Monthly Airport Passenger Volume Surpasses Pre-Pandemic 2019 Levels

On Dec 28, 2022

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced today that for the first time since the pandemic started, monthly air passenger levels across the agency’s regional airports surpassed pre-pandemic volumes. In November 2022, total passenger volumes across the agency’s four commercial airports increased to 102% of pre-pandemic November 2019.

Additionally, the latest facility operating volumes for November 2022 are detailed below:

• For a fourth consecutive month, the Port of New York and New Jersey was yet again the nation’s busiest container port after handling 20% more cargo in November 2022 than it moved in November 2019.
• Traffic levels at the bridges and tunnels in November 2022 were similar to pre-pandemic November 2019 volume.
• PATH’s total ridership in November 2022 rose to 59% of its November 2019 total ridership.

The Port Authority has included monthly data comparisons below of November 2022 to October 2022 to provide further insight into month-to-month facility trends:

• Comparing November to October, the volume at the airports decreased 6%, traffic at the bridges and tunnels remained essentially flat, and PATH ridership in November 2022 decreased by 6%.
• Compared to October, November 2022 cargo activity at the seaport fell by 8.6% as the seasonal peak of activity associated with incoming holiday merchandise ended.

Airports:

In November, the Port Authority’s airports handled a total of 11 million passengers, which was 102% of pre-COVID November 2019 volumes – the first time monthly volume has exceeded 2019 monthly volume. Strong demand for air travel in November was driven primarily by domestic travelers during Thanksgiving, when 8% more holiday passengers flew to U.S. destinations compared to Thanksgiving 2019.

Airport passenger volumes decreased based on typical seasonal variations by 6% from October 2022, when the airport served 11.7 million passengers.

Tunnels, Bridges & Terminals (TB&T):

In November 2022, the Port Authority’s four bridges and two tunnels handled a total of 10 million eastbound vehicles, nearly equal to the pre-pandemic November 2019 level of 10.1 million vehicles.

November 2022 average daily and truck traffic levels remained flat compared to the month prior.

PATH:

PATH reached a pandemic-high percent of usage at 59%, or 3.9 million total riders, in November 2022 compared to November 2019. The previous high was 58% of 2019 in September 2022.

Compared to October 2022, total ridership decreased by 6% in November 2022.

Seaport:

The Port of New York and New Jersey moved 723,069 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in November 2022, which was an increase of 20.6% compared to November 2019.

November cargo volume decreased by 8.6% compared to October 2022, when the seaport handled 792,548 TEUs.

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