After COVID-19 turbulence, Kelowna International Airport navigates to bluer skies

Airports are more than concrete runways and control towers – they are critical hubs that connect people, support supply chains and promote economic growth.

In British Columbia, the Kelowna International Airport is the province’s second busiest airport and the largest municipally-owned airport in Canada.

At the beginning of 2020, the Kelowna International Airport was preparing for another busy year with an average of 175,000 passengers per month.

Overnight, passenger volumes dropped due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Terminals sat empty. Gates were vacant. By the end of 2020, the airport saw 64% fewer passengers than 2019 and had its revenue cut in half. 

Thanks to $3.2 million in support from PacifiCan’s Regional Air Transportation Initiative, the Kelowna International Airport was able to keep their terminal open to maintain critical air connectivity. It also positioned the airport as a key asset in the economic recovery of the region post-COVID.

As an essential service, the Kelowna International Airport continued to provide access to commercial air travel, as well as emergency and medivac services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The airport also maintained its cargo operations that supplied businesses and frontline workers.

Additional funding from PacifiCan also helped the Kelowna International Airport look to the future. With over $57,000 through the Tourism Relief Fund, the Kelowna International Airport increased the number of visitors to the region by securing new routes from cities like Saskatoon, Ottawa, and Montreal.

With PacifiCan support, the Kelowna International Airport surpassed its recovery goals and achieved significant growth, including:

• increasing passenger traffic by 145% in 2023 compared to 2021
• maintaining over 40 jobs
• adding 30 flights per week to attract more visitors to the region