Rapid City Regional Airport enplaned 206,010 passengers between January and June 2026, the highest first-half total in the airport’s history.
The figure topped the previous record of 196,136 passengers, set in the first half of 2025, by 5%. It marks the sixth consecutive year of first-half passenger growth at the airport.
Passenger growth picked up through the spring as the airport entered its peak travel season. May posted the strongest year-over-year increase of the first half, with enplanements rising 8.5%. June brought in 52,362 enplanements, the highest monthly total of the first half and a 6.1% increase over June 2025.
“None of this happens without the commitment of our airline partners or the airport staff and tenants who manage that growth every day,” said Patrick Dame, executive director of Rapid City Regional Airport. “The continued growth in passenger traffic makes one thing clear: South Dakota must continue investing in the airport infrastructure needed to support that demand.”
The airport served 419,553 total passengers in the first half of 2026, including 206,010 enplanements and 213,543 deplanements, a 5.1% increase in total passenger traffic over the same period last year.
Rapid City Regional Airport is the primary commercial airport serving western South Dakota and the main air gateway to the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore and Badlands National Park.
