MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, January 27, 2025 - The Monterey Regional Airport (MRY), announced today that for the third consecutive year the airport had double-digit passenger growth, serving 622,543 departing and arriving travelers in 2024. 

With 311,101 departing and 311,442 arriving passengers—a 19.5 percent increase compared to the previous year—the Airport marked a milestone in 2024 with the most passengers served in 45-years. A new airline and destination, along with additional passenger seats by existing carriers, contributed to the airport’s busiest year since the closure of Fort Ord in 1994. Highlights include: 

• Second daily nonstop flights added to three destinations: 

- San Diego, CA, on Alaska Airlines
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX, via American Airlines
- Denver, CO, on United Airlines 

• Seasonal nonstop service to Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN, via Sun Country Airlines 

• Seasonal nonstop service to Burbank and Orange County in the Los Angeles area on JSX 

Local and visiting travelers benefited from the new flight options and the growing MRY route system. 

“The Monterey Region is a welcoming place to live, work, and play, and we thank new and returning passengers for choosing Monterey Regional Airport in 2024 for their leisure and business travel needs,” said Executive Director Michael La Pier. “I’m proud of the work our airport team accomplished to make 2024 a record-breaking year for passengers served—all while the airport was actively being reconstructed as part of our MRY Metamorphosis.” 

The MRY Metamorphosis, which includes multiple safety enhancement projects required by the Federal Aviation Administration, is transforming the airport. The program includes a replacement passenger terminal and adjacent commercial aircraft ramp as well as several support facilities. 

In 2024, completed and in-progress developments included:
• Relocating the Long-Term Parking Lot adjacent to the airport’s previous lot while still offering the same number of parking spaces
• Excavating and laying concrete for the new aircraft ramp
• Finalizing the architectural renderings for the replacement passenger terminal 

In 2025, significant developments will continue to transform MRY, including completing the aircraft ramp and breaking ground on the replacement terminal. These projects are the next steps toward providing a welcoming, modern, and efficient gateway that represents the charm of the Monterey region, and which passengers, employees, and other airport users will be proud to travel through, work in, and visit.