August 27, 2010 

An Integrated Program 

of New Service Development via: 

 Startup Cost Offsets 

 Advertising/Marketing 

 Revenue Guarantees 

In Support of New Scheduled Air 

Service to/from Dallas/Fort Worth 

Sponsor: Bismarck Airport 

 Bismarck, North Dakota 

 Greg Haug, Airport Manager 

 Congressional Code: ND-001 

 Dun & Bradstreet Number: 080245640 

BISMARCK AIRPORT, BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA

Proposal Under the Small Community Air Service Development Program 

 

Docket: DOT-OST-2010-0124

Before the Office of the Secretary of Transportation 

US Department of Transportation
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Page 

Introductory Letter 3 

Summary Information 4-6 

Introduction 7-8 

Primary Objectives of Proposal 9 

Executive Summary 10-13 

Detailed Explanation of Proposal/Expected Results 14-17 

Current Air Service in Bismarck 18-21 

Air Service Deficiencies in Bismarck 22-25 

Extenuating Factors Affecting Air Service 26 

Availability of Alternate Airports 27 

Grant Funding Allocation and Use of Local & Federal Funds 28 

Target Audiences for Grant-Funded Service 29 

Public/Private Partnerships 30-31 

Timeline 32 

Air Service Advisory Groups 33 

Previous Grant Award 34 

Local Air Service Development Efforts 35-37 

In-Kind Services from the Community 38 

Performance Measures 39 

Financial Controls 40 

Return on Investment 41 

Alternate Plan 42 

Airport Information 43 

Community Profile 44-51 

Comparison to Other Communities in Region 52-58 

Conclusions 59 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 3

INTRODUCTORY LETTER 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 4

SUMMARY INFORMATION 

Small Community Air Service Development Program 

Docket DOT-OST-2010-0124 

A. Applicant Information 

 Not a Consortium Community now receives EAS subsidy 

 Interstate Consortium Intrastate Consortium 

 Community previously received a Small Community Grant 

 If previous recipient, date of Grant: __October 11, 2002___ 

 expiration date of Grant: __February 1, 2008__ 

B. Public/Private Partnership

Public: 

1. Bismarck Airport 

2. City of Bismarck 

3. City of Mandan 

Private: 

 

1. Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce 

2. Bismarck-Mandan Development Association 

3. Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 5

C. Project Proposal 

 Marketing Upgrade Aircraft New Route 

 Personnel Increased Frequency Low Fare Service 

 Travel Bank Service Restoration Subsidy 

 Surface Transportation Regional Service Other (Specify) 

 Revenue Guarantee Launch New Carrier 

 Startup Cost Offset First Competitive Service 

 Study Secure Additional Carrier 

D. Existing Landing Aids at Airport

 Full ILS Outer/Middle Marker Published Instrument Approach 

 Localizer Other:

E. Project Cost 

1. Federal amount requested: $ 500,000 

2. State cash financial contribution: $ 0

3. Local cash financial contribution: $ 50,000

 3a. Airport cash funds: $ 0

 3b. Non-Airport cash funds: $ 50,000 

 3c. Total local cash funds: $ 50,000

4. TOTAL CASH FUNDING: $ 550,000

5. Local funds contributed from already existing

Programs of projects included in line 3c: $ 0

6. Local funds contributed from new commitments 

Or new resources included in line 3c: $ 50,000

7. Airport In-Kind contribution: $ Various

Description: Fee waivers: One year without landing and terminal fees

8. Other In-Kind contribution: $ Various

Description: See page 38

9. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION: $ Undetermined

10. TOTAL PROJECT COST: $ 550,000
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 6

F. Enplanements at Airport

 2000: 134,483 

2001: 131,246

 2002: 139,343

 2003: 141,090

 2004: 159,963

 2005: 174,567

 2006: 180,674

 2007: 181,310

 2008: 175,626 

2009: 181,114 

G. Is Application Subject to Review by State Under Executive Order 12372 Process?

 This application was made available to the State on ______. 

 Program is subject to review, but has not been selected by the State. 

 Program is not covered. 

H. Is Applicant Delinquent on any Federal Debt? 

 No 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 7

INTRODUCTION 

Among the country’s most isolated airports, the Bismarck Airport also has one of the nation’s 

most expensive airfares – averaging more than $224 each way, or a $448 roundtrip, for the year 

ending in the first quarter of 2010. In fact, among the top 200 US airports, there is not an airport 

within 750 miles of Bismarck with a more expensive average fare. 

A prime factor contributing to these inflated prices is the Airport’s poor coverage to the South 

and East. Of its six regularly scheduled routes, Bismarck currently offers no southbound service, 

and only one flight per day is scheduled to Chicago – its most eastern direct destination. High 

ticket prices also result from the dominance of a single airline. Delta controls about two-thirds of 

Bismarck’s network passenger market, including shares in excess of 80 percent in about half of 

the Airport’s top 50 markets. 

This air service clearly is out of step with the region’s economic 

boom. The Bismarck-Mandan metro area enjoys the country’s 

lowest unemployment rate – only 3.8 percent in June 2010. This is 

in large part because the city sits at the epicenter of the 

Williston Basin Province, site to oil and gas reserves among the 

largest in the US. Fields in this region led North Dakota on its way 

to producing 79.7 million barrels of oil in 2009, up more than a 

quarter from a record 62.8 million barrels the year before. Similar 

gains are anticipated in years to come, making North Dakota 

one of the nation’s largest producers of this critical energy source. 

Bismarck also benefits from the development of other energy resources, including North 

Dakota’s vast coal deposits and its nation-leading wind supplies. Taken together, the 

development of this array of energy resources will continue to fuel the local and regional 

economies for years to come, in turn contributing to national prosperity while lessening our 

dependence on foreign energy. 

Maximum benefits of this sustained economic upswing, however, are jeopardized under 

Bismarck’s current commercial air service. A majority of the largest oil exploration companies 

operating in North Dakota are headquartered in Texas and other points in the South. Energyrelated business travel to important cities like Dallas and Houston, among others, is severely 

limited by the Airport’s high airfares and poor airline route coverage. 

“Bismarck has one of the 

nation’s most expensive 

airfares. A prime factor 

contributing to these 

inflated prices is the 

Airport’s limited air service 

to the South and East”
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 8

The Airport must take action to lower its airfares through an expanded air service geography 

and increased carrier competition. In pursuit of these goals, this proposal offers three route 

options. Option one introduces American Eagle nonstop service to Dallas/Fort Worth. This route, 

in opening coverage to the South, would directly link Bismarck with the headquarters of some of 

the country’s biggest energy companies and thereby ensure unimpeded two-way business 

travel for one of North Dakota’s – and the nation’s – most important industries. Indeed, this is the 

most desired route among petroleum companies operating in the state. 

Alternate options reduce fares by enhancing eastern connectivity. Option two adds a second 

nonstop daily flight on United to Chicago O’Hare, doubling the number of seats to one of the 

country’s best-connected hubs and thereby contributing to greater network competition in 

Bismarck’s top eastern markets. And option three introduces direct service to Milwaukee on 

Frontier, spurring low-fare competition in a number of Bismarck’s largest domestic passenger 

markets. 

This grant proposal calls for Department funding of $500,000 and a local “new” money match of 

$50,000. The combined $550,000 would be used to recruit, abate risk, and market new 

commercial air service. This new service would address the market’s current high fares, which 

result from limited east- and southbound access, low competition, and market share 

concentration issues that have arisen from the Delta/Northwest merger. 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 9

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF PROPOSAL 

Objectives for program include: 

 reducing airfares at the Bismarck Airport; 

 increasing air service to regions currently not served or underserved by the Airport; 

 increasing airline competition in the Bismarck market; and 

 improving business travel access to oil and gas production fields of North Dakota 

Means to achieve objectives include: 

 building a business case for additional commercial air service; 

 providing financial support, in the form of a minimum revenue guarantee and other 

incentives, to reduce the financial risk to the airline; and 

 recruiting American Eagle jet service between Bismarck and Dallas/Ft. Worth. Alternate 

options include doubling seat capacity to Chicago O’Hare on United, or introducing 

new low-cost service on Frontier to Milwaukee. 

Course of action to support means include: 

 contributing startup costs to reduce the cost of entry into the market; 

 providing revenue guarantees to ensure success of the new service; and 

 supplying marketing support to increase awareness of lower fares and increased 

connectivity. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 10

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

Connecting central-western North Dakota with the national air transportation network, the 

Bismarck Airport plays an important role in the region’s sustained economic boom, which is 

being driven largely by the development of the region’s tremendous energy resources. The 

Airport provides the only commercial air service within a radius of approximately 100 miles. 

Fargo, located some 200 

miles away, is the nearest 

airport offering comparative 

levels of service. 

The Airport’s catchment area 

includes the area defined by 

the US Census Bureau as the 

Bismarck-Mandan 

Metropolitan Statistical Area 

(MSA), along with a large 

swath of central-western 

North Dakota and a small 

portion of northern South 

Dakota. Due to its relative 

isolation, service at the Airport 

draws from a very large 

geographic area – farther 

than even the two hour 

catchment encompassed by 

the dark, solid line in Figure 1. 

Bismarck’s 60-minute 

catchment area is home to 

about 110,000 people as of the latest US Census estimates, while the 120-minute catchment 

area is home to more than 225,000 people. Realistically, though, the Airport potentially attracts 

travelers from a 45-county area, displayed in orange in Figure 1, home to more than 380,000 

people. 

FIGURE 1: The Bismarck Airport’s catchment area
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 11

Passengers at 

Bismarck Airport 

have access to 

regular direct 

service by three 

carriers to six 

destinations (see 

Figure 2), which, as 

of June 2010, 

combine for an 

average of 13.5 

flights per day each 

way (FDEW). Most 

frequent – 5.6 

FDEW, or little more 

than 40 percent of 

all flights at 

Bismarck – is Delta service to Minneapolis. Service to four destinations in the West and Southwest 

account for just over half all flights, including four daily flights to and from Denver on United, two 

roundtrips per day to Salt Lake City on Delta (this service will be reduced to one flight per day on 

November 23, 2010), and Allegiant service to Las Vegas (0.5 FDEW) and Phoenix/Mesa (0.4 

FDEW). Only a single daily flight each way on United connects Bismarck travelers with Chicago 

O’Hare, the Airport’s easternmost nonstop destination. There is no direct southbound service. 

The Airport’s poor coverage in the South and East poses a distinct challenge for the increasingly 

large business contingency flowing in and out of Bismarck and its surrounding communities. 

Particularly inconvenienced are travelers employed in the oil and gas industries, vital to the 

area’s economy. As a recent survey shows, 11 of the largest 20 oil companies with operations in 

North Dakota have headquarters in Texas, and another three are based in other southern 

locales. Executives of these and multiple other companies developing North Dakota’s sizeable 

energy capacities cite Bismarck’s inadequate service to the South and East as a major 

inconvenience in conducting their business. 

The Airport’s limited geography contributes to its having some of the nation’s most expensive 

airfares, averaging $224 each way for the year ending in the first quarter of 2010 – $53 greater 

than the $171 average for the top 200 US airports (see Figure 3 on next page). Among airports in 

FIGURE 2: Current air service at the Bismarck Airport, June 2010
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 12

North Dakota and its neighboring 

states ranked in the US top 200, 

only Kalispell, MT – more than 750 

miles away – has a higher 

average fare. Accompanying 

Bismarck’s exorbitant fares are 

particularly high revenue yields for 

its carriers. Tickets at the Airport 

generate average yields 

exceeding 19¢ per mile – 22 

percent above the 200-airport 

national average and the highest 

among airports in North Dakota and 

its neighboring states (see Figure 4). 

Bismarck’s burden of high fares, 

however, is not spread evenly. In markets east of Minneapolis (excluding Chicago) to rank 

among Bismarck travelers’ top 50 destinations, one-way fares averaged $279 for the year 

ending first quarter 2010. This is $55 

above the Airport’s already 

exorbitant overall average and 

$108 more expensive than the 

typical US average one-way fare. 

This uneven burden is tied to the 

monopoly-like conditions enjoyed 

by Delta in the East. The carrier, 

which took over Northwest’s 

operations at the Airport following 

the airlines’ 2008 merger, 

cumulatively handles almost 90 

percent of Bismarck’s eastbound 

passengers. 

In spite of high fares and poor geographical coverage, thanks to a booming regional economy 

passenger demand at Bismarck has climbed by more than 9 percent over the past five years 

(see Figure 5 on next page). The dip in origin and destination passengers in the year ending in 

FIGURE 3: Average one‐way fares at airports ranked among  

top US 200 in North Dakota and neighboring states, YE1Q2010  

(source: US DOT Table DB1A)

$233

$224

$214

$212

$209

$207

$206

$204

$183

$183

$181

$176

$164

$0 $50 $100 $150 $200 $250

Kalispell, MT

Bismarck, ND

Grand Forks, ND

Great Falls, MT

Bozeman, MT

Sioux Falls, SD

Duluth, MN

Missoula, MT

Fargo, ND

Rapid City, SD

Rochester, MN

Billings, MT

Minneapolis, MN

National average = $171

4-state average = $200

FIGURE 4: Average yields at airports ranked among top

US 200 in North Dakota and neighboring states, YE1Q2010  

(source: US DOT Table DB1A)

19.13¢ 

17.96¢ 

17.92¢ 

17.06¢ 

16.97¢ 

16.91¢ 

16.00¢ 

15.85¢ 

15.72¢ 

15.31¢ 

15.03¢ 

14.97¢ 

14.73¢ 

0¢ 2¢ 4¢ 6¢ 8¢ 10¢ 12¢ 14¢ 16¢ 18¢ 20¢

Bismarck, ND

Sioux Falls, SD

Rochester, MN

Duluth, MN

Great Falls, MT

Grand Forks, ND

Rapid City, SD

Missoula, MT

Kalispell, MT

Bozeman, MT

Minneapolis, MN

Fargo, ND

Billings, MT

National average = 15.7¢

4-state average = 16.4¢
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 13

the first quarter of 2009, far 

milder than losses 

experienced at most US 

airports in the same period, 

has been mostly recouped 

this past year. For much of 

the past five years, rising 

numbers of passengers at 

the Airport has coincided 

with rising ticket prices, 

increasing from a one-way 

average of $192 for the 

year ending in the first 

quarter of 2005 to $249 four 

years later – a jump of 30 

percent. The following year, however, Bismarck’s average one-way fares fell by 10 percent. 

