APPLETON, Wis. — Appleton International Airport passengers were up 14% in 2023, breaking its own travel records.
The percentage made the Appleton airport the fastest growing airport in the state, according to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) records.
Over the last decade, passenger totals have doubled, numbers show. In 2013, 483,317 passengers traveled through Appleton as compared to 967,687 in 2023.
“This outstanding growth is fostered by our relationships with our airline partners and ongoing support from the region,” said Appleton Airport Director Abe Weber. “Area residents are supporting nonstop flights because air travel is more convenient through Appleton.”
Officials say some of that growth can be attributed to the expansion of flights at the airport.
American Airlines added 36.2% more flights in 2023 compared to 2022. It also added 30.6% more seats over that same time period.
Three additional nonstop routes were announced in 2023, too. That added Portland, Oregon, New York/Newark and Dallas/DFW.
“We anticipate the increase in nonstop destinations and our planned terminal expansion will help us top the one-million mark in arrivals and departures in future years,” Weber said.
The airport is also receiving $3.4 million to fund part of a concourse expansion project, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Thursday. It broke ground on the project in 2023. The 47,000 square-foot expansion will cost $66 million and is slated to be completed by late 2025.
This new grant will help partially fund passenger boarding bridges, a solar/sustainability project and other mechanical equipment. In total, the project is expected to expand the total number of gates to 10, build connectors between existing gates and new ones, introduce a Biergarten and an additional bar/restaurant, and more.
“The airport growth is truly transformative,” said Outagamie County Executive Thomas Nelson. “It reflects overall development in the Fox Valley, making it a region where jobs, business, infrastructure, and quality of life are on a path for continued success.”