Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) Statistics

Fairbanks International Airport (FAI) is Alaska’s second-busiest airport and the main air gateway to the state’s interior. It connects Fairbanks with destinations across the United States and serves as a regional hub for remote communities throughout interior Alaska.

Fairbanks International Airport handles over 1 million passengers each year. It fully recovered from pandemic-related declines by 2025 and set a new record in that same year.

• The airport served 1.20 million passengers in FY2025 (year ending June 30), an all-time high that exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
• FY2019, before the pandemic, saw 1.19 million passengers.
• Passenger traffic dropped to 900,806 in FY2020 and reached a low of 581,160 in FY2021.
• Recovery began in FY2022 with 1.04 million passengers, followed by 1.08 million in FY2023.
• The airport handled 1.16 million passengers in FY2024, narrowing the gap toward pre-pandemic levels.

Alaska Airlines and its regional affiliate Horizon Air account for the majority of FAI’s passenger volume.

• In 2025, Alaska Airlines carried 57.3% of passengers and Horizon Air carried 18.9%.
• Delta Air Lines served 12.1% and United Airlines carried 5.5%.
• Wright Air Service, a regional carrier, transported 4.1%, mostly to remote villages.
• Combined, Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air handled 76.2% of all passengers, showing the concentration of service at FAI.

• Seattle/Tacoma, WA (SEA) served 286,760 passengers in 2025, making it the busiest route.
• Anchorage, AK (ANC) handled 173,880 passengers, remaining the top intrastate link.
• Chicago O’Hare, IL (ORD) carried 16,010 passengers on United’s seasonal summer service.
• Minneapolis, MN (MSP) had 13,840 passengers via Delta’s seasonal flights.

Cancellations at FAI are typically low, usually under 2% per year, mainly due to severe winter weather.

• In 2025, 0.88% of flights were cancelled, indicating an improvement from 1.16% in 2024.
• The cancellation rate peaked at 2.81% in 2022 due to staffing and weather challenges.
• FY2021 saw a rate of 2.20% during pandemic recovery.
• The rate improved to 0.59% in 2023 in line with national reliability gains.
• In 2020, cancellations were 1.10%, relatively low given the pandemic.

FAI generates over $14 million in annual operating revenue.

• In FY2025, operating revenue reached about $15 million, the highest on record.
• FY2019 saw $11.7 million before the pandemic.
• Revenue fell to $10.4 million in FY2020, then to $8.2 million in FY2021.
• Recovery brought in $10.3 million in FY2022, $12.1 million in FY2023 and $14.2 million in FY2024

• April 23, 2024: An Alaska Air Fuel Douglas C-54D cargo plane experienced an engine explosion after takeoff and crashed near the Tanana River, 7 miles from FAI. Both pilots died. The incident led to stricter inspection rules for vintage aircraft engines.
• February 16, 1975: A Pacific Alaska Airlines Douglas DC-6 crashed after losing power in three engines, possibly due to fuel contamination. All 3 crew members died. The crash resulted in improved cold-weather fuel standards.
• February 28, 1994: A Rich International Lockheed L-1011 TriStar lost power in two engines and caught fire during takeoff. The crew safely aborted the takeoff with no injuries. Emergency protocols for large aircraft were updated.
• December 30, 1951: A Transocean Air Lines Curtiss C-46 crashed on approach due to spatial disorientation. All 4 people onboard died. This early fatal crash prompted improvements in instrument landing systems.