It is no coincidence that this significant price decline follows the announcement in March 2009 

of direct United service to and from Chicago O’Hare. The creation of the Chicago route brings 

the Airport ever closer to important markets in the East, evidence that increased competition 

and enhanced service across a broader geography translate into lower airfares and, 

consequently, higher numbers of passengers at Bismarck. However, with only a single roundtrip 

per day, this new route alone poses no real challenge to Delta’s dominance in the East. 

In order to sustain its oil and gas-fuelled economic growth, west-central North Dakota needs an 

airport that is highly connected to national and, increasingly, international commercial 

transportation networks. Thus far, however, the Bismarck Airport has been unable to equal the 

challenge of the region’s emergence as major energy producer. The Airport can play its part in 

ensuring the continued growth of the surrounding economy by taking bold steps to reduce its 

airfares through the expansion of its geographical coverage. The biggest positive impact most 

immediately would result from new service to the South, ideally to Dallas/Fort Worth. Expanded 

access to the East would also complement existing service at the Airport. But the Airport cannot 

take these steps alone. In spite of North Dakota’s growing profile as a key supplier of our nation’s 

energy needs, Bismarck will succeed in recruiting additional service only with the federal 

assistance necessary to reduce a new airline’s barriers that block entry into the market. 

FIGURE 5: Domestic origin and destination passengers and average

one‐way fares at Bismarck, YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

318,950

341,100 343,000 348,410

330,120

348,070

$192 $199

$220

$235

$249

$224

0 $0.00 10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

100,000

110,000

120,000

130,000

140,000

150,000

160,000

170,000

180,000

190,000

200,000

210,000

220,000

230,000

240,000

250,000

260,000

270,000

280,000

290,000

300,000

310,000

320,000

330,000

340,000

350,000

360,000

YE 1Q 05 YE 1Q 06 YE 1Q 07 YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10

O&D Passengers Fared Average Fare
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 14

DETAILED EXPLANATION OF PROPOSAL/EXPECTED RESULTS 

The Bismarck Airport believes three different route/carrier 

combinations would fulfill the Grant objectives of lowing 

airfares, increasing east- and southbound air service, 

increasing competition, and improving business travel 

access to the oil and gas production fields of North 

Dakota. 

Option One 

The first option is recruitment of American Eagle regional 

jet service from Bismarck to Dallas/Fort Worth (see Figure 

6). American Eagle has been aggressively adding smaller 

city service from its Dallas hub in recent years, notably 

Roswell, NM, Manhattan, KN, Cheyenne, WY, and Sioux 

Falls, SD. 

The Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth local market is the ninth 

largest local origin and destination (O&D) passenger 

market for Bismarck. 

Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth service would create an 

estimated 31 new single-connect markets for Bismarck. 

The bulk of the oil and gas mining companies active in 

North Dakota have headquarters or major facilities in 

Texas. Thus, there is a significant oil and gas business 

community of interest between the two states. 

The Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth route is 978 statute miles, 

and the Bismarck proposal would be for a once-daily 

roundtrip service pattern initially (see Figure 7). 

 

FIGURE 7: Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth  

operational forecasts

Distance 978

Frequency One daily round trip

Equipment EMB‐140

Annual Flights 715

Block Time 2.6

Annual Block Hours 1,859.0

Annual Seats 31,460

ASM 30,767,880

FIGURE 6: Proposed route,

Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 15

Bismarck – 

Dallas/Fort 

Worth service 

could generate 

nearly 100 

online-connect 

city pairs, 

including 69 

domestic, 17 

Caribbean and 

Mexico, nine 

South American, 

and three in 

Europe (see 

Figure 8). 

Assuming a 

modest 

stimulation of 

the Bismarck – 

Dallas/Fort Worth 

local market and a fair share capture of that traffic plus 

connect flows, the potential for a viable route segment 

clearly exists. A 75-percent load factor on the single daily 

flight would require a 25-percent share of the 94,585 

potential flow O&D (see Figure 9). 

Option Two 

Another option for improving Bismarck’s east- and southbound network carrier traffic is 

additional frequency to Chicago O’Hare. Bismarck is fortunate to have a single daily nonstop 

flight by incumbent carrier United Airlines to Chicago O’Hare. However, when matched against 

the high frequency Delta service to the powerful Minneapolis hub, this single daily flight cannot 

effectively compete for traffic flows to the East and South. 

Grant funding could be used to provide risk abatement funding for a second United flight to 

Chicago O’Hare. 

Traffic New Service Traffic

Traffic Yr Q1 2010 Stimulation W AA Service

Local 6,780 50% 10,170

Connect 80,395 5% 84,415

Total 87,175 94,585

FIGURE 8: One‐stop connections on proposed route, Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth

FIGURE 9: Bismarck – Dallas/Fort Worth

traffic flows
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 16

Chicago O’Hare is 

Bismarck’s sixth largest 

local O&D market. United’s 

Bismarck – Chicago flights 

generate 85 connect city 

pairs, 75 domestic, and ten 

European or Asian (see 

Figure 10). 

The Bismarck – Chicago 

O’Hare route is 716 statute 

miles. The proposal would 

add once-daily roundtrip 

service to the existing 

once-roundtrip service 

pattern (see Figure 11). 

Assuming a slight 

stimulation of the Bismarck 

– Chicago local market and a fair share capture of that traffic plus connect flows, the potential 

for a viable route segment clearly exists. 

A load factor of 75 percent on the combined 

twice-daily roundtrip pattern would require a 40-

percent share of the 135,756 potential flow O&D. 

 Traffic New Service Traffic

Traffic Yr Q1 2010 Stimulation W UA Service

Local 8,140 15% 9,361

Connect 120,376 5% 126,395

Total 128,516 135,756

Distance 716

Frequency One daily round trip

Equipment EMB‐145

Annual Flights 715

Block Time 2.1

Annual Block Hours 1,501.5

Annual Seats 35,750

ASM 25,597,000

Annual Flights 715

Block Time 2.1

Annual Block Hours 1,501.5

Annual Seats 35,750

ASM 25,561,250

Annual Flights 1,430

Block Time 2.1

Annual Block Hours 3,003.0

Annual Seats 71,500

ASM 51,158,250

g p

Combined with Existing Flight

Route Annual Total

FIGURE 12: Bismarck – Chicago O’Hare traffic flows

FIGURE 10: One‐stop connections on proposed route, Bismarck – Chicago O’Hare

FIGURE 11: Bismarck – Chicago O’Hare  

operational forecasts
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 17

Option Three 

Another option for improving Bismarck’s 

east- and southbound network carrier traffic 

is the addition of Frontier Airlines regional jet 

service to Milwaukee. 

Milwaukee is Bismarck’s thirty-second largest 

O&D local market. Milwaukee’s close 

proximity to the Chicago metro area, along 

with the intermodal Amtrak service from the 

Milwaukee Airport Train Station to North 

Chicago and Downtown Union Station, 

means that Milwaukee service would also 

draw some Chicago local traffic. 

The Milwaukee Frontier hub would create 25 

online connection city pairs from Bismarck 

(see Figure 13). 

The Bismarck – Milwaukee route is 683 statute 

miles, and the proposal would be for a 

once-daily roundtrip service pattern initially 

(see Figure 14). 

Assuming a slight stimulation of the Bismarck – Chicago local market and a fair share capture of 

that traffic plus connect flows the potential for a viable route segment clearly exists. A 75-

percent load factor on the single roundtrip pattern would require a 27-percent share of the 

73,649 potential flow O&D (see Figure 15).

Traffic New Service Traffic

Traffic Yr Q1 2010 Stimulation W F9 Service

Local 2,220 50% 3,330

Connect 66,970 5% 70,319

Total 69,190 73,649

Distance 683

Frequency One daily round trip

Equipment EMB‐135

Annual Flights 715

Block Time 1.75

Annual Block Hours 1,251.3

Annual Seats 26,455

ASM 18,068,765

FIGURE 13: One‐stop connections on proposed  

route, Bismarck – Milwaukee

FIGURE 15: Bismarck – Milwaukee traffic flows

FIGURE 14: Bismarck – Milwaukee  

operational forecasts
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 18

CURRENT AIR SERVICE IN BISMARCK 

T AIR SERVICE IN BISMARCK 

The Bismarck Airport is served by two network airlines and one low-cost carrier, combining to 

provide flights to six nonstop destinations. Delta has daily service to its hubs in Minneapolis and 

Salt Lake City, while United offers daily flights to its hubs in Denver and Chicago. Allegiant 

provides low-cost service to Las Vegas and Phoenix/Mesa. 

Despite the presence of three airlines in the market, the Airport remains saddled with fares that 

are among the most expensive in the nation – averaging about $224 each way as of the end of 

the first quarter 2010, or $448 roundtrip. This is about 30 percent higher than the average among 

the top 200 US airports. Bismarck’s fares are particularly expensive for travel to and from the East. 

For market pairs east of Minneapolis (except Chicago) to rank among Bismarck’s top 50 

destinations, a typical one-way fare stands at $279 – 

one-forth more expensive than the Airport’s already 

high overall average. 

Bismarck’s exorbitant fares relate to the poor 

geographical diversity of its current service. Of its six 

regularly scheduled flights, four are to destinations in the 

West or Southwest. There currently is no service to the 

South, in spite of the growing importance of business-tobusiness contacts between North Dakota and Texas, 

and only a single flight per day is scheduled to Chicago 

– the Airport’s most easterly direct destination. 

Sustained economic growth in west-central North Dakota, coming in large part thanks to the 

development its energy sectors, has produced an increasingly large pool of travelers in Bismarck 

and its surrounding communities. The Airport, however, cannot adequately meet this growing 

demand with its stubbornly high fares and limited geographical coverage. New direct service to 

the South, ideally to Dallas/Fort Worth, or enhanced service to the East will simultaneously bring 

down ticket prices and raise passenger flows at Bismarck. 

Current Passenger Traffic in Bismarck 

Bismarck has largely sidestepped the downturn in domestic travel that has affected other 

airports throughout the nation. After sagging slightly in year ending in the first quarter of 2009, the 

“Economic growth has 

produced an increasingly large 

pool of travelers at Bismarck. 

The Airport needs to expand its 

geographical coverage to the 

South and East to meet this 

growing demand” 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 19

720 719

777 785

730 719

763

701 705

748 755

733

714 727

855

928

875

739 752 741 741

725

818

879

800

442

485

519 528

449

424

526

487

560

473

526

503

464

500

552 550

490

470

539

496

517

484

550

599

516

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

Available SDEW Onboard PDEW Flights Per DEW

10.1 10.2 10.0 10.2

9.6 9.7

10.1

9.2 8.9

9.6

10.1 9.8

10.2 10.1

12.1

12.4 12.1

11.5 11.2 11.0

10.1 10.2

11.2

11.6 11.5

number of onboard passengers has returned to an upward trajectory that has characterized the 

Airport over the past decade. In fact, the number of passengers at Bismarck grew at a rate in 

excess of 5 percent for the year ending the first quarter of 2010 over the previous year. At the 

same time, the average one-way airfare dropped by $25 – a price reduction of more than 10 

percent in a single year, yet still among the highest in the nation. 

Over the past two years, the Bismarck Airport has witnessed overall modest gains in onboard 

passengers, seats available, and frequency of flights. Total onboard passengers at the Airport 

have increased 17 percent, rising from 443 passengers per day each way (PDEW) in April 2008 to 

516 PDEW in April 2010 (see Figure 16). In the same timeframe, the availability of seats has grown 

by 11 percent, up from 719 seats per day each way (SDEW) for April 2008 to 800 SDEW two years 

later. Similarly, frequency of flights has climbed 14 percent, from 10.1 flights per day each way 

(FDEW) in April 2008 to 11.5 in April 2005. 

These positive trends, however, should not be overstated. Bismarck’s fares are still far too high, 

especially in the East, and its coverage is far too low in both the South and East. 

FIGURE 16: Available seats, onboard passengers, and daily departures, April 2008 – April 2010 (source: T100 Reports)
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 20

In spite of high 

fares and a limited 

geography, the 

Airport generated 

more than ten 

passengers per 

day each way 

(PDEW) to seven 

domestic markets, 

and five or more 

PDEW to all but 

two of its top 20 

domestic markets 

as the year ended 

first quarter 2010 

(see Figure 17). In 

that time period, 

the top destination 

for Bismarck 

travelers was Las 

Vegas, which 

accounted for more than 56,000 origin and destination trips, or almost 77 PDEW. The second 

most popular destination was Phoenix/Mesa, which generated in excess of 40,000 origin and 

destination passengers, or just under 56 PDEW. Denver and Minneapolis each generated more 

than 22,000 origin and destination passengers, greater than 30 PDEW. And Washington, DC 

accounted for more than 10,000 passengers, or almost 15 PDEW. 

Dallas/Fort Worth is currently the Airport’s ninth-largest passenger market, while Houston is its 

thirteenth. And San Antonio, currently the twenty-second most popular destination, is fast 

becoming a popular destination for Bismarck-area travelers, with the number of passengers 

growing by 24 percent for the year ending in the first quarter of 2010. Yet demand to these and 

other southern destinations is likely understated due to the twin suppressants of high airfares and 

limited coverage. 

FIGURE 17: Bismarck’s top 20 origin and destination domestic  

passenger markets, YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

56,070

40,710

23,960

22,680

10,770

9,920

7,380

7,190

6,800

6,010

5,230

4,950

4,570

4,410

4,120

4,030

3,690

3,660

3,560

3,550

76.8

55.8

32.8

31.1

14.8

13.6

10.1

9.8

9.3

8.2

7.2

6.8

6.3

6.0

5.6

5.5

5.1

5.0

4.9

4.9

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000

Las Vegas, NV

Phoenix/Mesa, AZ

Denver, CO

Minneapolis, MN

Washington, DC

Chicago, IL

Orlando/Sanford, FL

Seattle/Tacoma, WA

Dallas/Ft Worth, TX

New York/Newark, NY

Los Angeles, CA

Salt Lake City, UT

Houston, TX

Atlanta, GA

Portland, OR

San Diego, CA

St Louis, MO

Kansas City, MO

San Francisco, CA

Boston, MA

Annual Passengers 

PDEW
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 21

Air Carrier Market Share in Bismarck 

For many years, Northwest was the unrivaled airline at the Bismarck Airport. Since the 

Delta/Northwest merger in 2008, however, United and Allegiant have swiftly increased their 

shares of the market, although Delta easily maintains the largest shares of both passengers and 

revenue. Delta’s dominance is particularly evident in the East and Southeast, where the airline 

claims shares in excess of 90 percent in many important markets. Recent gains by United and 

Allegiant have brought greater choice and, over the 

past year, lower fares. Additional competition, if it leads 

to increased geographical diversity, will ensure the 

continuation of this positive trend. 

