The Colorado Springs Airport (COS) brought 2021 to a close with strong traffic numbers and even stronger projections for 2022. In December, COS saw 87,958 enplanements and 174,589 passengers travel through the terminal. When compared to December 2019, enplanements and total passengers were over 20 percent higher in 2021 and seats in the market increased by 31.5 percent. COS had 935,952 enplanements and 1,864,485 total passengers that traveled through the terminal in 2021, representing an 11.5 percent increase when compared to 2019 and the highest number of enplanements since 2008.
A strong contributor to the success in 2021 was when the airport welcomed Southwest Airlines in March of 2021, which brought tremendous growth in air service and seats available at COS. While Southwest Airlines accounted for 40 percent of the seats in the market for 2021, other carriers also increased their air service at COS. United Airlines had the most scheduled flights out of COS in 2021 with 4,092 outbound flights, while American Airlines and Delta Air Lines increased flights by 6.3 percent and 5.6 percent respectively. 2021 also saw the reinstatement of nonstop Los Angeles (LAX) service by United and nonstop Orlando (MCO) service by Frontier, as well as the addition of seasonal Houston (HOU) and San Antonio (SAT) service by Southwest.
COS not only saw growth in traffic, but the airport’s business park as well. Peak Innovation Park saw substantial development in 2021 with multiple construction and infrastructure projects, including utility and road extensions to accommodate future growth. Further infrastructure improvements are planned for 2022 as well as a hotel development. Peak Innovation Park is actively supporting the development and growth of the southeast corridor of Colorado Springs, where 80916 has been identified as the hottest zip code for real estate in the country.
COS employees were another cause for celebration in 2021. The airport was named one of The Gazette’s Best Workplaces for 2021 for large companies. Best Workplaces honorees are voted on by the employees via a survey that addresses topics like organization health, leadership, employee engagement and work-life balance. The process is designed to highlight the companies that are creating a strong and healthy workplace culture.
Looking ahead, 2022 projections indicate traffic will continue to rise. 1,029,918 enplanements are forecasted for 2022, which represents a 10 percent increase over 2021.
Colorado Springs Airport’s small size means small commutes, small lines, and small waits. It means friendliness, safety, and comfort. It also means big options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram.