Airfares down, passengers up at Milwaukee Airport

Average fares now $98 less than Chicago's O'Hare

MILWAUKEE - Aug. 5, 2010 - The good news for flight passengers continues to get better at Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport. The cost of flying in and out of Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport is now $98 less when compared to nearby Chicago O'Hare. This represents the biggest quarter-over-quarter drop in the nation at 16.6 percent. Newly released U.S. Department of Transportation data for first quarter 2010 show that the average airfare out of Milwaukee dropped lower than at 93 other U.S. airports.
Passenger growth also continues to take-off with a June passenger count of 922,984, and increase of almost 30 percent over June 2009. In the first six months of 2010, the airport served 1,225,221 or 34% more passengers than the same six-month period last year.
Market Growth
With 55 markets, Mitchell International has moved up to 28th among U.S. airports in number of markets served nonstop, according to data recently published by the Brookings Institute. Mitchell's rank in a similar 2004 study was 34th. The new ranking means that more nonstop markets are served out of Milwaukee than out of other Midwestern cities, such as Kansas City, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Columbus, and out of medium-sized cities elsewhere in the U.S., including Portland, OR, Austin, New Orleans, San Diego; Raleigh/Durham, Albuquerque, San Antonio and Hartford, CT.
Mitchell Airport's growth in the first quarter of 2010, according to the Airports Council International, was exceeded worldwide only by airports in Istanbul, Turkey and Phuket, Thailand, and was the only U.S. airport among the top 30 fastest growing in the world.
"The real message for anyone considering holding a meeting or convention in Milwaukee is that we're centrally located, have an abundance of carriers offering non-stop flights and we're affordable," said Paul Upchurch, president & CEO of VISIT Milwaukee. "The growth of our airport and air service coupled with our world-class tourism amenities to accommodate meetings and conventions should put Milwaukee on any destination selection short list."
VISIT Milwaukee markets Greater Milwaukee to tourists, convention and meeting planners nationally and internationally. VISIT Milwaukee has more than 600 members, including hotels/motels, restaurants, attractions, services and area businesses. Tourism generated $2.3 billion in spending in Greater Milwaukee in 2009 and supported more than 57,000 local jobs. For more information call 1-800-554-1448 or visit www.visitmilwaukee.org.

###