Love the Journey Blog

Travelers are taking to the skies with rates approaching pre-pandemic levels and continuing to climb at Bradley International Airport.

More than 4.6M passengers traveled through the airport in 2021. This is an increase of 95% in overall passenger traffic compared to 2020. However, 2021 passenger numbers still represented a 30% decrease as compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

“Our passenger traffic is showing promising signs of recovery,” said Kevin A. Dillon, A.A.E, Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. “While COVID-19 impacts continue, we are focused on driving continued growth at Bradley International Airport and are optimistic that pre-pandemic passenger volumes will return by the end of this year.”

The majority of the current traffic can be attributed to those traveling for leisure purposes, in part due to the comprehensive safety measures in place at airports and onboard aircraft, which are increasingly making travelers more comfortable to travel. It is also fueled by pent-up travel demand, with travelers ready to make up on lost travel.

Business travel is yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and industry experts agree that it will take longer to recover nationwide.

Currently, Bradley International Airport offers nonstop access to 37 destinations on 11 different airlines.

Bradley International Airport (BDL) invites you to love the journey at New England's second-largest airport. Recognized nationally by leading travel publications for its ease of travel, Bradley International Airport is ready to welcome you with new nonstops, expanded services, and convenient travel. The award-winning airport is operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority, and its operations are entirely self-funded. The airport contributes nearly $3.6 billion to the regional economy.

*Some nonstop flights may operate only during certain time periods of the year (seasonally). For the latest flight information, please visit the airline's website.