Idaho Falls Regional Airport expected to break all-time passenger record

The following is a news release from the City of Idaho Falls.

IDAHO FALLS — The Idaho Falls Regional Airport (IDA) is expected to surpass its all-time passenger record this month, marking another major milestone for the region’s growing air service. The previous record of 316,044 enplaned passengers, set in 2022, will be broken when the 316,045th passenger boards a flight sometime this week.

While the airport had initially planned to celebrate this achievement, IDA leadership has chosen to forgo a public celebration in light of the recent federal government shutdown and the resulting reductions in flights nationwide. The situation has also made it difficult to determine exactly when the record-setting passenger will board a flight.

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“This is a remarkable milestone for our airport and for the tremendous community support that brought us to this point. More importantly, we are deeply grateful to our federal partners at TSA who continue to show up for work despite not having received a paycheck in a month,” said Ian Turner, Airport Director of the Idaho Falls Regional Airport. “Given this unfortunate challenge, it didn’t feel right to celebrate at this time.”

Instead, the airport will provide lunch to the dedicated federal employees who continue to work without pay to ensure the safety and security of travelers at IDA.

An ongoing food drive to support these employees will also continue until they receive their next paycheck, which is expected soon. A donation table is located outside the Airport Administration Office for those wishing to contribute non-perishable food items or other essentials.

“Our TSA officers show up every day under difficult circumstances,” Turner added. “We want to do what we can to support them until this situation is fully resolved.”

IDA continues to experience strong growth and anticipates exceeding 360,000 passenger enplanements by the end of 2025, far surpassing previous records. This growth is being driven by increased flight frequencies to Denver, Seattle, and Salt Lake City, as well as larger aircraft and new destinations. The airport recently launched service to Chicago and expects additional service expansions to Chicago and Portland, Oregon, in May 2026 — likely positioning IDA for another record-breaking year.

For more information about the food drive or to learn how you can help, please visit the Idaho Falls Regional Airport on social media or contact the Administration Office at (208) 612-8221.

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