As of the year ended first quarter 2010, Delta carried 

nearly 48 percent of Bismarck travelers, while United and 

Allegiant each carried about one-quarter of the total 

(see Figure 18). A year before, Delta claimed 55 percent 

of the passenger market, while United carried 24 

percent of the Bismarck’s travelers and Allegiant carried 19 

percent. Only modest shifts toward greater competition 

among the three airlines can be expected in the future without the introduction of new south- or 

eastbound direct service. 

Similar dynamics are evident in Bismarck’s revenue market. For the year ended first quarter 2010, 

Delta took 56.6 percent of total revenues, United claimed 29.4 percent, and Allegiant earned 12 

percent (see Figure 19). Compared with the previous year, Delta’s revenues at Bismarck were 

down 14.6 percent, while United gained 6.6 

percent and revenues for the low-cost carrier 

shot up 28.4 percent.

FIGURE 18: Passenger market  

share at Bismarck, YE1Q2010  

(source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Delta

47.7%

United

26.0%

Allegiant

25.0%

Others

1.3%

Delta

56.6%

United

29.4%

Allegiant

12.0%

Others

2.0%

FIGURE 19: Revenue market  

share at Bismarck, YE1Q2010  

(source: US DOT Table DB1A)
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 22

Nonstop 

Destination Carrier

Departures

Per Day

Seats 

Per Day

Share

of All Seats

Salt Lake City Delta 2 100 22%

Denver United 4 198 44%

Las Vegas Allegiant 0.5 85 19%

Phoenix/Mesa Allegiant 0.4 64 14%

TOTAL 6.9 447 100%

Nonstop 

Destination Carrier

Departures

Per Day

Seats 

Per Day

Share

of All Seats

Minneapolis Delta 5.6 395 89%

ChicagoO’Hare United 1 50 11%

TOTAL 6.6 445 100%

AIR SERVICE DEFICIENCIES IN BISMARCK 

Domestic air service at the Bismarck Airport, among the most expensive in the US, is 

characterized by its limited geographical diversity. Today, only westbound travelers receive the 

choice in service they deserve. As seen in Figure 20, four flights on three separate airlines link 

Bismarck directly with the 

West/Southwest. Of the nearly seven 

westward flights per day from the 

Airport, no carrier claims an outright 

majority of the total seats, a fact 

that spurs competition in markets 

beyond immediate hubs in the West. 

For eastbound travelers, it’s a much 

different story. Direct easterly service at the Airport is dominated by Delta flights to its 

Minneapolis hub, which handles almost nine in ten of Bismarck’s eastward travelers (see Figure 

21). United nonstop service to Chicago, limited to a single flight per day, has yet to mount a real 

challenge to Delta for the Airport’s easterly passenger flows. 

Currently there is no direct service for 

Bismarck’s southbound travelers, in 

spite of growing energy-related 

business travel between North 

Dakota and Dallas, Houston, and 

other points in the South. 

The geographical unevenness in nonstop domestic air service from the Airport translates into 

regional disparities in market shares at subsequent destinations. As illustrated in Figure 22 on the 

next page, Delta’s 90-percent share of nonstop eastward service leads to the airline having 

similarly monopolistic shares at several of Bismarck’s most popular destinations. Of destinations in 

the Northeast ranked among the Airport’s top 50 passenger markets, only in Boston does Delta’s 

share fall below 85 percent. In Florida, the carrier claims a cumulative share of 90 percent. 

Among all popular destinations east of Minneapolis (excluding Chicago), Delta controls 89 

percent of Bismarck’s origin and destination passenger traffic – mirroring the airline’s overall 

share of direct eastward passengers at the Airport. 

FIGURE 20: Direct westbound service  

out of the Bismarck Airport, June 2010

FIGURE 21: Direct eastbound service  

out of the Bismarck Airport, June 2010
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 23

The dominance of a single airline in the East contrasts with the situation in the West, where there 

is real competition among network carriers for Bismarck travelers. In almost all West Coast 

markets ranked among the Airport’s most popular destinations, Delta and United maintain 

relative parity in their passenger market shares. 

The East-West division in Bismarck’s passenger markets is echoed by a geographical split in ticket 

prices. Not surprisingly, among the Airport’s top 50 destinations, lowest average one-way airfares 

are found in the West, where network carriers must compete for Bismarck travelers. As seen in 

Figure 23 on the next page, only two nonwestern destinations – Cincinnati and Cleveland – are 

among Bismarck’s 15 lowest-priced market pairs. The origin and destination passenger market 

among these 15 lower-priced destinations, again, not surprisingly, is shared almost evenly 

between Delta and United, with the latter enjoying only a very slight advantage. 

A list of highest fares among the Airport’s top destinations comes with a slightly more varied 

geography (see Figure 24 on the next page). About half of the highest-fare markets are in the 

FIGURE 22: Domestic O&D passengers, by airline,

at Bismarck’s top 50 markets, YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 24

Northeast or Southeast, including 

Pittsburgh, Detroit, Philadelphia, 

Washington, Baltimore, Atlanta, 

Charlotte, and Tampa/St. Petersburg. 

These are passenger markets where 

Delta’s predominance is 

unquestioned. The airline’s virtual 

monopoly also explains exorbitant 

fares at the Midwestern destinations of 

Omaha and Kansas City. 

Much of the remainder of the list of 

highest-fare market pairs, however, 

consists of destinations in the South 

with passenger shares divided 

relatively evenly between Delta and 

United. Prominent are Houston, with the 

highest average one-way airfare 

among Bismarck’s top destinations – a 

full $115 above the Airport’s overall 

average one-way airfare – and Austin, 

number six on the list. Expensive tickets 

in these markets, unlike in the 

Northeast, are not associated with the 

dominance of a single carrier. Rather, 

the high cost of air service from 

Bismarck to Houston, Austin, Oklahoma 

City, and other points in the South is a 

product of the Airport’s poor 

coverage in the South. 

Bismarck’s most expensive fares are 

paired with especially high revenue 

yields. The 15 highest-fare O&D market 

pairs enjoy an average yield of 26.3 

cents per passenger per mile – 37 

FIGURE 23: Bismarck’s 15 lowest‐fare O&D passenger market  

pairs, from top 50, excluding markets with direct low‐cost  

service, YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

FIGURE 24: Bismarck’s 15 highest‐fare O&D passenger market

pairs, from top 50, excluding markets in Hawaii and Alaska,  

YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Market

Average

One-Way

Fare

Average

Yield

Passenger

Share

DELTA

Passenger

Share

UNITED

Colorado Springs, CO $202.30 29.49¢ 19% 81%

Salt Lake City, UT $208.05 22.28¢ 65% 35%

Denver, CO $219.23 39.87¢ 6% 94%

Spokane, WA $224.98 15.28¢ 66% 34%

Boise, ID $231.40 18.68¢ 42% 58%

Cincinnati, OH $231.72 22.09¢ 85% 15%

Seattle/Tacoma, WA $232.47 13.96¢ 64% 36%

Reno, NV $232.75 17.42¢ 24% 76%

San Diego, CA $233.30 15.10¢ 44% 56%

Sacramento, CA $234.51 15.46¢ 30% 70%

Orange County, CA $239.18 15.96¢ 39% 61%

Los Angeles, CA $242.98 15.25¢ 50% 50%

San Francisco, CA $251.05 15.36¢ 40% 60%

Cleveland, OH $251.17 24.38¢ 88% 12%

Portland, OR $251.41 15.42¢ 52% 48%

15-Market Average $232.43 19.73¢ 48% 52%

Overall BIS Average $224.34 19.14¢ 48% 26%

Market

Average

One-Way

Fare

Average

Yield

Passenger

Share

DELTA

Passenger

Share

UNITED

Houston, TX $339.25 24.0¢ 56% 44%

Albuquerque, NM $337.61 34.4¢ 24% 76%

Atlanta, GA $326.16 24.2¢ 93% 7%

Pittsburgh, PA $323.48 28.4¢ 91% 9%

Philadelphia, PA $311.39 22.5¢ 90% 10%

Austin, TX $310.73 22.1¢ 51% 49%

Baltimore, MD $305.51 21.9¢ 88% 12%

Washington, DC $302.29 22.2¢ 87% 13%

Detroit, MI $301.67 32.2¢ 96% 4%

Charlotte, NC $300.65 22.4¢ 86% 14%

Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL $293.67 17.0¢ 88% 12%

Omaha, NE $289.72 44.1¢ 100% 0%

Kansas City, MO $285.45 34.7¢ 81% 19%

Oklahoma City, OK $283.89 26.3¢ 40% 60%

New Orleans, LA $279.61 18.6¢ 67% 33%

15-Market Average $306.07 26.34¢ 76% 24%

Overall BIS Average $224.34 19.14¢ 48% 26%
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 25

percent higher than the overall Bismarck average and 68 percent higher than the national 

average for the year ending first quarter 2010. As seen in Figure 25, highest yields among 

Bismarck’s top 50 O&D city pairs (excluding markets with direct low-cost service) are posted in 

markets with lowest competition – namely, those in the Delta-dominated East. Much lower yields 

correspond with lower airfares in the West. Moderate-to-high yields are seen in the South. 

The Airport’s uneven geography features high airfares, especially in the East, where Delta enjoys 

a virtual monopoly in several top-ranked markets, and the South, which currently has no direct 

service from Bismarck. This limited geographical diversity can be remedied most immediately 

through the establishment of American nonstop service to and from Dallas/Fort Worth, directly 

linking Bismarck with the headquarters of multiple energy companies active in North Dakota 

while improving overall coverage in the South and Southeast. Increased service to the East, 

including additional United flights to Chicago O’Hare or low-cost Frontier service to Milwaukee, 

would also help to improve the Airport’s geographical diversity through increased competition in 

a number markets in the East currently dominated by Delta. 

FIGURE 25: Stage‐adjusted yields at Bismarck’s top 50 markets, YE1Q2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 26

EXTENUATING FACTORS AFFECTING AIR SERVICE 

In the wake of the Delta/Northwest merger, the Airport’s commercial air service market is 

dominated by Delta Air Lines. While Delta has a 48-percent share of the overall Bismarck market, 

when leisure carrier Allegiant is excluded from the calculation, Delta assumes a 67-percent share 

of total network traffic. 

As discussed in the previous section, this dominance is particularly obvious in eastbound markets. 

Delta has shares of 80 percent or more of such important markets as Atlanta, Pittsburgh, 

Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Detroit, Charlotte, Tampa, Omaha, and Kansas City. 

While the Bismarck market has some semblance of competitive balance in the West, with United 

service via Denver competing with Delta service via Salt Lake City, there is only a regional jet 

roundtrip per day to Chicago to compete with the Delta service pattern to Minneapolis for eastand southbound traffic. 

While market share dominance situations do occasionally develop in the deregulated domestic 

airline industry, the competitive imbalances in the Bismarck market are limiting business travel 

access to the critical domestic energy production fields and facilities of central and western 

North Dakota. 

It is essential and in the national interest for our domestic energy capability to be developed as 

efficiently as possible. The Bismarck Airport is the closest, most accessible, and largest regional 

airport for a large area of the North Dakota/South Dakota/Montana energy fields. 

Thus, addressing Bismarck’s air service needs, as described in this application, is not just a matter 

of the air service choices and airfares of a modest North Dakota community – it is also a 

contributing factor in the effective development of domestic energy supplies. This is in the 

national interest. 

AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATIVE AIRPORTS 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 27

AVAILABILITY OF ALTERNATE AIRPORTS

The Bismarck Airport is among the nation’s most isolated airports. Minneapolis, the closest 

national hub, is some 440 miles away. The nearest airport matching or exceeding levels of 

service at Bismarck is Fargo, which requires a 200-mile drive that takes nearly three hours, not 

taking into account North Dakota’s often 

adverse winter traffic conditions (see Figures 26 

and 27). Jamestown, Dickinson, and Minot are 

much closer, each about two hours or less from 

the Airport, yet none of these options 

approaches service levels provided at Bismarck. 

Devils Lake, Williston, and Grand Forks, all 

located more than 200 miles away, require drive 

times in excess of three hours and also offer far 

reduced service. In short, there is no viable 

alternative to Bismarck for nearly 200 miles.

FIGURE 27: Location of the Bismarck Airport in relation to other airports in region

FIGURE 26: Drive time and distance from the Bismarck  

Airport to other airports in region

Drive Mileage Time

Bismarck to Jamestown (JMS) 106 1:41

Bismarck to Dickinson (DIK) 108 1:43

Bismarck to Minot (MOT) 115 2:02

Bismarck to Fargo (FAR) 199 2:54

Bismarck to Devils Lake (DVL) 202 3:12

Bismarck to Williston (ISN) 232 3:34

Bismarck to Grand Forks (GFK) 277 4:01
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 28

USE OF LOCAL AND FEDERAL FUNDS 

Grant Funding Allocation 

Total Grant cash funding will be $550,000, including $500,000 from the Department and $50,000 

from local Bismarck 

non-airport sources 

(see Figure 28). This 

is an allocation 

percentage of 90.9 

percent federal and 

9.1 percent local.

Marketing and Advertising 

The Bismarck Airport proposes to spend $50,000 in funds on marketing and advertising efforts in 

support of new service. The goal is to increase new service enplanements and usage. 

Revenue Guarantee

The Airport proposes to make $500,000 in funds for a revenue guarantee to support the new 

service and to cover startup losses that may occur during the first 12 months of service. Subject 

to carrier negotiation, payments will be made to the new carrier quarterly, when income 

derived from passengers and cargo is less than agreed expenses on the route. Quarterly 

revenue that exceeds expenses will be credited to other quarters that do not. 

