The pandemic-stricken year of 2020 was the worst for DFW International Airport in more than three decades, far outpacing all other economic disasters since the airport opened in 1974.
The 39.4 million passengers who got on and off planes at the airport last year was the smallest number since 1985, a startling sign that shows just how much of a setback the COVID-19 pandemic caused for the travel industry and how much it continues to hurt.
DFW counted 35 million fewer passengers in 2020 compared with a record-setting 2019 — a 48% decrease.
The last time DFW Airport saw such low passenger volume was when Ronald Reagan was president, the U.S. had a positive trade balance and the original Back to the Future was the top movie in America. At…