July 30, 2024—In June 2024, Blue Grass Airport (LEX) experienced its busiest month ever in the airport’s history. A total of 157,715 passengers flew to and from Blue Grass Airport this past June, an increase of 18.5 percent from June 2023 and a 13 percent increase from the previous June record in 2019. The four airlines operating from Blue Grass Airport—Allegiant, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines—all played a significant role in achieving this passenger record.
“It is exciting to see the airport experience such a large percentage of growth this month,” said Eric Frankl, president & CEO of Blue Grass Airport. “It reflects not only growth in flight offerings from our airline partners but also our commitment to providing convenience and exceptional service for our customers in central Kentucky. We look forward to continuing this momentum in the summer months ahead.”
Blue Grass Airport attributes its record-setting performance to multiple factors. In the past year, the airport has received non-stop flights to multiple new destinations. United Airlines added non-stop daily flights to/from Denver, Colorado, and Allegiant began twice weekly flights to Las Vegas, Nevada. Every airline operating at Blue Grass Airport increased the number of seats available for purchase in June 2024 by flying larger aircraft and/or increasing the number of flights to each destination, including more flights to Charlotte, Chicago, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach and Detroit.
“We are appreciative of the non-stop destinations, frequency, and larger, more comfortable aircraft that our airline partners are bringing to Lexington,” added Frankl. “These additional options for our customers have been fantastic and keep travelers flying from their local airport.”
To continue accommodating this growth, Blue Grass Airport has been working on a Master Plan that began in summer 2022 and will conclude later this year. The Master Plan forecasts future aviation activity and creates a strategic vision to accommodate the region’s needs. Throughout this process, Blue Grass Airport has held multiple workshops with the public and airport partners to obtain input. The plan covers all areas of airport operations and infrastructure, such as safety, passenger experience, facilities, and corporate and private aviation.