Sioux Falls Airport Captures 86 Percent of Area Travelers

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — More residents of South Dakota's largest city are no longer traveling to other Midwest cities to catch a flight.

The Argus Leader reports that in 2009, the Sioux Falls Regional Airport captured about 55 percent of the city's market share of passengers. The figure has increased to 86 percent.

An air service committee established several years ago marketed to potential travelers living within a 90-minute drive of Sioux Falls, focusing on the convenience of flying out of the city and airport improvements, such as more parking.

Minneapolis draws 7.6 percent of the Sioux Falls market. That's more than Omaha, which has dropped to drawing 5.5 percent of Sioux Falls passengers.

Airport officials predict its annual capacity will be up 6 percent year-over-year by next spring.