth can assist in infrastructure and equipment upgrades to improve the overall airport experience for passengers and employees.

The passenger boom is great for Baton Rouge residents, too!  With more flights and airlines available, residents have more options when it comes to traveling for business or pleasure!

It’s clear that the airport will play an even more important role in the Baton Rouge community, providing essential services and driving economic growth.

The future looks bright for BTR.

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