NYC Airports Report Busiest Year Ever In 2023, Port Authority Says

NEW YORK CITY — A record number of passengers flew through New York City's major airports last year, propelling the number of people traveling by air beyond pre-pandemic highs, officials announced Wednesday.

According to initial estimates by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, 144 million passengers flew through John F. Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports in 2023 — a 3 percent increase above the previous record of 140 million passengers set in 2019.

Port Authority officials said the spike in travelers follows years of redevelopment at the airports including Newark Liberty’s new Terminal A and LaGuardia's Terminal B and C.

"These extraordinary numbers are a clear testament to the ambitious work we’ve undertaken to modernize our airports, giving passengers a streamlined, comfortable, and 21st-century travel experience no matter which airport they choose," Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said in a statement.

According to officials, Newark, LaGuardia, and JFK all set new domestic travel records, serving 35.3 million, 30.6 million, and 29.1 million domestic passengers, respectively.

Newark Liberty recorded the most significant jump, officials said. A record 49.1 million passengers traveled through the airport in 2023, a 6 percent increase over the previous high set in 2019. Officials said 15 million passengers passed through the 1-million-square-foot Terminal A — more than the previous terminal served in its 50 years of operation.

LaGuardia’s new high of 32.4 million passengers was a 4 percent jump from its previous record in 2019. Officials attributed the spike to the new Terminal B. Opened in 2020, the terminal was built to handle more than double the capacity of its predecessor. Likewise, the new Terminal C is 85 percent larger than the two terminals it replaced.

JFK’s 2023 passenger count of 62.5 million was on par with its 2019 performance, officials said.