Rockford airport sees record amount of cargo passed through in 2021

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Officials with the Chicago Rockford International Airport say more than 2.7 billion pounds of landed cargo landed at the airport through October 2021, setting a new record.

That amount beats the previous record of 2.2 billion pounds being passed through the airport in 2020 in that same time frame.

In October, the airport experienced a 24 percent increase in landed cargo operations. As the holidays approach and more cargo from e-commerce moves through, that number will continue to break records at the airport.

“RFD is the strongest economic driver in the region and that’s something we are all proud of,” said Mike Dunn, Executive Director at RFD. “Our resources, job force, and forward-thinking approach have allowed the airport to be a place for security in the face of one of the most unprecedented times in our supply chain history. RFD is reliable, accurate, and growing.”

The airport also serves other leaders in the air cargo industry, including ABX Air, ATI, Senator International, DB Schenker, National Airlines, and Atlas Air.

RFD is ranked as the 17th largest airport in the United States for air cargo and is the second-largest UPS hub in North America and a base of operations for Amazon Air.

“We are astounded by the economic progress, job growth, and overall development happening at the airport right now,” said Zack Oakley, Deputy Director of Operations and Planning at RFD. “By thinking strategically, prioritizing innovation, and capitalizing on the region’s talents and assets, we expect that growth to be exponential for the airport and for the region overall.”