Pandemic takes bite out of passenger numbers at Watertown Regional Airport in 2020 (Audio)

January 15, 2021
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–2020 was a bad year for the airline industry due to the pandemic, and the numbers at Watertown Regional Airport bear that out.

Airport Manager Todd Syhre says there were 7,225 passenger boardings last year, or about 4,400 passengers fewer than in 2019.

The virus is the reason why…

Syhre says they had 508 boardings last month, but the bottoming out point was in April, when only 45 people flew out of Watertown.

There are brighter days ahead, with the COVID-19 vaccine coming out, and construction underway on a new airport terminal building..

The terminal will be finished late this year, or in early 2022.

Watertown Regional Airport provides non-stop jet service to Chicago and Denver via Skywest Airlines, doing business as United Express.