Jill Schramm/MDN Minot International Airport terminal, shown Tuesday, Dec. 16, is a holiday hub for travel. The airport saw a dip in passenger boardings in November due to temporary capacity reductions related to the government shutdown, but travel numbers are expected to be strong in December.

BISMARCK – Passenger boardings declined in November at North Dakota’s commercial airlines, ending 18 consecutive months of record-breaking passenger growth statewide, according to the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Fargo’s 19-month streak of record passenger activity also came to an end. The declines are largely due to impacts associated with the extended federal government shutdown, the aeronautics commission reported. Despite this temporary interruption, North Dakota remains on pace to finish 2025 with its highest-ever annual passenger total. Jamestown and Devils Lake also were unaffected, each setting new November records

North Dakota eight commercial airports together recorded 101,211 passenger boardings in November, representing a 2% year-over-year decline compared to November 2024, or about 2,000 fewer travelers.

Minot recorded 13,560 passengers, down 342 or 2.46% from 2024.

The federal government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, had minimal impact on North Dakota airports during that month. However, in early November, the Federal Aviation Administration announced 40 major hub airports nationwide would face temporary capacity reductions due to air traffic controller staffing shortages. These national airspace constraints resulted in increased delays and flight cancellations, with rural and connection-dependent airports, such as those in North Dakota, being particularly affected, the aeronautics commission stated.

During November, 54 airline departures were canceled statewide and approximately 70% (38 flights) were directly linked to the federal government shutdown and associated FAA staffing constraints.

Following the government shutdown’s conclusion on Nov. 12, the FAA began to reduce capacity constraints as staffing levels and airspace operations began a gradual recovery.

Based on year-over-year growth trends and seasonal expectations, November passenger activity was projected at roughly 105,000-107,000 boardings. The actual total of 101,211 indicates that suppressed demand, operational uncertainty, airline cancellations, and network effects from the shutdown collectively led to an estimated shortfall of 4,000-6,000 passengers for the month, the aeronautics commission stated.

“While North Dakota’s aviation system remained safe and fully operational throughout the shutdown, November’s data clearly show how national airspace staffing challenges can quickly impact a rural state like ours,” said Kyle Wanner, executive director of the aeronautics commission, in a news release. “Despite these recent challenges, North Dakota remains on pace for its strongest year of passenger activity on record.”

Statewide boardings for the year through November totaled 1.21 million, compared to 1.13 million for the same period in 2024. Minot’s total for the first 11 months of 2025 was 163,016 passengers, which remains above the 152,4244 passengers for the same period in 2024.