TRAVERSE CITY — Travel numbers at Cherry Capital Airport eased in November — in part because of the extended federal government shutdown — but still added to the airport’s record-breaking travel year.
The Northwest Regional Airport Authority Board reviewed TVC’s monthly operational report for November which showed 50,905 passengers moved through TVC turnstiles. It was an increase of 4.1% from last November’s travel total, following months of double-digit percentage increases from 2024 travel numbers.
Year-to-date travel at TVC through November is 885,499 travelers, some 21% ahead of last year and adding to the new passenger record set in October — and further distancing the 787,114 travel record set in 2024.
Airport CEO Kevin Klein said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the increased travel count in November, considering the impact of the 43-day federal government shutdown that began Oct. 1 and continued through Nov. 12. While Klein said previously that the shutdown had little impact on TVC at its onset, it did begin to affect operations in its later stages as the Federal Aviation Administration scaled back{span} flight service at some U.S. airports to deal with personnel shortages created by the shutdown — including at O’Hare Airport in Chicago.
The shutdown created various flight delays at TVC, officials said, and eventually the cancellation of about three TVC flights per day.
”I think we survived the shutdown better than most,” Klein said.
Two of the airport’s mainline air carriers — American and Delta — recorded passenger declines in November compared to a year ago. But that was more than made up by a 45% increase in United travelers for the month which exceeded 20,000 passengers.
The airport board also reviewed state-wide air travel data through October compiled by the state Department of Transportation. State numbers showed Cherry Capital Airport was the third-busiest in Michigan through the first 10 months of the year. Its 834,000-plus passengers trailed only Detroit Metropolitan Airport (more than 24.9 travelers) and Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids with more than 3.5 million travelers.
Other Michigan airports showing significant passenger growth from last year included Bishop International Airport in Flint, with nearly 525,000 passengers through October which is up 24% over the year. Manistee County’s Blacker Airport is also up more than 26% to 14,030 travelers, while Pellston Regional Airport north of Petoskey saw 56,571 passengers, a 0.7% increase from 2024 totals.
Total statewide air travel through October came in at 30,917,601, a 5.2% decrease from 2024.
In other business, the board scheduled its 2026 organizational meeting for 2 p.m. Jan. 27 in the airport’s conference room. Election of officers for the year and committee assignments will take place.
Last week marked the final meeting for board members James O’Rourke, a Leelanau County representative from Elmwood Township, and Grand Traverse County representative Wayne Schmidt of Traverse City. Schmidt is a former state senator and county commissioner, while O’Rourke served as a former county and township official following a long career in law enforcement. Both had served on the airport board since 2023.
Schmidt will be replaced by Rob Donnell, who was appointed by the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners for a three-year term as a county representative. O’Rourke’s seat has not yet been filled by the Leelanau County board.