Sky Schaudt/KJZZ

Travelers head off to their flights at Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.

June was a record month for passenger traffic at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The airport saw 151,219 travelers last month. That’s nearly 64,000 more than June 2020.

Mesa Mayor John Giles who chairs the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport Authority said, “June is the kickoff to the summer travel season, and we are encouraged and hopeful that this trend will continue.”

Located in Mesa about 30 miles from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, Gateway reported an airport record pre-pandemic of almost 1.8 million annual passengers. 

This fall, two budget carriers — Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines and Canadian Flair Airlines — will begin service at Gateway. They’ll join ultra low cost carriers Allegiant, Avelo, WestJet and Swoop. 

After Williams Air Force Base closed in 1993, it reopened as Williams Mesa Gateway Airport. In 2007, the name changed to Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. In addition to budget carriers, Gateway is home to the nation’s first international inland air cargo hub to house both U.S. and Mexican customs.