ASHWAUBENON, Wis. — A book helped Noreen Corwin Coates pass the time as she waited to for a flight to take her to her vacation destination.
It’s been a few years since she's done this.
“This is the first time since the pandemic,” Corwin Coates said about flying. “We’ve been traveling a lot by car, but not by air.”
The Escanaba, Mich., resident stared her trip at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport; she will soon trade winter in the Upper Peninsula for warmer temperatures on the west coast.
Corwin Coates is one of many leisure travelers passing through the airport again after a hiatus.
“I am headed to Long Beach, California, to meet a cousin who has lived in California for 50 years,” she said. “We’re just going to spend some time there, relax and enjoy the nice weather.”
Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport saw a 9.4% increase in passengers in 2023 from the previous year.
Marty Piette, airport director, said a number of factors contributed to the increase.
“We are essentially back to 2019 numbers. 2019 was our busiest year in 20 years,” Piette said. “Now that we’re back to 2019 levels, we kind of look at that passenger mix. What has changed? What we’re seeing is a lot more leisure flying than we’d ever seen before the pandemic. We’re also seeing business returning to flying. We’re also seeing the international market open up which has helped us get back to those 2019 numbers.”
Leisure travel is leading a rebound that’s happening quicker than some expected a few years ago.
“There’s been more flexibility in how people can work from home or they’re able to work on the road,” Piette said. “I can take family with me on trips now because they’re able to do school work remotely, which wasn’t really a thing before 2020.”
While Corwin Coates had hours of travel in front of her on Tuesday — and a few connections to make — she said she was looking forward to being back in the air.
“I’m just worried about the transfers," she said. “Other than that… I’m excited more than anything.”
