However, the majority of routes from Palm Springs International Airport are short hops to relatively nearby cities such as Seattle (SEA), San Francisco (SFO), and Denver (DEN), and only three of the airport's destinations are more than 2,000 miles away.
Using data for December 2024 from Cirium, an aviation analytics company, let's take a look at these routes and the airlines that operate them.
3 Palm Springs (PSP) - Toronto (YYZ)
2,085 miles
In December 2024, Air Canada Rouge operates the most flights between Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ). The subsidiary of Air Canada operates 15 flights in each direction with its Airbus A320 aircraft and one flight with its A319.
Air Canada also flies the route once with its mainline Airbus A320 aircraft. The latest data from ch-aviation shows that the Canadian flag carrier currently has 27 A320s in its fleet, with an average of just over 23 years old.
Each A320 is equipped to carry up to 146 passengers in a two-class configuration - 12 in business class and 132 in economy class.
Porter Airlines also operates nine flights in each direction in December 2024, deploying its Embraer E195-E2 aircraft on the route.
The newcomer to the market commenced flights to Palm Springs in December 2024.
Speaking about the new route, the airline's Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Edmond Eldebs, said,
“Expanding into more destinations in Southern California is part of our commitment to provide more options to our passengers. We are proud to offer passengers the convenience of non-stop connections and the comfort of Porter’s elevated economy experience.”
2 Palm Springs (PSP) - Washington (IAD)
2,188 miles
United Airlines launched another new service to Palm Springs in December 2024, connecting Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) with Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD).
The Star Alliance carrier operates 13 flights in each direction on the 2,188-mile route, which will operate as a winter-seasonal route, taking advantage of the significant market of those looking to escape the cold East Coast winters.
At the time of the launch, United Airlines' Senior Vice President of Global Network Planning and Alliances, Patrick Quayle, shared their excitement, saying,
“This service will be the first connection ever between Washington, DC and Palm Springs and create unparalleled access to Palm Springs from the East Coast and Europe through one of United’s fastest growing hubs. We pride ourselves in offering unique, world-class destinations and are excited to offer our customers more service to beautiful Greater Palm Springs.”
From its hub at Washington Dulles International Airport, United Airlines operates an extensive route network across North America, and also flies to a number of long-haul destinations, including:
- London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
- São Paulo Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
- Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
1 Palm Springs (PSP) - New York (JFK)
2,378 miles
The longest route out of Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) is to New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), coming in at 2,378 miles long.
- Boeing 737-800 - 10
- Boeing 737-900ER - 31
- Boeing 737 MAX 8 - 1
- Boeing 737 MAX 9 - 20
This will be the second winter season that Alaska Airlines has operated the route, while Delta Air Lines commences the once-weekly winter-seasonal route on December 21st, 2024, meaning that it will only operate two return flights before the end of the year.
The SkyTeam member will deploy its Airbus A220-300s on the route, which can each accommodate up to 130 passengers in a two-class configuration - 12 in business class and 118 in economy class.
At the time of Delta Air Lines' new route announcement, the Executive Director at Palm Springs International Airport, Harry Barrett, Jr., said,
“We are looking forward to Delta expanding their services from Palm Springs. Their new service to JFK not only boosts our connectivity to the East Coast but also brings a high level of comfort and convenience to our passengers. This is a wonderful addition to our growing list of air service options.”
Palm Springs International Airport's passenger numbers have grown exponentially in recent years, not counting 2020-21, when air travel was severely curtailed. The facility's passenger figures are outlined in the table below:
With the exception of services to a number of destinations in Canada, courtesy of Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Flair Airlines, Porter Airlines, and WestJet, all of Palm Springs International Airport's routes are domestic. In 2023, the busiest routes were:
- Seattle (SEA) - 176,000 passengers
- Denver (DEN) - 169,000 passengers
- San Francisco (SFO) - 167,000 passengers
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) - 153,000 passengers
- Phoenix-Sky Harbor (PHX) - 122,000 passengers.
Southwest Airlines currently has the largest presence at Palm Springs International Airport, with a market share of 22.4%.
The carrier connects the airport with Denver (DEN), Las Vegas (LAS), Oakland (OAK), Sacramento (SMF), San Jose (SJC), and Dallas Love Field (DAL), and in early 2025, will resume services from its major hub at Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).
|
Airline |
Market share |
|---|---|
|
Southwest Airlines |
22.4% |
|
SkyWest Airlines |
21.7% |
|
American Airlines |
17.2% |
|
Alaska Airlines |
12.2% |
|
United Airlines |
11.7 |
Frontier Airlines made a return to Palm Springs International Airport in December 2024 with flights to San Francisco (SFO) and Denver (DEN). Both flights operate three times per week.
The airport has now become the ninth California airport to be served by the ultra-low-cost carrier. Frontier Airlines' Vice President of Network and Operations Design, Josh Flyn, celebrated the news, saying,
“We are excited to be back in Palm Springs, the latest in our rapid expansion in the great state of California. Our service will provide ultra-low fare options to cost-conscious consumers in the area, unlocking affordable travel to the Bay Area, the Rocky Mountains, and many destinations beyond.”
Palm Springs International Airport was recently awarded a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of $6 million to upgrade its outbound baggage handling system. Construction is due to start in late 2025.
The investment forms part of the nationwide Airport Terminals Program, which aims to improve airport terminal infrastructure across the country, with a total budget of $970 million. Harry Barrett, Jr., the airport's Executive Director, said,
“After two consecutive years of record passenger numbers at PSP, this funding is vital to our mission to deliver a smooth and efficient travel experience for our guests. This grant from the FAA allows us to expand our outbound baggage area to meet current and future demand, supporting our airport’s growth and our community’s needs.”