Startup Cost Offsets 

The Airport proposes, subject to carrier negotiation, to use a small portion of Grant funding from 

the Revenue Guarantee pool to pay for startup costs in support of new service introduction. 

Additional Costs

The Bismarck Airport may incur modest additional costs related to recruitment of a carrier for the 

new service and program administration. These modest additional costs will come from the 

revenue guarantee portion of the funding. 

Percent Revenue Guarantee

Funding Source Amount Allocation Startup Offset & Admin Costs Marketing & Promotion

Bismarck $50,000 9.1% $45,455 $4,545

DOT $500,000 90.9% $454,545 $45,455

Total $550,000 100.0% $500,000 $50,000

Allocation

FIGURE 28: Bismarck grant funding allocation
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 29

TARGET AUDIENCES FOR GRANT-FUNDED SERVICE 

The Bismarck Airport is a regional air service gateway for a large area of central and western 

North Dakota, parts of north-central South Dakota, and even parts of far western Montana. 

While the local population in this vast area is modest in number, both business and leisure travel 

demand is strong. The goals of this Grant application are to reduce high average fares, improve 

east- and southbound air service, and increase overall air service competition at Bismarck. The 

target audiences for new service generated by this Grant include the following: 

 Bismarck-area business travelers and companies. The Bismarck region has a very healthy 

economy and area firms must compete in national and international markets despite the 

relative isolation of North Dakota. Quality air service is thus essential to the continued 

health and growth of local business and industry.

 The government of the State of North Dakota, along with federal agencies located in 

Bismarck. The State watches its budgets very carefully, but at the same time efficient 

government requires air travel. Therefore, state government will be a key target 

audience for this air service and a significant user of it. Additionally, as the state capital, 

Bismarck is home to many federal agencies that also demand lots of out-of-state travel.

 The energy production businesses of central and northern North Dakota use the Bismarck 

Airport for air travel. These travelers are both local in origin and involve inbound 

destination traffic from headquarters or distant facilities, especially involving the large oil 

and gas industry infrastructure of Texas.

 Local residents on leisure or visits to friends and relatives. The North Dakota climate is 

harsh, and even the hardiest of locals consider and take a trip to warmer climates during 

the winter. North Dakota’s low unemployment rate and relatively high ratio of wealthy 

residents means there is demand for leisure travel. This new air service will help enable 

that travel and drive down airfares.

 The Airport will make every effort to work with local companies to ensure that inbound 

business travelers are aware of the new service. Where email or other contact 

information can be gathered for inbound traffic the airport will endeavor to promote the 

new service via those means.

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 30

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS 

A number of local partners will be working with the Bismarck Airport to promote, support, and 

market the new air service. Contacts will be made with all members of the Bismarck-Mandan 

Chamber of Commerce and similar organizations, along with other groups and individuals with 

an interest in expanding the economic base of the community through local business growth, 

attraction of new businesses, and promotion of tourism and visitor traffic via the Airport. 

Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce 

The Airport’s quest for new commercial air service is supported foremost by the BismarckMandan Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber’s Foundation and its Air Services Committee 

are in full support of this application. The Foundation has pledged $50,000 in private donations 

from its members, to be used as matching funds in support of the application to improve air 

service to the communities of Bismarck and Mandan. The Air Services Committee works yearround on special projects to help raise awareness of the Airport and the importance of 

improving air service to the communities. 

Bismarck-Mandan Development Association 

The Bismarck-Mandan Development Association has relationships with local service providers. 

Partnering with BMDA, many of these utility service providers will negotiate favorable terms, 

grants, and conditions for new or expanding companies. BMDA shares an interest in expanding 

the economic base of the community through local business growth, attraction of new 

businesses, and the promotion of tourism and visitor traffic via the Bismarck Airport. 

City of Bismarck 

The City of Bismarck is one of the biggest supporters of bringing additional air service to the local 

Bismarck Airport, realizing how vital the Airport is to the growth of the entire region that it serves. 

City leaders continually work with the Airport to develop and support new service initiatives. The 

Airport is a department of the City of Bismarck. The City of Bismarck controls the primary 

oversight of the Airport, but the City of Mandan will also contribute to expand air service. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 31

City of Mandan 

The City of Mandan has implemented several programs to assist in the redevelopment efforts of 

the Central Business District (CBD). A growing community, much of the city’s success derives from 

a network of contributors. Although the City of Bismarck controls direct oversight of the Bismarck 

Airport, the City of Mandan will make a firm contribution to expand Airport service as well. The 

fortunes of both cities are intertwined. 

Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau 

The Convention and Visitors Bureau focuses on making Bismarck-Mandan a sport and leisure hub 

in this part of the country. The Bureau is expanding meeting and event business in the 

government, medical, fraternal, agriculture, religious, education and military markets. The 

Bureau is dedicated to the economic health of the area and the prosperity of its members. 

Moreover, the Bureau believes enhanced air service at the Bismarck Airport is essential to the 

interconnectivity of businesses, and is an essential part of any community’s plan for economic 

growth.
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 32

TIMELINE 

The first three milestones on the Bismarck Airport’s timeline include executing the grant 

agreement with the Department of Transportation, meeting with prospective airlines to 

negotiate for service, and signing the minimum revenue guarantee agreement with the 

appropriate airline 

partner (see Figure 29). 

Once service is 

announced and 

schedules are published, 

the Airport would begin 

marketing the new route 

and working with the new 

carrier to monitor 

advance bookings. The 

Airport will continue its 

marketing program and 

continue to work with the new carrier to monitor the route once service begins. The Airport 

would submit grant status reports on a quarterly basis to the Department throughout the 

proposed two-year term of the minimum revenue guarantee.

While the estimated dates are targets, it is possible service could be secured and launched on a 

more aggressive timeline once Grant funding is awarded. It is also possible that new service 

could slip to 2013 should an airline require additional risk mitigation, beyond that included in this 

proposal, from the community. 

Activity/Project Milestone Estimated Date

SCASD Grant Award Announcement December 2010

Executive Grant Agreement with DOT January 2011

Executive Agreement with Marketing Firm January 2011

Develop Creative February 2011

Develop Comprehensive Placement Strategy February 2011

Launch Campaign March 2011

Sustain Campaign March 2011 - May 2012

Monitor Route Performance March 2011 - May 2012

Submit Grant Status Reports to DOT Quarterly Q1 2011 - Q2 2012

Close Grant May 2012

FIGURE 29: Timeline for implementation of SCASD  

grant at the Bismarck Airport
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 33

AIR SERVICE ADVISORY GROUPS 

The Bismarck Airport is a department of the City of Bismarck. The Airport Manager answers to the 

Assistant City Administrator of Bismarck. The Board of City Commissioners, consisting of the Mayor 

and four Commissioners, must approve through a vote all major actions taken by the Airport 

Manager. The Board is overseeing the development of this grant application and will oversee 

and administer funds awarded. 

The Board of City Commissioners holds regular meetings every second and fourth Tuesday of 

each month to discuss Airport-related issues. Additionally, the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of 

Commerce’s Air Services Committee works with the City to provide advice on specific Airportrelated items of interest to the Chamber and broader business community. Although the City of 

Bismarck controls the primary oversight of the Airport, the City of Mandan works to contribute to 

expanded air service.
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 34

PREVIOUS GRANT AWARD 

In 2002, the first year of the Small Community Air Service Development Grant Program, the 

Bismarck Airport was awarded a Grant for $1,557,500 in funding, matched by a local share of 

$512,500. The purpose of the 2002 Grant was to assess the feasibility of inaugurating new 

regional air service, recruit a regional airline to provide the regional air service, and market the 

regional air service. 

The proposal was groundbreaking in that it envisioned an on-call point-to-point airways system 

using single engine aircraft providing service in rural areas where drive distances are great. The 

concept was tried and did not gain the traction necessary to continue as a going concern. 

Much was learned about the marketing, pricing, promotional and operational tactics needed 

to make such a concept work at some future time and place. 

The 2002 Grant gets an “A” for creativity and for acquired learning for the Department and 

North Dakota on strategies and tactics to consider in addressing rural air service needs. The 

Grant’s scope and purpose have almost nothing in common with the current 2010 Grant 

application. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 35

AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS

2006: November, Airport staff and Airport Corporation of America meet with Allegiant Air to 

discuss potential new service and status of existing Las Vegas, NV route; Air Service Committee 

of Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce meet monthly to discuss air service discrepancies 

as well as any news which might affect air service in or out of Bismarck; Airport advertises in 

various print media, including business magazines, local newspapers, and billboards across 

western and central North Dakota; marketing and advertising Budget: $25,000; professional 

services budget: $75,000. 

2007: January, SH& E is hired to assist with attracting Bismarck–Chicago O’Hare flight on United 

Airlines; January, Airport responds to Frontier Airlines RFP; January through March, numerous 

written and verbal conversations to United Airlines North American Planning Department occur 

regarding information needed for a potential Bismarck–Chicago O’Hare flight as well as 

likelihood of it coming to fruition; May, SH & E is hired to profile Bismarck passenger market, assess 

potential new markets, and develop marketing strategy for identified routes; May, attend 

meeting with United Airlines to discuss potential Chicago O’Hare service and present analysis of 

specific route; June, unveil new Airport website designed to provide information on area to 

potential airlines and traveling public; August, Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce 

together with Bismarck-Mandan Development Association prepare Business Community Air 

Travel Survey looking at how Northwest Airlines’ reduction in seat capacity affects the 

community as well as the local community’s travel patterns; dialogue with Allegiant Air on 

possible Phoenix/Mesa service continues throughout the year via emails and phone calls; Air 

Service Committee of Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce meets monthly to discuss air 

service discrepancies as well as any news which might affect service in or out of Bismarck; 

Airport advertises in various print media, including business magazines, local newspapers, and 

billboards across western and central North Dakota; marketing and advertising Budget: $25,000; 

professional services budget: $75,000. 

2008: February, phone correspondence is carried out with United Airlines North American 

Planning Director over the status of Bismarck–Chicago O’Hare route; February, attend annual 

Allegiant Air conference to network and discuss viability of new service routes from Bismarck, 

meet one-on-one with Allegiant Air representatives; October, new service to Phoenix/Mesa 

begins on Allegiant Air; December, Delta Air Lines hosts a meeting for North Dakota 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 36

Congressional Delegation, Business Community, and Airport Managers to discuss the future of air 

service after the Northwest/Delta merger, Bismarck–Salt Lake City route is announced; Air 

Service Committee of Bismarck Mandan Chamber begins tracking airfares from surrounding 

airports to judge any inequalities that might be occurring, discuss air service discrepancies as 

well as any news which may affect service in or out of community; Airport partners with 

Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau on cooperative advertisements in 

Regina/Saskatchewan, Canada; Airport is advertised in various print media, including business 

magazines, local newspapers, and billboards across western and central North Dakota; 

marketing and advertising Budget: $25,000; professional services budget: $90,000. 

2009: February, attend annual Allegiant Air conference to network and discuss viability of new 

service routes from Bismarck, meet one-on-one with Allegiant Air representatives; March, written 

correspondence occurs with United regarding frequency of a potential Bismarck–Chicago 

O’Hare flight; June, new service to Chicago O’Hare begins on United Airlines; June, new service 

to Salt Lake City begins on Delta Air Lines; June, Sixel Consulting Group is hired to prepare market 

analysis for presentation to Frontier Airlines about possible Denver–Bismarck service; June, travel 

for meeting with Frontier Airlines in Denver to discuss market opportunities; September, new 

advertising campaign focusing on Airport brand is unveiled; September, meet with North Dakota 

Congressional Delegate’s aide to discuss air service issues affecting Bismarck, including 

available seats and fall schedules for both Delta and United Airlines, goal is to keep existing 

service throughout the year; October, attend Sabre Roundtable Conference in Denver to 

establish link with Frontier Airlines over possible service to Denver; late October through early 

November, enlist Sixel Consulting to survey travelers, mainly business community, to establish the 

demand for cities not currently served by airlines in Bismarck; November, host business 

community luncheon in which Sixel Consulting presents survey results and narrows focus to 

determine which airlines to actively recruit; November, Sixel Consulting presents survey results to 

Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce to gain support for recruiting additional airline 

service; November, enter into yearlong TV contract with North Dakota NBC affiliate to air 

Bismarck Airport commercials in three markets across the state; December, begin production on 

first TV commercial advertising the Airport, completed for a January 2010 airing; December, 

enter into yearlong agreement to air TV commercials quarterly on CBS station in Bismarck; Air 

Service Committee of Bismarck Mandan Chamber continues tracking airfares from surrounding 

airports to judge any inequalities that might be occurring, discuss air service discrepancies as 

well as any news which may affect service in or out of community; Airport partners with 

Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau on cooperative print advertisements in 

Regina/Saskatchewan, Canada; Airport advertises in various print media, including business 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 37

magazines, local newspapers, and billboards across western and central North Dakota; 

marketing and advertising Budget: $25,000; professional services budget: $100,000. 

2010: February 16-18, attend annual Allegiant Air Conference to network and discuss potential 

new service to Orlando, FL, Los Angeles, CA, and Oakland, CA, meet one on one with Allegiant 

Air representatives; February 17, receive invitation to exclusive Allegiant Air luncheon for topperforming airports in Allegiant’s network, discuss potential growth opportunities; March, 

exchange numerous emails with Robert Ashcroft of Allegiant Air over route profiles from 

Bismarck; March, exchange numerous emails with Delta to develop advertisements promoting 

ridership on new Salt Lake City flight to save the route; April, radio ads are developed based on 

first TV advertisement, scheduled to run in June, July, and August; May, survey oil companies via 

North Dakota Petroleum Council’s contacts regarding top destinations traveled to and from 

Bismarck in an effort to showcase viability of service routes to American Airlines; June, exchange 

emails and phone calls with Brian Davis at Allegiant Air over route profiles and possible Orlando, 

FL connection from Bismarck; June, production begins on second TV commercial advertising 

Airport, completed for a July airing; June 6-9, attend 2010 Jumpstart Conference in San Diego, 

CA to meet with representatives from Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Frontier 

Airlines, Republic Airlines, and American Airlines over possible expansion of service or new 

service routes; July, conclude promotional contest to advertise the Chicago O’Hare nonstop 

flight on United Airlines, winner provided two free roundtrip tickets to Chicago O’Hare on United 

Airlines, two-night hotel stay, and major league baseball game; August, second contest 

featuring Salt Lake City as a nonstop destination on Delta Air Lines is being assembled, winner to 

receive two free nonstop tickets on Delta Air Lines, two-night hotel stay at a nationally 

recognized ski resort, and ski lift tickets; August 2010, complete SCASDG Application; Air Service 

Committee of Bismarck Mandan Chamber continues tracking airfares from surrounding airports 

to judge any inequalities that might be occurring, discuss air service discrepancies as well as any 

news which may affect air service in or out of community; Airport partners with BismarckMandan Convention and Visitors Bureau on cooperative print advertisements in 

Regina/Saskatchewan, Canada; Airport advertises in various print media, including business 

magazines, local newspapers, and billboards across western and central North Dakota; 

marketing and advertising Budget: $150,000; professional services budget: $40,000.
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 38

IN-KIND SERVICES FROM COMMUNITY 

The organizations listed below will help promote the new service through their various 

membership groups. The value of these services cannot be measured. 

