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Image of OAK April passenger traffic up again with 22 percent month-to-month increase

OAK April passenger traffic up again with 22 percent month-to-month increase

Highlights include new service to Santa Barbara and Los Angeles

Press Releases, Airport, Community
May 24th, 2021

Oakland, Calif. - May 24, 2021: Oakland International Airport, the second busiest airport in the San Francisco Bay Area, reports continued passenger and cargo traffic growth for April 2021.

In April 2021 passenger traffic at Oakland International Airport (OAK) increased 22 percent from what was reported for March 2021. The airport saw 105,756 more passengers than it did in March. Air cargo was down 4 percent from March, but up 14.4 percent compared to April 2020.

April 2021 Passenger and Cargo Statistics  

  • Oakland International Airport saw 593,366 total passengers in April 2021, up 22 percent from March 2021 with 487,610 passengers.
  • In April, a total of 298,395 passengers departed OAK’s runways. Of those, 47,095 were connecting.
  • There were 11,303 international arriving passengers in April.
  • As various travel restrictions were lifted and more people vaccinated to prevent COVID-19 infection, the airport saw April passenger traffic jump 1,195 percent compared to April 2020 when just 45,819 passengers were carried.
  • On a rolling twelve-month basis, although now clearly recovering, traffic is still off 65 percent with 4,030,382 passengers this year compared to 11,559,782 during the same period a year ago.
  • 111.7 million pounds of air cargo were transported, up 14.4 percent in a year over year comparison and down 4 percent from March.
  • On April 12, the airport welcomed new routes to two Southern California destinations: Southwest Airlines daily service to Santa Barbara and Delta Air Lines three times daily service to its Sky Team global hub at Los Angeles.

“In April we saw traffic continue to build toward pre-pandemic levels,” said Bryant L. Francis, Port of Oakland Director of Aviation. “With new service to Southern California added, we appreciate that local travelers and visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area are choosing to Fly OAK First.”

About Oakland International Airport  

Oakland International is the main airport for the greater East Bay, the most populated area in the metropolitan San Francisco Bay area. It is the closest airport to most Bay Area employers. By roadway and BART air-rail, OAK enables excellent access to all of the region’s business, entertainment and tourism venues. The vision of Oakland International Airport is to be the airport of choice for San Francisco Bay Area residents and visitors alike. OAK is operated by the Port of Oakland, which also oversees the Oakland seaport and 20 miles of East Bay waterfront. Together with its business partners, the Port supports more than 84,000 jobs in the region with more than a $130 billion economic impact. Updates about travel during the COVID19 pandemic, current departure and arrival information, airport maps, and details about on-airport parking, shopping and dining and more, can be found at  www.oaklandairport.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Media contact

Oakland International Airport 

Roberto Bernardo, Airport spokesperson 

OAK 24-hour media only hotline: 510-563-6500  

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