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(Bismarck, ND) - The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its February 2026 airline passenger data for the state's eight commercial service airports.
North Dakota's commercial service airports recorded 105,263 passenger boardings in February 2026, remaining in line with the record-setting levels observed in February 2025 and reflecting continued stability in air travel demand across the state.
Airlines provided a total of 132,341 departure seats statewide in February 2026, a modest increase of approximately 0.5 percent over the prior year, signaling continued carrier confidence in the stability of North Dakota's markets heading into the spring travel season. Demand is expected to strengthen in the coming months, though the trajectory may depend in part on the duration and resolution of federal funding uncertainties affecting the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Federal DHS Shutdown Adds Uncertainty
These results come amid the ongoing partial shutdown of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which began on February 14th and continues to impact Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers.
While North Dakota airports have not experienced significant operational disruptions to date, other airports across the country have begun to report impacts. Disruptions may grow if the shutdown persists-particularly as financial strain on federal employees intensifies and begins to affect workforce stability.
In response, the North Dakota Industrial Commission has reactivated a financial assistance program through the Bank of North Dakota to support impacted federal employees. The program provides access to low-interest loans for furloughed federal workers, including TSA personnel, to help bridge financial gaps during the shutdown. Additional information is available on the Bank of North Dakota Website.
"TSA personnel are critical to the safe and efficient movement of passengers through our airports," said Kyle Wanner, Director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. "While operations have remained stable to date, prolonged federal funding uncertainty could begin to affect staffing levels and service reliability nationwide. North Dakota has taken a proactive approach to supporting these essential federal employees, and the Furloughed Federal Employee Relief Program provides an important resource to help maintain workforce stability during this period."
Individual Airport - February Passenger Records:
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The Fargo Hector International Airport achieved a new monthly passenger record with 50,278 passenger boardings. The previous record for the airport for the month of February was set in 2025 with 47,971 passengers.
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The Devils Lake Regional Airport established a new monthly passenger record with 841 boardings, surpassing its previous February record of 681 set in 2024.
February 2026 Statewide Airline Passenger Statistics
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Total Airline Passenger Boardings: 105,263
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Available Airline Departure Seats: 132,341
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Average Aircraft Load Factor: 80%
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Number of Successful Airline Departure Flights: 1,576
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Number of Airline Departure Flight Cancellations: 10
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Airline Departure Flight Cancellation Rate: 0.6%
February 2026 Airline Boarding Report
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