 City of Bismarck 

 City of Mandan 

 Bismarck-Mandan Chamber of Commerce 

 Bismarck-Mandan Development Association 

 Bismarck-Mandan Convention and Visitors Bureau 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 39

PERFORMANCE MEASURES 

The success of the program will be based on three variables. The first measure of success will be 

the recruitment and retention of a new commercial air service to the Bismarck market. When 

new service is initiated, the first measure of success will be met. The Airport will judge the second 

measure of success by the increased number of enplanements. Finally, the third measure of 

success will be based on how much average airfares charged in the community have gone 

down. The measurement of enplanements will include a monthly comparison, once the 

program begins, to past enplanement figures. The measurement of airfares will be derived from 

US DOT OD1A reports. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 40

FINANCIAL CONTROLS 

As the sponsor, the Bismarck Airport and its governing body, the Bismarck Board of City 

Commissioners, will be the responsible parties for all fiscal matters and DOT reporting 

requirements. The Board, consisting of the City’s Mayor and four commissioners, is established as 

a public governing body. As a public entity, the DOT can be assured that proper financial 

controls are in place to guarantee the DOT’s Grant will be used in accordance with any 

subsequent agreement. The Bismarck Airport understands the Grant is a reimbursable grant, 

meaning the Airport is responsible for program expenditures and will submit invoices to the DOT 

for reimbursement, based on a percentage of the total grant request. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 41

RETURN ON INVESTMENT 

The Airport has developed a cost-effective and achievable strategy to add new service, 

increase enplanements, and lower airfares in Bismarck. The proposal uses proven methods of 

achieving air service improvements, allowing the DOT to be comfortable with choosing this 

proposal. The proposal will lead to increased airline competition, access to lower airfares, and 

enhanced air service diversity. These projected outcomes are in line with the major goals of the 

Small Community Air Service Development Program. 

The Bismarck Airport and its leadership are prudent in all things financial. Grant funding will be 

carefully expended and only in ways consistent with this application and the Grant contract 

that would result from award. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 42

ALTERNATIVE PLANS 

The airline industry is unpredictable. Sudden shifts in fuel prices or consumer travel demand 

make this industry one of feast or famine. With these dynamics in mind, the Bismarck Airport has 

outlined three distinct route/carrier options for improving east- and southbound air service. All 

three will, to some extent, address high average fares and market share concentration issues as 

well. The Airport has no crystal ball. We believe that outlining three route/carrier options shows 

that our plan is flexible and not dependent on the 2011 strategy, tactics, or financial well-being 

of any single carrier.

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 43

AIRPORT INFORMATION 

The Bismarck Airport plays a vital role in 

connecting western and central North 

Dakota with the national air transportation 

network. The Airport today occupies a total 

of 2,400 acres. The airport was nationally 

recognized for its snow and ice control 

program for the 2008-2009 winter season, 

receiving honorable mention in the 

Balchen/Post award from the American 

Association of Airport Executives. The Airport 

also received the prestigious “2009 Airport Safety Award” from the Federal Aviation 

Administration Great Lakes Region Airports division. 

The airport has two runways (see Figure 30). Runway 13/31 is asphalt 

and is 8,794 feet in length. Runway 3/21 is also asphalt and is 6,600 

feet in length. 

In the spring of 2005 the City of Bismarck completed construction 

and inaugurated the 

new 70,000-square-foot 

terminal which is used 

today. The new terminal building is 57 feet tall with 

sky-painted vaulted ceilings, a geothermal heating 

and cooling system, and a state-of-the-art in-line 

baggage handling system. Other amenities include 

a coffee kiosk, restaurant, and business kiosks with 

wireless internet. The Airport also offers convenient 

parking in both long- and short-term lots, less 

congestion than other airports, fast security 

screening, and many other amenities for business 

and leisure flyers. FIGURE 30: Runways at Bismarck
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 44

COMMUNITY PROFILE 

City of Bismarck 

Ranked number 74 on Money magazine’s list of top 100 best 

places to live, the 59,456 residents of Bismarck enjoy an 

excellent quality of life. The median family income here is 

$66,378. However, because of the low cost of living, this figure 

equates to a much higher purchasing power of $68,374. At 

$157,000, the median home price in Bismarck is more than 

one-third less expensive than the average of the other top 100 

best places to live ($239,391). 

Although located in a rather remote location where the 

weather can be harsh, Bismarck is a safe, thriving city with much to offer. Off hours, residents can 

see history come to life at Fort Abraham Lincoln, go 

fishing, hunting, and golfing, or spend the day 

shopping and then grab a bite to eat at one of 

Bismarck’s numerous restaurants. 

Inhabitants of Bismarck enjoy a numerous variety of 

activities. Possibilities range from farmer’s markets to 

an extensive parks and recreation system. For the arts aficionado, there beautifully restored Belle 

Mehus Auditorium. The Belle Mehus Auditorium is home to the Bismarck-Mandan Symphony 

Orchestra, which has provided the area with the sights and 

sounds of theater and music for 35 years, and the Sleepy Hollow 

Summer Theatre. 

Each Fourth of July, the Bismarck-Mandan area is treated to the 

Mandan Rodeo Days. The eagerly awaited annual event 

includes a parade, music, and other entertainment. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 45

Bismarck Economic Overview

The capital of North Dakota boasts strong employment rates thanks to bountiful job opportunities 

(see Figure 31). The Bismarck-Mandan metro area is home to two competing health care 

providers, MedCenter One Health Systems and St. Alexius Medical Center. Combined, those 

health care providers have more employees than the State of North Dakota in Bismarck. 

Educational institutions and businesses associated with the oil and gas industry are among the 

other significant area employers. 

While much of the country is experiencing a recession with all-time unemployment highs (the 

national unemployment average was 9.5 percent in June 2010), Bismarck enjoys an astonishingly 

low unemployment rate of 

less than four percent. Unlike 

many other areas of the 

country, where home values 

have dipped significantly, 

homes in Bismarck actually 

appreciated by a rate of 

about 2 percent over the 

past year. Bismarck residents 

spend an average of $7,560 

a year on vacations. 

 FIGURE 31: Top 20 employers in Bismarck, 2009  

(source: Bismarck‐Mandan Development Association)

Rank Employer Employees

1 State of North Dakota 4,321

2 MedCenter One Health Systems 3,047

3 St. Alexius Medical Center 2,010

4 Bismarck Public School District 1,640

5 North Dakota Federal Offices 1,198

6 City of Bismarck 850

7 MDU Resources Group 693

8 Aetna 653

9 University of Mary 572

10 Dan’s Supermarkets 569

11 Mandan Public School District 535

12 Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center 493

13 Basin Electric Power Cooperative 481

14 Pride, Inc. 471

15 Burlington Northern Railroad 420

16 Housing Industry Training (HIT) 420

17 Coventry Health Care, Inc. 415

18 Laducer and Associates, Inc. 258

19 Cloverdale Foods 250

20 Tesoro Petroleum 239

“Bismarck enjoys 

an astonishingly 

low unemployment 

rate of less than 

four percent, less 

than half the 

national figure” 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 46

The Oil and Gas Industry

North Dakota is a leading energy producer. The 

state produces enough oil to fuel over 700,000 

cars and heat over 300,000 homes a day. North 

Dakota produces enough natural gas to meet 

the natural gas needs of almost 1 million homes 

a day. The 2007-2009 biennium was historical in 

many ways. The Bakken formation and the 

Three Forks formation directly underlying the 

Bakken gained attention as the biggest oil 

resource play in the continental United States. 

As a result, North Dakota moved up in ranking 

to become the fourth largest oil producing 

state. North Dakota’s 4,810 oil wells produced 

79.7 million barrels of crude oil in 2009. New 

pipelines and railroad shipping facilities for unit 

trains of oil are now under construction near 

Stanley and New Town, and should be completed in 2010 (North Dakota State Land 

Department, 2007-2009 Biennial Report). 

North Dakota also produced 87,188 MMCF of natural gas in 2008 (EIA, Natural Gas Annual 2009). 

Future potential oil and natural gas resources are substantial. North Dakota’s 417 billion cubic 

feet (bcf) of proven natural gas reserves is enough to meet the needs of 417,000 homes for 15 

years, and its proven oil reserves are enough to fuel 790,000 cars for 15 years and at the same 

time heat 322,000 homes for 15 years. 

Expansion of the oil, ethanol, and biodiesel industries is good news for North Dakota as it 

represents new jobs, provides additional tax revenue, and supports a growing economy. For 

several years there were only two ethanol plants in North Dakota. Recently, two additional 

ethanol plants started production, and there are plans to add more ethanol and biodiesel 

plants in the near future. It is estimated that a 100-million-gallon ethanol plant could generate as 

many as 71,000 truckloads per year. 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 47

Oil and natural gas, as well as alternative fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, are driving North 

Dakota’s booming economy. The state’s natural gas and oil industry accounts for at least 3,500 

jobs (direct and indirect wage earners). Job Service 

North Dakota estimates the average annual wage 

in the oil and gas extraction industry at $79,171 in 

2007. Nearby Williston Basin is a hub for oil and gas 

mining support and logistics services (see Figure 32). 

The area also has a number of companies that 

support the oil industry through various services, 

further stimulating the economy (see Figure 33). 

In August 2010, Jim Hirsch, director of Workforce 

Development for the Department of Commerce, 

said he expects employers to express a much 

stronger appetite for workers than when they were 

asked the same question four years ago. “There’s a 

good chance [the need for new oil workers] could 

triple,” according to Hirsch, which means about 3,600 new, properly skilled workers will have to 

find their way to western North Dakota’s oil patch every year for the next five years. 

Because the Bismarck Airport is the major airport serving western North Dakota, the expansion of 

the natural gas industry is also big news. Tulsa-based Oneok Partners LP said it will build a $350-

415 million plant near Watford City in 

western North Dakota by the end of 

next year that will process about 100 

million cubic feet of natural gas daily, 

doubling the company’s capacity. 

 

FIGURE 32: Williston Basin mining companies

FIGURE 33: Oil and gas support companies active

in Bismarck and surrounding communities

Companies Active in Williston Basin Mining

MDU Resources (Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline CO)

Kodiak Oil & Gas

Zargon Energy Trust

Voyager Oil and Gas

Abraxas Petroleum Corp

Credo Petroleum

US Energy Corp.

Brigham Exploration Corp

Samson Oil and Gas

RPT Uranium Corp

Teton Energy Corp

Oil and Gas Drilling Support Firms Headquarters

BJ Services Houston, TX

Stallion Oil Field Services Houston, TX

Marathon Oil Houston, TX

Citation Oil and Gas Houston, TX

Upton Resources Incorporated Dickinson, ND

General Steel and Supply Dickinson, ND
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 48

Select Economic Profiles

State of North Dakota

 The North Dakota State Capitol is the seat of government of North Dakota and is Bismarck’s 

largest employer. The Capitol, a 19-storey tower, is located in Bismarck at 600 East Boulevard 

Avenue, on a 160-acre campus that is home to many other government 

buildings. The capitol building and surrounding office buildings house the 

state's legislative and judicial branches, as well as many government 

agencies. It is the tallest building in North Dakota. Six buildings currently exist 

on the grounds; all were built in various time periods as the government grew. 

Not all state agencies are housed on the grounds, however; a large percentage of them are 

spread throughout Bismarck in various facilities. A total of 4,321 people in Bismarck are 

employed by the State of North Dakota (as well as an additional 1,200 in the city’s federal 

offices), and convenient, affordable air service for their extensive business needs is a necessity. 

Cloverdale Meats 

Headquartered in nearby Mandan, Cloverdale Foods Company has been delivering fine food 

products for more 90 years. As Cloverdale Foods has evolved over the 

decades, it has remained a multi-generation, family-owned business. 

Cloverdale products are found in a number of grocery and foodservice outlets 

across the Midwest and in the Pacific Northwest. 

Laducer and Associates, Inc. 

Laducer and Associates, Inc. is dedicated to providing the best in 

computerized information management services. The company 

specializes in large-scale information processing, specifically data entry 

and data capture, and takes great pride in its unbeatable rates of 

accuracy and overall customer satisfaction. Corporate headquarters 

are in Mandan. The 21,890-square-foot facility houses three separate production environments, 

as well as management, administrative support, information services, transportation, and 

maintenance departments. Laducer’s offsite production facility, located in Belcourt (on the 

Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in north central North Dakota) offers an additional 20,600 

square feet of facility space. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 49

Bismarck Tourism 

Bismarck’s combination of rich history and progressive recreation, shopping, and artistic offerings 

provides a plethora of activities for travelers.

