RIC February Passenger Traffic Increases 8.3% Over 2025

Contract awarded for parking guidance system in airport garages

Passenger traffic at Richmond International Airport (RIC) was on the rise in February with 326,087 travelers passing through the terminal, marking an 8.3% increase compared to last year, according to a report at the monthly meeting of the Capital Region Airport Commission.

American Airlines led the month with a 31.9% share of passengers followed by Delta and United with 24.9% and 13.2% shares, respectively. Three airlines reported double-digit growth – Breeze (40.9%), American (22.5%), and JetBlue (17.7%).

According to recent data from Campbell-Hill Aviation Group, RIC is the third-fastest growing large-medium sized airport in the United States based on year-ending June 2026 domestic seat growth.

“Strong year-over-year passenger traffic in February has set the tone for the spring and summer travel ahead,” said Perry J. Miller, Ph.D., A.A.E., I.A.P., president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Commission. “With spring break travel underway, we are particularly excited to celebrate this month’s launch of nonstop service to San Juan, Puerto Rico, with JetBlue three times per week. Now, the Caribbean is only about a four-hour flight from Richmond.”

During discussions about passenger traffic at the airport, Miller shared with Commissioners that the airport has been fortunate to experience minimal impacts due to the federal shutdown affecting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). He noted operations have been normal with very few call outs.

Airport revenue and expenses for February outperformed the FY26 budget, according to preliminary, unaudited data. Monthly operating revenues totaled $6.1 million, exceeding projections by $1.1 million or 21.5%. Fiscal-year-to-date 2026 (FYTD26) revenues rose by $3.1 million (6.5%) to total $51.2 million.

Monthly operating expenses were greater than budget by $400,000 or 6.9%, driven by costs associated with winter weather impacts and maintenance. FYTD26 expenses totaled $30.4 million, under budget by $1.8 million or 5.6%.

In other business matters, the Commission reviewed and approved significant resolutions for the long-term growth of the airport, including:

• A contract in the amount of $7.8 million has been awarded to Parking Guidance Systems, L.L.C., to implement a parking guidance system within the public garages at the airport.
  
  
• A new lease to GoJet Airlines, L.L.C., was approved for the three-story hangar building commonly known at the airport as the Hawthorne Hangar for a period of two years with the option for three one-year extensions subject to Commission approval. The total annual lease amount for the initial term is $222,000.94.
  
  
• A new lease to Commonwealth Cargo, Inc., for office and warehouse space in Cargo Building 5 and adjacent dock, loading and storage areas was approved to start on July 1, 2026, for a period of three years with the option for two one-year extensions subject to Commission approval. The total annual lease agreement for the initial term is $112,458.88.

About Richmond International Airport (RIC)  

Propelling regional prosperity through world-class customer experience and operational excellence, the vision of Richmond International Airport (RIC) is to be the region’s preferred gateway to the world. In partnership with its air carriers, RIC welcomed a record 4.92 million passengers and handled 223 million pounds of cargo in 2025. According to the Commonwealth of Virginia, airport-related activity supports more than 14,000 jobs and generates approximately $2.4 billion in annual economic impact across Virginia’s Capital Region. Learn more on the web, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, X, Threads, or LinkedIn.