Portland gets airport bragging rights over Manchester - Granite Geek (2024)
Portland, Maine, and Manchester, N.H., don’t have as much of a rivalry as they should. Both are the biggest cities in their similarly-sized state (both are “queen cities”, the term for a state’s biggest city that isn’t the capital), and they’re just close enough but just far enough away to have cousin-like jealously and interaction.
Manchester is larger in population (100K vs 66K, roughly) but Portland is a more dominant force in its state’s economy and personality, because in N.H., Nashua and greater Portsmouth on the Seacoast are closer rivals for economy and public attention than anything in Maine is to Portland.
Thanks to an editor’s update on wikipedia, I found a new source of conflict: Airport passenger numbers. In 2018, Portland had 1.06 million passengers while Manchester had 909,500 – that’s the first time Portland has ever passed Manchester, at least as far back as the federal DOT database shows.
Manchester’s passenger numbers have been falling since a peak in 2005 (see my latest story here), but Portland has been mostly rising. They fell after the 2008 recession but not by very much and starting rebounding after 2012, while Manchester’s just kept falling. Through May of this year the pattern continues: Portland is running about 10% higher than Manchester (370K vs. 334K)
My guess as to why: Portland is just far enough away from Boston that it has been less affected by airline’s shift back from regional to metro airports.
Year: Portland – Manchester
2017: 934,127 – 967,539
2015: 857,474 – 1.02 million
2012: 786,903 – 1.2 million
2008: 874,000 – 1.8 million
2005: 732,000 – 2.13 million (Manchester’s all-time high)
Visit Maine using airports in Portland, Bangor and small airports. Maine has three international airports: Portland International Jetport (PWM) in the south, Bangor International Airport (BGL) up the coast, and Presque Isle International Airport (PQI) in the north.
The pricing pressure largely stems from a disconnect in supply and demand for air travel. A combination of lower flight numbers and a surge in passenger traffic promise to keep planes packed for the foreseeable future.
Portland International Jetport (PWM) is a medium sized, multi-use airport located west of the popular seaside city of Portland, Maine. The traffic mix consists of everything from light general aviation aircraft, to air carrier/air taxi, to large and heavy military aircraft.
What is the nearest airport to Portland? The nearest airport to Portland is Portland (PWM) Airport which is 2.7 miles away. Other nearby airports include Manchester (MHT) (78.3 miles), Boston (BOS) (97.6 miles), Lebanon (LEB) (103.1 miles) and Bangor (BGR) (107.5 miles).
The city of Portland is nicknamed “PDX” after the International Air Transport Association airport code for the Portland International Airport, which is PDX.
Portland International Airport is back, baby. After one year in the number two spot, PDX is the best airport in the United States again, according to Travel + Leisure, where it was for the seven previous years.
Introduction: My name is Mr. See Jast, I am a open, jolly, gorgeous, courageous, inexpensive, friendly, homely person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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