Lewis and Clark Expedition Sites

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center offers visitors the opportunity to discover the legacy of 

the two frontiersmen, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Also operated by the Fort 

Mandan Foundation is the Fort Mandan site where the Corps of Discovery 

spent the winter of 1804-1805 and is located two miles from the Interpretive 

Center. Other Lewis and Clark sites include Keelboat Park, a 55-foot, fullscale keelboat just like the one Lewis and Clark used to travel the great 

Missouri River and Fort Yates, where Lewis and Clark stopped to trade with 

the Mandan. Today, this is home to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

North Dakota Heritage Center

The North Dakota Heritage Center is the largest museum in the state, and following the recent 

groundbreaking of its $50-60,000,000 expansion, it soon will be even larger. The Center features 

temporary and permanent exhibits that explore life on the northern 

plains from prehistory to the present. In the main gallery, the “Corridor 

of Time” exhibit covers more than 100 million years of history in North 

Dakota and features fossils of dinosaurs. Exhibits on the fur trade era tell 

of economic competition and military conflict over a vast prairie 

empire. More stories document the struggles and successes of the 

homesteaders and pioneers, the economic boom of the early twentieth century, and the 

disillusioning bust of the 1930s. Visitors can experience history through hundreds of objects, view 

images of the past through photographs and actual films made from 1916 to 1921, 

and participate in interactive exhibits such as cranking a Model-T Ford or even 

smelling a buffalo wallow.

Dakota Zoo 

The Dakota Zoo features more than 600 animals and 125 different animal species. 

The Dakota Zoo can be found on the banks of the Missouri River. The state’s largest 

zoo is surrounded by Sertoma Park, which is a terrific place to enjoy some recreational activities.

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 50

Historic Sites 

State Capitol tours are among the many fun things to do in Bismarck if you 

are interested in learning about city and state history. For those interested in 

learning more about regional Native American history, the Double Ditch 

Indian Village State Historic Site can be found just seven miles north of 

Bismarck. The ruins of a Mandan Indian village draw crowds of visitors. 

Historic sites figure prominently among the Bismarck attractions, and others 

include the Former Governor's Mansion State Historic Site and the Steamboat Warehouse State 

Historic Site. About 50 miles south of the city, the Sitting Bull Burial State Historic Site offers those 

who are enjoying Bismarck travel a terrific side trip option. Sitting Bull, a Hunkpapa Sioux Indian 

leader, fought to hold on to his people’s land after white settlers arrived in the area. He lost his 

life in the pursuit in 1890.

Outdoor Activities 

Hunting and fishing are among the other outdoor activities you can enjoy on a visit to Bismarck. 

The Missouri River, angling through the communities of Bismarck and Mandan, is amazingly 

beautiful, embracing the imaginations and passions of anglers from 

far and wide. While the Missouri is home to some exceptional 

opportunities for channel catfish, smallmouth bass, and cutthroat 

trout, the entire length of the river is legendary for walleye. In fact, you 

cannot mention the Missouri River without admitting that the walleye steal the 

show. Bismarck-Mandan has hosted such prestigious tournament circuits as the PWT 

Championship and the FLW Walleye Tour, along with several smaller regional 

tournaments.

If visiting in the winter, you can add skiing and snowboarding to the mix. The Huff 

Hills Ski Area is one of the top Bismarck attractions in winter months, and while it 

might not rival the ski resorts in Colorado and other high mountain states, it does 

well to satisfy those who enjoy time on the slopes. Golfing can also be on the agenda for visitors. 

Bismarck-Mandan has so many golf courses, it's impossible to swing through without landing on 

one. Nationwide, Bismarck-Mandan golf courses are ranked twenty-fourth overall and fifty-sixth 

for best modern courses. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 51

Higher Education in Bismarck

There are three colleges and one university in Bismarck. The University of Mary, a four-year 

university operated by the Sisters of Saint Benedict, is the largest degree-granting institution in the 

city. Bismarck State College is a two-year public college and a member of the North Dakota 

University System. United Tribes Technical College is a two-year tribal college. And Rasmussen 

College, a two- to four-year private college, has a campus in Bismarck. 

University of Mary

The University of Mary is the only private Catholic university in North Dakota. It has been 

accredited by the Learning Commission of the North Central 

Association of Colleges and Schools since 1969. Since its 

incorporation in 1959, the university’s enrollment has grown from 

69 to close to 2,900. 

Today, the University of Mary School of Accelerated and Distance Education has a total of 18 

sites in the Upper Midwest and beyond, including the Butler Center in downtown Bismarck, the 

Fargo Center in Fargo,, and the Billings Center in Billings, MT. 

Taking leadership to a new level, in 2006 the University of Mary became a member of the 

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and the Northern Sun Intercollegiate 

Athletic Conference, setting a new standard of quality in programs campus-wide. 

 In 2006, U-Mary also launched the Gary Tharaldson School of 

Business. Named for North Dakota hospitality entrepreneur and 

industry innovator Gary Tharaldson, the new school –the 

university’s first – is a new model for preparing students for 

business careers that is uniquely designed to bridge the gap 

between the academic and business worlds. The new 29,000-

square-foot flagship facility that houses the Tharaldson School 

opened its doors on September 11, 2008. 

Today, with a faculty and staff of more than 500, the University of Mary remains committed to 

continuing the mission of its founders and serving the people of the region in a spirit that fosters 

servant-leadership. 

 
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 52

COMPARISON TO OTHER COMMUNITIES IN REGION 

 

FIGURE 34: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by average domestic fare,

year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Itinerary Average

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 Mileage Yield 08-10 09-10

1 Shreveport, LA $223.46 $263.39 $253.47 1,069 23.70¢ 6.5% -3.8% 

2 Alexandria, LA $217.05 $247.68 $241.43 1,092 22.11¢ 5.5% -2.5% 

3 Bismarck, ND $235.77 $247.73 $224.34 1,173 19.13¢ -2.5% -9.4% 

4 NW Arkansas $228.88 $252.43 $218.63 1,047 20.88¢ -2.3% -13.4% 

5 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX $210.54 $243.59 $217.88 1,153 18.89¢ 1.7% -10.6% 

6 Grand Forks, ND $274.99 $262.06 $213.79 1,264 16.91¢ -11.8% -18.4% 

7 Sioux Falls, SD $211.27 $233.46 $207.05 1,153 17.96¢ -1.0% -11.3% 

8 Duluth, MN $204.85 $254.79 $205.68 1,206 17.06¢ 0.2% -19.3% 

9 Lincoln, NE $197.81 $201.92 $200.94 1,049 19.15¢ 0.8% -0.5% 

10 Lafayette, LA $196.73 $219.11 $198.74 1,066 18.65¢ 0.5% -9.3% 

11 Baton Rouge, LA $188.19 $201.78 $187.87 1,019 18.44¢ -0.1% -6.9% 

12 Cedar Rapids, IA $196.66 $210.15 $185.31 1,132 16.37¢ -2.9% -11.8% 

13 Fargo, ND $246.15 $227.41 $183.38 1,225 14.97¢ -13.7% -19.4% 

14 Des Moines, IA $191.80 $207.26 $183.17 1,153 15.88¢ -2.3% -11.6% 

15 Rapid City, SD $225.46 $215.39 $183.11 1,144 16.00¢ -9.9% -15.0% 

16 Rochester, MN $188.52 $218.65 $180.50 1,007 17.92¢ -2.2% -17.4% 

17 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX $177.69 $195.85 $180.48 1,062 17.00¢ 0.8% -7.8% 

18 Houston IAH, TX $178.07 $193.05 $180.09 1,087 16.57¢ 0.6% -6.7% 

19 Springfield, MO $214.72 $227.42 $178.65 1,079 16.56¢ -8.8% -21.4% 

20 McAllen, TX $190.34 $200.56 $176.46 1,162 15.19¢ -3.7% -12.0% 

21 Oklahoma City, OK $166.82 $175.17 $173.01 1,021 16.94¢ 1.8% -1.2% 

22 Corpus Christi, TX $162.71 $177.54 $171.59 860 19.95¢ 2.7% -3.4% 

23 Green Bay, WI $189.95 $204.82 $169.59 1,081 15.69¢ -5.5% -17.2% 

24 Laredo, TX $182.97 $196.46 $167.28 1,117 14.98¢ -4.4% -14.9% 

25 Appleton, WI $203.78 $205.86 $166.40 1,115 14.92¢ -9.6% -19.2% 

26 Wausau, WI $208.48 $213.47 $166.24 1,157 14.37¢ -10.7% -22.1% 

27 Minneapolis, MN $179.68 $207.85 $164.28 1,093 15.03¢ -4.4% -21.0% 

28 Little Rock, AR $160.63 $169.82 $163.86 961 17.05¢ 1.0% -3.5% 

29 Madison, WI $194.39 $197.17 $161.87 1,098 14.74¢ -8.7% -17.9% 

30 El Paso, TX $161.11 $168.92 $161.31 1,025 15.73¢ 0.1% -4.5% 

31 Tulsa, OK $159.41 $167.65 $160.37 973 16.49¢ 0.3% -4.3% 

32 Chicago O'Hare, IL $161.84 $174.18 $159.58 1,016 15.70¢ -0.7% -8.4% 

33 Wichita, KS $179.05 $180.26 $159.33 1,107 14.39¢ -5.7% -11.6% 

34 Peoria, IL $168.34 $174.87 $158.03 1,172 13.48¢ -3.1% -9.6% 

35 Austin, TX $166.78 $161.91 $154.95 1,110 13.96¢ -3.6% -4.3% 

36 San Antonio, TX $167.14 $161.36 $154.15 1,113 13.85¢ -4.0% -4.5% 

37 Moline, IL $155.83 $165.95 $154.01 1,082 14.24¢ -0.6% -7.2% 

38 New Orleans, LA $155.59 $153.30 $151.87 1,000 15.19¢ -1.2% -0.9% 

39 Midland/Odessa, TX $136.65 $154.96 $150.59 753 20.00¢ 5.0% -2.8% 

40 Omaha, NE $157.55 $161.26 $149.87 1,031 14.53¢ -2.5% -7.1% 

41 Amarillo, TX $139.89 $147.93 $148.73 779 19.09¢ 3.1% 0.5% 

42 St. Louis, MO $148.36 $154.97 $143.92 924 15.58¢ -1.5% -7.1% 

43 Houston Hobby, TX $125.72 $141.08 $139.19 820 16.97¢ 5.2% -1.3% 

44 Lubbock, TX $130.43 $143.07 $138.39 747 18.52¢ 3.0% -3.3% 

45 Harlingen, TX $130.32 $142.66 $137.93 734 18.78¢ 2.9% -3.3% 

46 Bloomington/Normal, IL $142.37 $146.78 $137.65 1,017 13.53¢ -1.7% -6.2% 

47 Kansas City, MO $141.38 $149.81 $136.91 969 14.13¢ -1.6% -8.6% 

48 Chicago Midw ay, IL $111.88 $131.59 $122.87 922 13.33¢ 4.8% -6.6% 

49 Milw aukee, WI $159.10 $154.79 $121.43 1,032 11.77¢ -12.6% -21.6% 

50 Dallas Love Field, TX $100.57 $117.64 $120.23 552 21.79¢ 9.3% 2.2% 

Average Regional Fare $161.51 $173.29 $158.28 1,010 15.67¢ -1.0% -8.7% 

Avg. Ann. Change

Rank
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 53

FIGURE 35: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by average domestic yield,

year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Itinerary Average

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 Mileage Fare 08-10 09-10

1 Shreveport, LA 21.49¢ 24.36¢ 23.70¢ 1,069 $253.47 5.0% -2.7% 

2 Alexandria, LA 20.74¢ 23.12¢ 22.11¢ 1,092 $241.43 3.2% -4.4% 

3 Dallas Love Field, TX 20.27¢ 22.70¢ 21.79¢ 552 $120.23 3.7% -4.0% 

4 NW Arkansas 22.50¢ 24.04¢ 20.88¢ 1,047 $218.63 -3.7% -13.1% 

5 Midland/Odessa, TX 19.86¢ 21.47¢ 20.00¢ 753 $150.59 0.4% -6.8% 

6 Corpus Christi, TX 19.33¢ 21.19¢ 19.95¢ 860 $171.59 1.6% -5.9% 

7 Lincoln, NE 20.10¢ 20.14¢ 19.15¢ 1,049 $200.94 -2.4% -4.9% 

8 Bismarck, ND 20.25¢ 20.97¢ 19.13¢ 1,173 $224.34 -2.8% -8.8% 

9 Amarillo, TX 18.96¢ 19.72¢ 19.09¢ 779 $148.73 0.3% -3.2% 

10 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX 19.01¢ 20.97¢ 18.89¢ 1,153 $217.88 -0.3% -9.9% 

11 Harlingen, TX 18.12¢ 19.25¢ 18.78¢ 734 $137.93 1.8% -2.4% 

12 Lafayette, LA 20.27¢ 21.24¢ 18.65¢ 1,066 $198.74 -4.1% -12.2% 

13 Lubbock, TX 19.43¢ 20.67¢ 18.52¢ 747 $138.39 -2.4% -10.4% 

14 Baton Rouge, LA 18.46¢ 19.95¢ 18.44¢ 1,019 $187.87 -0.1% -7.6% 

15 Sioux Falls, SD 18.31¢ 20.23¢ 17.96¢ 1,153 $207.05 -1.0% -11.2% 

16 Rochester, MN 18.39¢ 21.06¢ 17.92¢ 1,007 $180.50 -1.3% -14.9% 

17 Duluth, MN 17.50¢ 21.28¢ 17.06¢ 1,206 $205.68 -1.3% -19.8% 

18 Little Rock, AR 17.42¢ 18.02¢ 17.05¢ 961 $163.86 -1.1% -5.4% 

19 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX 16.95¢ 18.49¢ 17.00¢ 1,062 $180.48 0.1% -8.1% 

