The Great Falls International Airport said in a news release on Thursday, July 10, 2025, that it closed its fiscal year on June 30 with an all-time high of 387,416 passengers, surpassing the previous record of 381,223 set in 2015.
The agency said that passenger growth in Great Falls was largely driven by a shift to larger aircraft by commercial airlines.
Since the pandemic, U.S. airlines have phased out most of their 50-seat regional jets, requiring smaller markets like Great Falls to adapt to significantly more seat capacity.
While Delta Air Lines recently announced the suspension of its Minneapolis service effective September 8, United Airlines has expanded capacity by extending its seasonal mainline Airbus service into November and is considering leaving mainline service through the holidays. This results in a net increase of roughly 10% more seat capacity this fall compared to fall 2019.
The agency also noted that the federal Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has eliminated its long-standing requirement for passengers to remove their shoes during security screening.
