Evansville Regional Airport this week reported a 19.25 percent increase in previous counts in 2015 over the previous year, the largest growth since 2000.
The airport also said its fares were down 11 percent.
The passenger count for 2015 was 208,296, well ahead of 2014's count of 174,665.
"We are very pleased with our growth and our positioning in the air travel market, and we are grateful that our communities responded to the additional capacity that we've added over the last year," Doug Joest, executive director at Evansville Regional Airport, said in a written statement.
Joest said he believes there are a few factors that have contributed to the sudden passenger growth. One is the increase in air service the facility has attracted in recent years, with the addition of American Airline's Charlotte flights and United Chicago flights.
"It's not just about getting people from the Tri-State area connected to the world; it's also about getting the world connected to our communities," Joest said.
The airport is also working on renovations to help improve customer experience, such as adding a fifth jet bridge over the summer and a $10 million terminal renovation project through the Regional Cities Initiative grant award to Southwest Indiana. The terminal renovation will include a centralized screening area, which will provide passengers with restaurants and other amenities after they clear security.
Joest said these renovations will help provide passengers with a better travel experience and sets the airport up for future growth in a very competitive industry.