HANOVER TOWNSHIP, LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. — The 168 passengers who boarded Lehigh Valley International Airport's first direct flight to Orlando International Airport last month were part of a huge pre-summer surge in travel at LVIA.
The airport saw its highest passenger traffic for May since 2004, a release said Monday.
The 85,243 passengers through the gates also were a 16.5% increase from May 2023, the release said.
“Air travelers across the Lehigh Valley took advantage of a higher seat capacity in the market," Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority Executive Director Thomas R. Stoudt said.
"Allegiant Air started nonstop service to Orlando International Airport [MCO] and American Airlines added more trips using Landline Bus Service to Philadelphia.”
Allegiant traffic increased 31.7% and American passenger traffic surged 16.8%, according to the release.
Stoudt anticipates the trend “will hold true in the next few months” as summer travel kicks into gear.
Allegiant's 10th connection
The airline already offered about 15 flights a week to Orlando Sanford International Airport and a direct connection to Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
"If there's one thing we learned here in ABE, there's never enough capacity to vacationers heading to Orlando theme parks,” Stoudt said.
Overall, LVIA partners with four major airlines to provide service to 15 non-stop destinations. But in May, Delta remained flat with service to Detroit and Atlanta, and United decreased 17% from last May with its service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
Travel tips for busy summer season
In the release, Lehigh-Northampton Airport Authority offered travel tips for passengers and recommended leaving extra time to process through TSA checkpoints.
Additional tips included:
- Visit TSA.gov or @askTSA with any general questions or to arrange travel with special circumstances
- If traveling with children, double-check their carry-on bags to ensure there aren’t any prohibited items
- Passengers under the age of 18 do not need travel identification if accompanied by a companion
- Boarding begins 30 to 45-minutes prior to departure
- Checked bags will not be accepted less than 30 minutes before departure
