Duluth airport reports 2012 was second-busiest year

It was a great year in 2012 for passenger travel at the Duluth International Airport, which reported its second-busiest year ever.

The total number of passengers flying in and out of the airport in 2012 was 322,208, up 9 percent over 2011 and second only to 2007’s nearly 350,000 passengers.

The fourth quarter started out strong with a 15.4 percent increase in passengers in October, followed by a 7.6 percent increase in November before dipping to a 0.57 percent increase in December.

“These numbers prove demand for flights in and out of Duluth is increasing,” Tom Werner, executive director of the Duluth Airport Authority, said in a statement.

Werner has attributed the gains to United Airlines adding a third daily flight to Chicago, and Allegiant’s twice-weekly flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix-Mesa and its seasonal service to Orlando-Sanford.

The first quarter of 2013 also is expected to be strong, possibly bolstered by the opening of the new airport terminal this month.

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