GREEN, Ohio – Six years ago, before the COVID pandemic, a majority of passengers who flew from the Akron-Canton Airport were business travelers flying to business destinations, including New York City and Houston.
Fast forward to today, and the vast majority of passengers at CAK are traveling to vacation destinations, fueled by the rapid growth of leisure-focused carriers Breeze and Allegiant.
Ren Camacho, president and CEO of the Akron-Canton Airport, is grateful for the growth from both Allegiant and Breeze, which are the two largest carriers at the Summit County airport.
But he’s working hard to bring back some of those business destinations.
“A lot of our local companies would love new nonstops to get to those destinations,” said Camacho, citing Houston, New York City, Atlanta and Dallas as top priorities.
Air service additions remain a primary focus for the small airport, which this week released a strategic plan that covers the facility’s priorities for the next three years.
Camacho said the airport decided to limit the plan to three years – down from five – because the travel industry is changing so rapidly.
“Air travel is constantly changing, and airports must remain agile while maintaining a clear strategic focus,” Camacho said. “This new plan reflects CAK’s commitment to innovation, resilience and service as we look toward the future.”
The number of travelers using the Akron-Canton Airport this year is expected to top 830,000 – the most since 2019, the year before the pandemic brought air travel to a halt worldwide.
But the makeup of those travelers has changed dramatically.
Gone are several business-focused destinations, including New York City, Houston, Denver and Atlanta.
Delta Air Lines exited the Akron-Canton Airport entirely during the COVID pandemic; Southwest, meanwhile, pulled out of CAK in 2017.
Meanwhile, Breeze, with 35% of all passengers, and Allegiant, with 29%, are the new top carriers at the airport.
Breeze will be flying to 16 destinations from Akron-Canton as of this fall, when five new cities are added to the lineup. In addition, the carrier will open a new crew base at Akron-Canton this summer, with as many as 60 pilots and flight attendants based in Northeast Ohio.
“It’s really our hit-it-out-of-the-park moment,” said Camacho, of Breeze’s rapid growth since 2021, when the Utah-based carrier was founded. “It’s truly a remarkable turnaround.”
No doubt, numerous Cleveland-area travelers are headed to the Akron-Canton Airport to fly both Breeze and Allegiant.
An airport study of Akron-Canton passenger makeup found that approximately 30% of travelers come from the Akron area, 30% from Canton-Massillon and about 18% from the Cleveland area.
Camacho noted that Akron-Canton has the lowest fares in the region, which are drawing passengers from outside Summit and Stark counties.
According to government data, the airport’s average fare in the fourth quarter of 2024 was $293.47 – considerably lower than Cleveland ($382.70), Pittsburgh ($391.85) and Columbus ($461.38).
Even so, Camacho, a former executive at Cleveland Hopkins, downplayed any competition with Northeast Ohio’s largest airport, located about 50 miles north of Akron-Canton.
“Their success is our success,” said Camacho, citing newly expanded service from Aer Lingus at Cleveland Hopkins, as well as the new Frontier Airlines crew base. “That’s a win for Northeast Ohio. It draws more people to Northeast Ohio.”
Still, he added, “Obviously we want to have folks come through the Akron-Canton Airport. I don’t see that as a competition. We want to give people a choice.”
To accommodate the increasing number of passengers, the airport plans to reopen a 1,000-space parking lot this summer, which has been closed since the pandemic.
The strategic plan also outlines several upcoming infrastructure needs for the airport, including a new air-traffic control tower and new customs facility.
Camacho said the new control tower would replace the existing one, in use since 1960. Early conversations will focus on where the new tower should be located and how its approximate $55 million cost will be funded.
In addition, the airport is planning for an updated and larger customs facility. Currently, the Akron-Canton Airport’s only international flights are cargo and private jet service.
Still, Camacho said, Breeze has hinted at the possibility of adding international service to its roster of destinations.
“We want to be prepared,” he said.
Akron-Canton Airport: By the numbers
Passengers (2024): 759,545
Top carriers (in order): Breeze, Allegiant, American
Top destinations (in order): Charlotte; Chicago; Orlando; Charleston, S.C.; Sarasota, Florida; Savannah, Georgia
Average airfare (fourth quarter 2024): $293.47
