BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – North Dakota air travel continued to show strength in April, with the state setting a new record for airline passenger boardings and four airports posting new all-time April highs.
The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission reported the state’s eight commercial service airports recorded 105,393 passenger boardings in April 2026, setting a new statewide record for the month and topping the previous April high of 104,271 set in 2025.
Four airports established new all-time April boarding records, including Bismarck Municipal Airport, Devils Lake Regional Airport, Hector International Airport in Fargo, and Jamestown Regional Airport.
The commission also reported that airlines expanded capacity across North Dakota in April. Compared to April 2025, airlines provided about 3,500 additional passenger seats and operated 84 additional scheduled flights across the state’s commercial service airports.
In an interview, ND Aeronautics Commission Executive Director Kyle Wanner said the state has continued to see strong airline traffic despite higher oil prices for now, and he credited airlines adding seats and capacity.
“We’re seeing strong airline traffic in North Dakota despite the higher oil prices for the time being and the reason for that is the airlines continue to add airline seats and capacity to the system,” said Wanner. “So we have not seen any pullback.”
Wanner said the commission will be watching the summer months closely because sustained increases in energy prices can create higher operating costs for airlines and could affect demand.
“We’re going to monitor moving into the summer months because the oil price rise puts pressures on the airline industry,” said Wanner. “We’re going to see some higher costs, potential ticket price increases, harder decisions being made for route planning. There might be a softening going into the summer months, but as of right now we have not seen that.”
Wanner also said North Dakota can behave differently than other markets. He pointed to 2014, when oil prices were high and airline boardings in the state reached record levels at the time.
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