BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – North Dakota’s eight commercial service airports posted a total of 42,238 airline passenger boardings during the month of January, 2021.

This is a 57% decline of the passengers that the state experienced during the same month last year which was pre COVID-19 pandemic.

“The negative impacts that COVID-19 has had on airline passenger demand is continuing into 2021.” stated Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. “It is however, encouraging to see COVID-19 cases in North Dakota and throughout the country trending lower which can have a direct impact on an individual’s decision to travel. We also remain optimistic that further passenger growth will occur as Spring approaches and penned up travel demand may help to jumpstart the recovery.”

The Jamestown Regional Airport had 389 boardings in January 2021, down from 823 in 2020. Airline boarding’s have been on a steady increase since the pandemic hit in April 2020.