MDN File Photo A passenger leaves the Minot terminal. The airport has seen a decline in passenger boardings so far this year.

BISMARCK – While Minot International Airport is seeing fewer passengers due to Allegiant flight reductions and other factors, North Dakota’s commercial airports overall set a statewide passenger record for April.

North Dakota’s commercial airports recorded 105,393 passenger boardings during April, surpassing the previous April high of 104,271 boardings set in 2025, according to the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission.

Four North Dakota airports also established new all time April passenger records during the month – Bismarck Municipal Airport, Devils Lake Regional Airport, Hector International Airport, and Jamestown Regional Airport.

The aeronautics commission reported airline capacity within North Dakota continued to strengthen during April. Compared to April 2025, airlines provided about 3,500 additional passenger seats and operated 84 additional scheduled flights across the state.

“Achieving a new statewide April passenger record while airlines also expanded seat capacity and flight activity reflects continued confidence in North Dakota’s air service markets and the overall strength of the state’s aviation system,” Kyle Wanner, Executive Director of the ND Aeronautics Commission, said in a news release.

Minot’s April passenger numbers totaled 11,804, down from 13,906 last year for a 15.12% decline.

The biggest factor behind the decline from April 2025 to April 2026 is Allegiant’s reduction of flights to Phoenix-Mesa and to Las Vegas and the elimination of flights to Sanford-Orlando, according to information from Minot Airport Director Jennifer Eckman and the airport’s air service consultant. They state Allegiant and other ultra-low cost carriers (ULCCs) have struggled with the high fuel costs and other factors and have been making capacity reductions systemwide, not just in Minot.

“At the conference I was at two weeks ago, the air service experts also stated that the longer-haul routes for the ULCC’s are experiencing the greatest impacts from these reductions. ULCCs prefer shorter routes. It allows them to fly more passengers and earn more revenue in the same amount of time as a longer route. Minot is a longer route than the other airports in the state,” Eckman said.

Additionally, Allegiant’s scheduled capacity for May is down 4.2% from May of 2025, according to information from Minot’s air service consultant, which also indicated that United Airlines expects to cut back capacity in western North Dakota this summer after having added flights last year. Minot could see those changes begin in June.

So far in 2026, boardings are down 13.5% at the Minot airport.

Also bucking the statewide trend in April, Williston’s airport’s 7,873 boardings reflected a slight decline of 1.7%. Among smaller airports where fluctuations tend to be more pronounced, Dickinson’s 1,804 boardings were down 9%.

The aeronautics commission’s report stated North Dakota’s record boardings in April is particularly noteworthy given the recent rise in oil prices and the increasing fuel cost pressures facing the airline industry. Historically, sustained increases in fuel prices have been shown to affect airline operating costs, ticket prices, route planning decisions and overall passenger demand, particularly if higher airfares begin contributing to demand softening.

“Continued escalation in energy prices could create additional operational and economic challenges for airlines and the broader aviation industry in the months ahead,” the commission stated.