20 Houston Hobby, TX 16.50¢ 17.83¢ 16.97¢ 820 $139.19 1.4% -4.8% 

21 Oklahoma City, OK 17.04¢ 17.49¢ 16.94¢ 1,021 $173.01 -0.3% -3.1% 

22 Grand Forks, ND 21.88¢ 20.25¢ 16.91¢ 1,264 $213.79 -12.1% -16.5% 

23 Houston IAH, TX 17.00¢ 18.06¢ 16.57¢ 1,087 $180.09 -1.3% -8.3% 

24 Springfield, MO 20.17¢ 21.17¢ 16.56¢ 1,079 $178.65 -9.4% -21.8% 

25 Tulsa, OK 17.38¢ 17.77¢ 16.49¢ 973 $160.37 -2.6% -7.2% 

26 Cedar Rapids, IA 17.66¢ 18.59¢ 16.37¢ 1,132 $185.31 -3.7% -11.9% 

27 Rapid City, SD 19.52¢ 18.55¢ 16.00¢ 1,144 $183.11 -9.5% -13.7% 

28 Des Moines, IA 17.34¢ 18.06¢ 15.88¢ 1,153 $183.17 -4.3% -12.1% 

29 El Paso, TX 16.17¢ 16.67¢ 15.73¢ 1,025 $161.31 -1.4% -5.6% 

30 Chicago O'Hare, IL 16.06¢ 17.19¢ 15.70¢ 1,016 $159.58 -1.1% -8.7% 

31 Green Bay, WI 16.87¢ 18.57¢ 15.69¢ 1,081 $169.59 -3.6% -15.5% 

32 St. Louis, MO 16.62¢ 17.13¢ 15.58¢ 924 $143.92 -3.2% -9.0% 

33 McAllen, TX 17.10¢ 18.16¢ 15.19¢ 1,162 $176.46 -5.8% -16.4% 

34 New Orleans, LA 15.83¢ 15.60¢ 15.19¢ 1,000 $151.87 -2.0% -2.6% 

35 Minneapolis, MN 16.66¢ 18.62¢ 15.03¢ 1,093 $164.28 -5.0% -19.3% 

36 Laredo, TX 17.75¢ 18.14¢ 14.98¢ 1,117 $167.28 -8.1% -17.4% 

37 Fargo, ND 20.74¢ 18.76¢ 14.97¢ 1,225 $183.38 -15.0% -20.2% 

38 Appleton, WI 18.90¢ 18.47¢ 14.92¢ 1,115 $166.40 -11.2% -19.2% 

39 Madison, WI 17.98¢ 17.95¢ 14.74¢ 1,098 $161.87 -9.5% -17.9% 

40 Omaha, NE 15.31¢ 15.49¢ 14.53¢ 1,031 $149.87 -2.6% -6.2% 

41 Wichita, KS 16.76¢ 16.37¢ 14.39¢ 1,107 $159.33 -7.3% -12.1% 

42 Wausau, WI 18.49¢ 19.10¢ 14.37¢ 1,157 $166.24 -11.8% -24.8% 

43 Moline, IL 14.59¢ 15.25¢ 14.24¢ 1,082 $154.01 -1.2% -6.6% 

44 Kansas City, MO 14.96¢ 15.59¢ 14.13¢ 969 $136.91 -2.8% -9.4% 

45 Austin, TX 15.61¢ 14.91¢ 13.96¢ 1,110 $154.95 -5.4% -6.4% 

46 San Antonio, TX 15.75¢ 14.80¢ 13.85¢ 1,113 $154.15 -6.2% -6.4% 

47 Bloomington/Normal, IL 14.12¢ 14.63¢ 13.53¢ 1,017 $137.65 -2.1% -7.5% 

48 Peoria, IL 14.56¢ 15.13¢ 13.48¢ 1,172 $158.03 -3.8% -10.9% 

49 Chicago Midw ay, IL 12.24¢ 14.22¢ 13.33¢ 922 $122.87 4.4% -6.3% 

50 Milw aukee, WI 15.39¢ 14.73¢ 11.77¢ 1,032 $121.43 -12.5% -20.1% 

Average Regional Yield 16.41¢ 17.33¢ 15.67¢ 1,010 $158.28 -2.3% -9.5% 

Avg. Ann. Change

Rank
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 54

FIGURE 36: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by domestic flights completed,

year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Outbound Percent of

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 Flights / Day YE 1Q 10 08-10 09-10

1 Chicago O'Hare, IL 389,530 368,296 353,598 968.8 17.2% -4.7% -4.0% 

2 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX 295,589 284,607 283,484 776.7 13.8% -2.1% -0.4% 

3 Houston IAH, TX 234,649 222,748 210,882 577.8 10.3% -5.2% -5.3% 

4 Minneapolis, MN 190,872 189,193 184,606 505.8 9.0% -1.7% -2.4% 

5 St. Louis, MO 109,316 105,691 91,535 250.8 4.5% -8.5% -13.4% 

6 Chicago Midw ay, IL 103,594 90,893 90,507 248.0 4.4% -6.5% -0.4% 

7 Milw aukee, WI 75,210 65,677 75,390 206.5 3.7% 0.1% 14.8% 

8 Kansas City, MO 89,647 73,185 69,284 189.8 3.4% -12.1% -5.3% 

9 Houston Hobby, TX 56,881 54,438 52,720 144.4 2.6% -3.7% -3.2% 

10 Dallas Love Field, TX 54,840 51,915 46,933 128.6 2.3% -7.5% -9.6% 

11 Austin, TX 55,843 50,402 46,171 126.5 2.2% -9.1% -8.4% 

12 San Antonio, TX 49,671 47,230 42,948 117.7 2.1% -7.0% -9.1% 

13 New Orleans, LA 44,756 44,084 41,746 114.4 2.0% -3.4% -5.3% 

14 Omaha, NE 33,231 30,053 29,766 81.6 1.4% -5.4% -1.0% 

15 Oklahoma City, OK 31,912 27,239 25,688 70.4 1.3% -10.3% -5.7% 

16 Tulsa, OK 28,905 25,007 22,387 61.3 1.1% -12.0% -10.5% 

17 El Paso, TX 23,171 22,428 22,349 61.2 1.1% -1.8% -0.4% 

18 Little Rock, AR 21,878 19,670 20,751 56.9 1.0% -2.6% 5.5% 

19 Des Moines, IA 21,419 20,611 19,410 53.2 0.9% -4.8% -5.8% 

20 NW Arkansas 16,350 16,060 15,287 41.9 0.7% -3.3% -4.8% 

21 Madison, WI 16,945 16,368 14,784 40.5 0.7% -6.6% -9.7% 

22 Wichita, KS 16,183 15,433 14,619 40.1 0.7% -5.0% -5.3% 

23 Cedar Rapids, IA 13,073 13,126 12,155 33.3 0.6% -3.6% -7.4% 

24 Moline, IL 10,939 10,828 10,199 27.9 0.5% -3.4% -5.8% 

25 Springfield, MO 11,470 10,962 9,688 26.5 0.5% -8.1% -11.6% 

26 Baton Rouge, LA 11,440 10,416 9,554 26.2 0.5% -8.6% -8.3% 

27 Lubbock, TX 9,461 9,283 9,157 25.1 0.4% -1.6% -1.4% 

28 Shreveport, LA 10,048 9,648 8,545 23.4 0.4% -7.8% -11.4% 

29 Green Bay, WI 9,958 8,754 8,039 22.0 0.4% -10.2% -8.2% 

30 Corpus Christi, TX 8,338 8,147 8,027 22.0 0.4% -1.9% -1.5% 

31 Midland/Odessa, TX 8,328 7,904 7,861 21.5 0.4% -2.8% -0.5% 

32 Amarillo, TX 8,653 8,434 7,698 21.1 0.4% -5.7% -8.7% 

33 Appleton, WI 8,844 7,673 6,799 18.6 0.3% -12.3% -11.4% 

34 Fargo, ND 5,885 6,271 6,766 18.5 0.3% 7.2% 7.9% 

35 Lafayette, LA 7,003 6,531 6,567 18.0 0.3% -3.2% 0.6% 

36 Sioux Falls, SD 7,402 6,588 6,479 17.8 0.3% -6.4% -1.7% 

37 Peoria, IL 6,910 6,794 6,235 17.1 0.3% -5.0% -8.2% 

38 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX 6,387 6,514 6,092 16.7 0.3% -2.3% -6.5% 

39 Rapid City, SD 5,565 5,628 5,767 15.8 0.3% 1.8% 2.5% 

40 Harlingen, TX 5,780 5,752 5,411 14.8 0.3% -3.2% -5.9% 

41 Wausau, WI 5,287 5,573 5,319 14.6 0.3% 0.3% -4.6% 

42 McAllen, TX 5,265 4,516 4,852 13.3 0.2% -4.0% 7.4% 

43 Bloomington/Normal, IL 5,874 5,330 4,826 13.2 0.2% -9.4% -9.5% 

44 Alexandria, LA 5,261 4,986 4,823 13.2 0.2% -4.3% -3.3% 

45 Rochester, MN 4,907 5,047 4,216 11.6 0.2% -7.3% -16.5% 

46 Bismarck, ND 3,445 3,575 4,064 11.1 0.2% 8.6% 13.7% 

47 Monroe, LA 4,910 4,323 4,018 11.0 0.2% -9.5% -7.1% 

48 Lincoln, NE 4,223 4,260 3,842 10.5 0.2% -4.6% -9.8% 

49 La Crosse, WI 3,358 3,595 3,591 9.8 0.2% 3.4% -0.1% 

50 College Station, TX 4,099 3,608 3,364 9.2 0.2% -9.4% -6.8% 

Total of Above 2,162,505 2,035,294 1,958,799 5,366.6 95.3% -4.8% -3.8% 

Total Flights Completed 2,269,093 2,134,440 2,054,360 5,628.4 100.0% -4.8% -3.8% 

Rank

Avg. Ann. Change
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 55

FIGURE 37: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by domestic seats available,

year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Outbound Percent of

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 Seats / Day YE 1Q 10 08-10 09-10

1 Chicago O'Hare, IL 38,535,761 36,179,004 34,070,667 93,344 17.3% -6.0% -5.8% 

2 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX 32,811,512 31,720,304 31,538,587 86,407 16.0% -2.0% -0.6% 

3 Houston IAH, TX 20,974,414 20,038,584 19,307,328 52,897 9.8% -4.1% -3.6% 

4 Minneapolis, MN 20,446,392 19,265,339 18,905,677 51,796 9.6% -3.8% -1.9% 

5 Chicago Midw ay, IL 13,458,441 11,813,673 11,766,193 32,236 6.0% -6.5% -0.4% 

6 St. Louis, MO 10,254,209 9,774,077 8,641,082 23,674 4.4% -8.2% -11.6% 

7 Kansas City, MO 8,633,094 7,405,604 7,075,431 19,385 3.6% -9.5% -4.5% 

8 Houston Hobby, TX 7,249,874 6,942,002 6,725,399 18,426 3.4% -3.7% -3.1% 

9 Dallas Love Field, TX 6,479,258 6,471,662 6,048,875 16,572 3.1% -3.4% -6.5% 

10 Milw aukee, WI 5,228,194 5,125,901 6,027,418 16,513 3.1% 7.4% 17.6% 

11 Austin, TX 6,166,251 5,932,724 5,523,623 15,133 2.8% -5.4% -6.9% 

12 New Orleans, LA 5,254,098 5,392,205 5,148,557 14,106 2.6% -1.0% -4.5% 

13 San Antonio, TX 5,627,536 5,625,047 5,103,526 13,982 2.6% -4.8% -9.3% 

14 Omaha, NE 2,887,568 2,777,629 2,790,102 7,644 1.4% -1.7% 0.4% 

15 El Paso, TX 2,752,439 2,633,413 2,509,198 6,875 1.3% -4.5% -4.7% 

16 Oklahoma City, OK 2,744,378 2,495,353 2,316,533 6,347 1.2% -8.1% -7.2% 

17 Tulsa, OK 2,509,495 2,255,105 2,067,061 5,663 1.0% -9.2% -8.3% 

18 Little Rock, AR 1,740,022 1,584,445 1,590,834 4,358 0.8% -4.4% 0.4% 

19 Des Moines, IA 1,280,631 1,285,590 1,216,875 3,334 0.6% -2.5% -5.3% 

20 Wichita, KS 1,169,402 1,113,825 1,065,513 2,919 0.5% -4.5% -4.3% 

21 Madison, WI 1,073,328 1,041,958 944,156 2,587 0.5% -6.2% -9.4% 

22 NW Arkansas 939,566 916,785 908,270 2,488 0.5% -1.7% -0.9% 

23 Lubbock, TX 887,068 862,791 808,975 2,216 0.4% -4.5% -6.2% 

24 Amarillo, TX 755,346 797,161 705,707 1,933 0.4% -3.3% -11.5% 

25 Midland/Odessa, TX 778,006 718,508 697,820 1,912 0.4% -5.3% -2.9% 

26 Cedar Rapids, IA 737,136 731,897 690,046 1,891 0.4% -3.2% -5.7% 

27 Moline, IL 654,223 645,278 640,916 1,756 0.3% -1.0% -0.7% 

28 Harlingen, TX 643,410 630,534 592,919 1,624 0.3% -4.0% -6.0% 

29 Corpus Christi, TX 579,209 563,672 557,082 1,526 0.3% -1.9% -1.2% 

30 Springfield, MO 627,662 602,042 554,467 1,519 0.3% -6.0% -7.9% 

31 Fargo, ND 417,672 468,051 511,908 1,402 0.3% 10.7% 9.4% 

32 McAllen, TX 541,044 497,416 497,728 1,364 0.3% -4.1% 0.1% 

33 Green Bay, WI 642,348 597,585 492,621 1,350 0.3% -12.4% -17.6% 

34 Sioux Falls, SD 547,445 530,962 488,926 1,340 0.2% -5.5% -7.9% 

35 Baton Rouge, LA 625,178 552,506 478,309 1,310 0.2% -12.5% -13.4% 

36 Shreveport, LA 486,923 485,779 447,096 1,225 0.2% -4.2% -8.0% 

37 Rapid City, SD 359,602 373,202 372,597 1,021 0.2% 1.8% -0.2% 

38 Appleton, WI 394,102 387,301 364,162 998 0.2% -3.9% -6.0% 

39 Peoria, IL 389,625 375,068 348,137 954 0.2% -5.5% -7.2% 

40 Bloomington/Normal, IL 376,694 346,666 346,431 949 0.2% -4.1% -0.1% 

41 Lafayette, LA 304,010 297,137 312,677 857 0.2% 1.4% 5.2% 

42 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX 306,231 330,064 304,939 835 0.2% -0.2% -7.6% 

43 Bismarck, ND 267,756 269,671 288,658 791 0.1% 3.8% 7.0% 

44 Wausau, WI 212,561 247,398 237,180 650 0.1% 5.6% -4.1% 

45 Alexandria, LA 224,378 218,862 228,724 627 0.1% 1.0% 4.5% 

46 Rochester, MN 279,742 274,109 220,025 603 0.1% -11.3% -19.7% 

47 Lincoln, NE 231,135 223,723 201,285 551 0.1% -6.7% -10.0% 

48 Duluth, MN 270,681 221,103 193,960 531 0.1% -15.3% -12.3% 

49 La Crosse, WI 191,542 193,740 185,398 508 0.1% -1.6% -4.3% 

50 Monroe, LA 188,357 174,960 178,540 489 0.1% -2.6% 2.0% 

Total of Above 211,134,949 200,407,415 193,238,138 529,420 98.1% -4.3% -3.6% 

Total Seats Available 215,069,086 204,187,894 197,006,283 539,743 100.0% -4.3% -3.5% 

