Traffic at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport soars in first 6 months of 2023

American Airlines (Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport)

Passenger traffic at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) has seen monthly double-digit increases over 2022 numbers, according to officials at Alabama’s largest airport.

Higher numbers than start of pandemic

For the month of June, traffic increased 19% over June, 2022 and was higher than the numbers in June, 2019, prior to the start of the pandemic. 

In fact, all six months in 2023 have seen significant increases. 

Here’s the breakdown:

• January – 17%
• February – 13%
• March – 12%
• April – 13%
• May – 14%
• June – 19%

In June, a total of 277,103 passengers came through BHM.

Nonstop flights increased

Delta is beginning nonstop flights to New York City and Detroit from Birmingham. (Birmingham Airport Authority)

“This trend is exactly what we like to see at BHM,” said Darlene Wilson, Chair of the Birmingham Airport Authority. “The more we use the service that is currently offered by the airlines, the greater our chances of getting more service in the future.”

An increase in the number of nonstop flights to popular locations deserves much of the credit for the growth.

For example:

• Delta Airlines now has three daily departures to LaGuardia and has added another nonstop flight to both Detroit and Atlanta. 
• American launched its first nonstop to LaGuardia back in May. 
• Southwest is currently serving Las Vegas on the weekends and is adding daily nonstop flights there in October. Southwest is also increasing the number of nonstops to Orlando each day.

“The airlines are showing tremendous confidence in Birmingham, and we are thrilled to see the additional seats in the market,” concluded Wilson.

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Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.