ERLANGER, Ky. – The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) is driving $9.3 billion in positive annual economic impact for the Cincinnati region, according to a recent study by the University of Cincinnati Economics Center, based on 2022 data.

What You Need To Know

  • According to a study, CVG’s economic impact on the Cincinnati region was $9.3 billion in 2022

  • That’s compared to $6.8 billion in 2018 and $3.5 billion in 2012

  • While the airport took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has bounced back since 

  • That's thanks in part due to an increased appetite for travel, according to spokesperson Mindy Kershner

One contributing factor is more people going on their dream trips. 

As she said goodbye to her mom, Korrine Harris was about to embark on the journey of her life, studying abroad in Rome for three months.

That journey started with a flight out of CVG to Atlanta. Any time she’s flying, Harris said she wants to feel comfortable, especially before a life-changing trip.

"I travel a decent amount, so I've been in a lot of different airports," she said. "[CVG] is just very easy to access, very convenient. I'd say that definitely makes me feel a lot better because I think airports have the potential to be very stressful and overwhelming. So just to know an airport is simplistic, you can know where you’re going, is just very comforting and reassuring.”

That passenger experience may be one reason for the airport’s significant growth over the decade.

According to the previously mentioned study, CVG’s economic impact on the Cincinnati region was $9.3 billion in 2022. That’s compared to $6.8 billion in 2018 and $3.5 billion in 2012.

While the airport took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic, it has bounced back since, thanks to an increased appetite for travel, according to spokesperson Mindy Kershner.

“I think people have a mindset of, 'I can take a weekend trip or more than that one vacation a year' because they saw what happened [when they] were stuck in their homes for a couple of years,” Kershner said.

However, the impact is far more than moving people and goods, Kershner said. The airport, which added two new airlines last year, is an entry point for people around the world to come visit and spend money. It's responsible for 49,000 direct and indirect jobs, many of which stem from development projects on the airport's campus. 

While airports typically see about 2% passenger growth year over year, Kershner said CVG had 15% growth in 2023 over 2022.

"I think it's so cool to see people actually commit to going on that trip that they've always talked about," Harris said. "And you're never going to have people regret that; they're always going to be, like, 'Oh, my gosh; wow. I can't believe I actually did that; I wish I would have done it sooner.'

"I wish I would've done it sooner ... [it's] really cool that airports get to play a part in being part of that story for people and just creating memories." 

The airport highlighted the following achievements in a news release.

Milestone successes from 2023: 

  • The airport ended the year with a 15.4% passenger increase over 2022 
  • Two new airlines launched service: British Airways and Breeze Airways
  • CVG continued to have the lowest airfares in the region
  • CVG’s global cargo ranking moved up five spots from No. 17 to No. 12
  • Opening of many new concessions: Skyline, Frisch’s, Braxton Taproom, Wendy’s
  • Groundbreaking of Epic Flight Academy
  • Completion of a number of construction projects

What’s ahead in 2024:

  • February: Breeze Airways marks one-year anniversary at CVG
  • May: Frontier scheduled to open crew base, having a $27 million impact on the region
  • June: British Airways marks one-year anniversary at CVG
  • Opening of FEAM Aero’s second hangar and Epic Flight Academy
  • Additional concession updates
  • Additional capital investments, including continued replacement of jet bridges in Concourse B

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