Cleveland Hopkins airport: riding a wave of momentum from ULCCs

Cleveland Hopkins International airport joined former hubs in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh in taking spots in OAG’s fastest growing North American mid-sized airports in 2018. All three of those airports were ranked in the top ten, posting double digit seat growth. 

Cleveland’s passenger levels in 2018 were nearly the highest in nine years, and the airport’s management is confident that passenger throughput will reach 10 million in 2019. 

The airport’s renaissance is largely driven by the growth of low cost airlines; LCCs and ULCCs represent nearly half of Cleveland’s seats, and their increased presence is resulting in Cleveland attracting a larger of number of travellers based in Northeast Ohio. 

Although Cleveland no doubt has aspirations to gain more international service, for now the airport seems focused on expanding the breadth and depth of its domestic offerings.