For Immediate Release
Dec. 9, 2025
Cedar Rapids/Iowa City – It is the 10th consecutive record-breaking month for passenger traffic at the Eastern Iowa Airport (CID). The total number of passengers who flew CID in October was 146,643. That is a 7.3 percent higher than the October total in 2024 of 136,668.
Year-to-date, CID has eight percent more passenger traffic than the same time period in 2024.
Marty Lenss, airport director, says the reason the numbers continue to break records is because Eastern Iowans are choosing to fly CID.
“We are often asked, ‘How can we help grow the airport?’ Lenss says.” “The No. 1 way is to fly out of CID for business and leisure travel. Airlines will consider CID for expanded capacity and the addition of new nonstop services when their existing flights are full,” Lenss says.
CID is on pace to set its third consecutive annual total passenger record. In 2023, the total number of passengers choosing CID was 1.4 million, and in 2024, the number increased to 1.5 million.
With the weekend announcement the Iowa Hawkeye Football team plays Dec. 31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl Game in Tampa Bay, Lenss says fans should consider traveling nonstop on Allegiant’s flight to Tampa/St. Pete (PIE) or consider on of Allegiant’s other nearby airport, such as Sarasota Bradenton (SRQ). Additional one-stop connections to consider are American Airlines through Charlotte (CLT) or Delta Air Lines through Atlanta (ATL).
A special, fan charter is being organized by Destinations Unlimited, with that flight departing CID on Dec. 29 and returning Jan. 1.
Along with seeing a passenger increase, CID is seeing an increase in airport operations (takeoffs and landings). Total operations year-to-date (Jan. – Oct.) have increased 5 percent. But one specific area – civil aviation – saw a 190 percent increase for October. Civil aviation includes operations related to the Coe College Aviation Management & Flight Operations program that began this fall.
In 2024, the total number of civil operations in October was 391; compared to 1,134 operations in October 2025.
Lenss says it is tremendous to see all the Coe students active on the field and he anticipates that number to continue to grow.
“More operations add to growth for the airport, and increased economic development for Eastern Iowa,” he says.
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About The Eastern Iowa Airport – CID
CID has nonstop service to 17 destinations and offers more than 400 one-stop destinations with five airlines: Allegiant: Las Vegas (LAS), Nashville (BNA)*, Orlando Sanford (SFB), Phoenix/Mesa (AZA), Punta Gorda/Ft. Meyers (PGD), St. Pete/Tampa (PIE), Fort Lauderdale (FLL) and Sarasota (SRQ)*; American Airlines: Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW), Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), Ronald Reagan Washington National, Washington, D.C. (DCA), and Miami (MIA)*; Delta: Atlanta (ATL) and Minneapolis (MSP); Frontier Airlines: Denver (DEN); United Airlines: Chicago (ORD) and Denver (DEN). *Seasonal
CID is served by three air cargo carriers: FedEx, DHL, and UPS.
For more information, go to FlyCID.com.