HEBRON, Ky. -- Passengers can fly direct to 54 destinations from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport -- but flights to four cities known as vacation hot spots are among the most sought for travelers in the Tri-State.
WCPO.com compiled a list of the top 20 domestic destinations via CVG, and Orlando, Las Vegas and Fort Myers, Florida, round out the top three. New York also rose in the ranks with recently introduced nonstop service by Allegiant to Newark in November and American Airlines to LaGuardia last January.
“Low fares to popular leisure and tourism destinations continue to stimulate a lot of demand," Candace McGraw, CVG's chief executive officer, said. "In 2016, passenger volume increased to Orlando almost 20 percent, Fort Myers 25 percent, Las Vegas 12 percent, and New York almost 30 percent. With service from eight different carriers, CVG offers a broad range of airline options and destinations that can meet the needs of Tri-State travelers."
Orlando is touted as a unique destination. Home to Walt Disney World Resort, it also offers other shopping, dining and entertainment options. It was among the first cities served by Allegiant when it first launched service here in 2014. Three airlines, including Allegiant, Delta and Frontier, fly at least daily into both Orlando International and Orlando Sanford International airports. Other Sunshine State stops on the list include Tampa/St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale.
The rankings could see some major shifts in 2017. Southwest Airlines announced Jan. 4 it is coming to CVG with eight total daily flights to Chicago and Baltimore/Washington beginning June 4. And the new year brought with it an incentive program where CVG can waive certain fees and dedicate marketing dollars to airlines that add routes to targeted cities like Long Beach, Oakland, Portland, Seattle, San Diego or Houston. None currently have nonstop service but are often sought-after destinations for locals.
Top CVG markets (passenger volume)
1. Orlando (MCO and SFB)
2. Las Vegas
3. Fort Myers (RSW and PGD)
4. New York-LaGuardia
5. Tampa/St. Petersburg (TPA and PIE)
6. Washington, D.C. (DCA and IAD)H
7. Dallas-Fort Worth
8. Los Angeles
9. Chicago (ORD)
10. Denver
11. Boston
12. Atlanta
13. Fort Lauderdale
14. New York-Newark
15. Philadelphia
16. San Francisco
17. Charlotte
18. Phoenix (PHX and AZA)
19. Houston
20. Minneapolis