Rank

Avg. Ann. Change
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 56

FIGURE 38: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by domestic onboard passengers,

year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

Outbound Percent of

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 Paxs / Day YE 1Q 10 08-10 09-10

1 Chicago O'Hare, IL 30,464,106 27,705,230 26,486,070 72,565 17.8% -6.8% -4.4% 

2 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX 26,169,283 24,618,711 24,627,803 67,473 16.6% -3.0% 0.0% 

3 Houston IAH, TX 16,859,166 15,738,161 15,504,233 42,477 10.4% -4.1% -1.5% 

4 Minneapolis, MN 15,863,635 14,847,951 14,538,119 39,830 9.8% -4.3% -2.1% 

5 Chicago Midw ay, IL 9,613,880 8,415,658 8,950,346 24,521 6.0% -3.5% 6.4% 

6 St. Louis, MO 7,387,004 6,869,023 6,361,001 17,427 4.3% -7.2% -7.4% 

7 Kansas City, MO 6,307,351 5,503,300 5,333,931 14,614 3.6% -8.0% -3.1% 

8 Houston Hobby, TX 4,919,411 4,696,156 4,674,939 12,808 3.1% -2.5% -0.5% 

9 Milw aukee, WI 3,812,972 3,692,574 4,487,721 12,295 3.0% 8.5% 21.5% 

10 Austin, TX 4,531,164 4,388,022 4,260,125 11,672 2.9% -3.0% -2.9% 

11 Dallas Love Field, TX 4,517,844 4,421,846 4,119,482 11,286 2.8% -4.5% -6.8% 

12 New Orleans, LA 4,024,103 4,015,936 4,034,778 11,054 2.7% 0.1% 0.5% 

13 San Antonio, TX 4,084,026 4,125,532 3,936,991 10,786 2.7% -1.8% -4.6% 

14 Omaha, NE 2,216,698 2,151,835 2,147,513 5,884 1.4% -1.6% -0.2% 

15 Oklahoma City, OK 2,008,777 1,903,918 1,777,891 4,871 1.2% -5.9% -6.6% 

16 El Paso, TX 1,986,342 1,838,273 1,746,170 4,784 1.2% -6.2% -5.0% 

17 Tulsa, OK 1,726,583 1,625,056 1,467,870 4,022 1.0% -7.8% -9.7% 

18 Little Rock, AR 1,318,449 1,240,572 1,187,694 3,254 0.8% -5.1% -4.3% 

19 Des Moines, IA 969,559 890,331 867,757 2,377 0.6% -5.4% -2.5% 

20 Madison, WI 776,823 734,641 755,809 2,071 0.5% -1.4% 2.9% 

21 Wichita, KS 787,255 760,896 739,267 2,025 0.5% -3.1% -2.8% 

22 Lubbock, TX 637,291 584,781 554,287 1,519 0.4% -6.7% -5.2% 

23 NW Arkansas 576,384 529,887 542,798 1,487 0.4% -3.0% 2.4% 

24 Amarillo, TX 524,522 517,645 473,136 1,296 0.3% -5.0% -8.6% 

25 Cedar Rapids, IA 529,576 495,770 470,382 1,289 0.3% -5.8% -5.1% 

26 Moline, IL 484,765 470,556 467,286 1,280 0.3% -1.8% -0.7% 

27 Midland/Odessa, TX 530,569 489,488 439,821 1,205 0.3% -9.0% -10.1% 

28 Springfield, MO 432,773 375,088 400,149 1,096 0.3% -3.8% 6.7% 

29 Fargo, ND 306,049 335,693 367,851 1,008 0.2% 9.6% 9.6% 

30 McAllen, TX 410,624 352,601 364,134 998 0.2% -5.8% 3.3% 

31 Corpus Christi, TX 410,708 380,449 352,877 967 0.2% -7.3% -7.2% 

32 Harlingen, TX 428,221 393,314 351,028 962 0.2% -9.5% -10.8% 

33 Baton Rouge, LA 470,904 390,581 350,379 960 0.2% -13.7% -10.3% 

34 Green Bay, WI 453,765 381,831 350,252 960 0.2% -12.1% -8.3% 

35 Sioux Falls, SD 410,234 355,984 334,125 915 0.2% -9.8% -6.1% 

36 Rapid City, SD 252,904 267,682 273,929 750 0.2% 4.1% 2.3% 

37 Appleton, WI 284,667 260,626 270,210 740 0.2% -2.6% 3.7% 

38 Bloomington/Normal, IL 266,822 255,238 246,251 675 0.2% -3.9% -3.5% 

39 Peoria, IL 284,710 267,086 245,175 672 0.2% -7.2% -8.2% 

40 Shreveport, LA 326,731 275,508 244,674 670 0.2% -13.5% -11.2% 

41 Lafayette, LA 226,282 208,639 211,269 579 0.1% -3.4% 1.3% 

42 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX 201,086 189,936 210,492 577 0.1% 2.3% 10.8% 

43 Bismarck, ND 183,175 180,409 189,522 519 0.1% 1.7% 5.1% 

44 Wausau, WI 156,746 150,264 150,826 413 0.1% -1.9% 0.4% 

45 Lincoln, NE 165,698 157,392 143,763 394 0.1% -6.9% -8.7% 

46 Alexandria, LA 134,144 130,075 134,290 368 0.1% 0.1% 3.2% 

47 Duluth, MN 179,498 139,955 130,593 358 0.1% -14.7% -6.7% 

48 Rochester, MN 169,617 148,549 125,914 345 0.1% -13.8% -15.2% 

49 La Crosse, WI 123,184 107,785 106,412 292 0.1% -7.1% -1.3% 

50 Laredo, TX 110,102 98,872 104,147 285 0.1% -2.7% 5.3% 

Total of Above 160,016,182 149,075,306 146,611,482 401,675 98.7% -4.3% -1.7% 

Total Onboard Passengers 162,246,984 151,009,752 148,556,769 407,005 100.0% -4.3% -1.6% 

Avg. Ann. Change

Rank
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 57

FIGURE 39: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by domestic origin and destination (O&D)  

passengers, year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

PDEW Percent of

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 YE 1Q 10 YE 1Q 10 08-10 09-10

1 Chicago O'Hare, IL 14,459,240 12,957,880 12,050,030 33,014 13.9% -8.7% -7.0% 

2 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX 11,017,850 9,788,810 9,553,850 26,175 11.0% -6.9% -2.4% 

3 Minneapolis, MN 7,908,760 6,918,760 7,237,410 19,829 8.3% -4.3% 4.6% 

4 Houston IAH, TX 7,424,980 6,275,270 6,142,210 16,828 7.1% -9.0% -2.1% 

5 Chicago Midw ay, IL 6,414,060 5,457,120 5,591,860 15,320 6.4% -6.6% 2.5% 

6 St. Louis, MO 5,303,370 4,919,510 4,691,060 12,852 5.4% -5.9% -4.6% 

7 Kansas City, MO 4,888,470 4,438,960 4,232,180 11,595 4.9% -7.0% -4.7% 

8 Austin, TX 3,770,150 3,706,580 3,572,320 9,787 4.1% -2.7% -3.6% 

9 New Orleans, LA 3,514,330 3,508,890 3,511,990 9,622 4.0% 0.0% 0.1% 

10 San Antonio, TX 3,471,010 3,524,020 3,378,420 9,256 3.9% -1.3% -4.1% 

11 Milw aukee, WI 2,796,680 2,729,320 3,088,160 8,461 3.6% 5.1% 13.1% 

12 Houston Hobby, TX 3,263,210 3,163,280 3,035,030 8,315 3.5% -3.6% -4.1% 

13 Dallas Love Field, TX 3,049,790 2,850,170 2,591,390 7,100 3.0% -7.8% -9.1% 

14 Omaha, NE 1,992,760 1,934,030 1,892,480 5,185 2.2% -2.5% -2.1% 

15 Oklahoma City, OK 1,654,430 1,585,740 1,484,930 4,068 1.7% -5.3% -6.4% 

16 El Paso, TX 1,552,920 1,419,170 1,351,530 3,703 1.6% -6.7% -4.8% 

17 Tulsa, OK 1,474,100 1,404,080 1,265,660 3,468 1.5% -7.3% -9.9% 

18 Little Rock, AR 1,157,370 1,062,790 1,009,180 2,765 1.2% -6.6% -5.0% 

19 Des Moines, IA 848,330 759,830 745,450 2,042 0.9% -6.3% -1.9% 

20 Madison, WI 658,370 637,670 664,770 1,821 0.8% 0.5% 4.2% 

21 Wichita, KS 700,290 674,400 654,350 1,793 0.8% -3.3% -3.0% 

22 Lubbock, TX 561,730 516,210 503,480 1,379 0.6% -5.3% -2.5% 

23 NW Arkansas 505,460 459,240 467,390 1,281 0.5% -3.8% 1.8% 

24 Moline, IL 440,870 428,800 420,900 1,153 0.5% -2.3% -1.8% 

25 Midland/Odessa, TX 486,620 453,610 400,800 1,098 0.5% -9.2% -11.6% 

26 Cedar Rapids, IA 458,730 422,440 396,960 1,088 0.5% -7.0% -6.0% 

27 Amarillo, TX 449,470 418,900 367,450 1,007 0.4% -9.6% -12.3% 

28 Springfield, MO 382,650 327,810 354,520 971 0.4% -3.7% 8.1% 

29 Harlingen, TX 435,930 392,140 349,200 957 0.4% -10.5% -11.0% 

30 Fargo, ND 273,170 300,870 335,830 920 0.4% 10.9% 11.6% 

31 McAllen, TX 376,480 324,700 331,360 908 0.4% -6.2% 2.1% 

32 Corpus Christi, TX 404,530 352,790 321,660 881 0.4% -10.8% -8.8% 

33 Baton Rouge, LA 435,240 348,170 310,310 850 0.4% -15.6% -10.9% 

34 Green Bay, WI 412,690 337,010 306,040 838 0.4% -13.9% -9.2% 

35 Sioux Falls, SD 362,340 309,520 297,620 815 0.3% -9.4% -3.8% 

36 Rapid City, SD 230,880 244,000 250,290 686 0.3% 4.1% 2.6% 

37 Appleton, WI 258,220 235,760 243,730 668 0.3% -2.8% 3.4% 

38 Bloomington/Normal, IL 253,120 247,120 230,320 631 0.3% -4.6% -6.8% 

39 Peoria, IL 251,800 233,330 218,780 599 0.3% -6.8% -6.2% 

40 Shreveport, LA 274,830 231,840 210,930 578 0.2% -12.4% -9.0% 

41 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX 173,510 166,050 190,500 522 0.2% 4.8% 14.7% 

42 Lafayette, LA 187,620 175,900 181,520 497 0.2% -1.6% 3.2% 

43 Bismarck, ND 174,780 165,980 174,750 479 0.2% 0.0% 5.3% 

44 Wausau, WI 140,380 133,410 136,310 373 0.2% -1.5% 2.2% 

45 Lincoln, NE 142,990 133,740 119,000 326 0.1% -8.8% -11.0% 

46 Duluth, MN 161,920 123,320 118,060 323 0.1% -14.6% -4.3% 

47 Alexandria, LA 122,740 110,540 114,000 312 0.1% -3.6% 3.1% 

48 Rochester, MN 147,190 128,920 109,350 300 0.1% -13.8% -15.2% 

49 Laredo, TX 103,000 91,790 96,090 263 0.1% -3.4% 4.7% 

50 Grand Forks, ND 75,490 83,500 92,260 253 0.1% 10.6% 10.5% 

Top 50 Airports 96,004,850 87,613,690 85,393,670 233,955 98.2% -5.7% -2.5% 

Total Regional Passengers 97,832,220 89,174,510 86,981,090 238,304 100.0% -5.7% -2.5% 

Avg. Ann. Change

Rank
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 58

 

FIGURE 40: Top 50 Central Region airports ranked by domestic origin and domestic (O&D)

revenue, year ended first quarter 2010 (source: US DOT Table DB1A)

RDEW Percent of

Airport YE 1Q 08 YE 1Q 09 YE 1Q 10 YE 1Q 10 YE 1Q 10 08-10 09-10

1 Chicago O'Hare, IL $2,196,844 $2,101,917 $1,794,811 $4,917 13.9% -9.6% -14.6% 

2 Dallas/Ft Worth, TX $1,825,758 $1,772,167 $1,596,150 $4,373 12.4% -6.5% -9.9% 

3 Minneapolis, MN $1,333,095 $1,340,130 $1,114,852 $3,054 8.6% -8.6% -16.8% 

4 Houston IAH, TX $1,253,074 $1,143,806 $1,045,617 $2,865 8.1% -8.7% -8.6% 

5 Chicago Midw ay, IL $681,093 $673,374 $645,490 $1,768 5.0% -2.6% -4.1% 

6 St. Louis, MO $744,131 $719,965 $638,519 $1,749 4.9% -7.4% -11.3% 

7 Kansas City, MO $657,273 $630,283 $548,720 $1,503 4.3% -8.6% -12.9% 

8 Austin, TX $579,725 $554,010 $510,685 $1,399 4.0% -6.1% -7.8% 

9 New Orleans, LA $519,135 $511,814 $505,355 $1,385 3.9% -1.3% -1.3% 

10 San Antonio, TX $540,362 $532,199 $489,146 $1,340 3.8% -4.9% -8.1% 

11 Houston Hobby, TX $381,291 $414,621 $389,356 $1,067 3.0% 1.1% -6.1% 

12 Milw aukee, WI $422,987 $403,924 $362,290 $993 2.8% -7.5% -10.3% 

13 Dallas Love Field, TX $286,108 $309,800 $285,796 $783 2.2% -0.1% -7.7% 

14 Omaha, NE $298,650 $296,803 $269,585 $739 2.1% -5.0% -9.2% 

15 Oklahoma City, OK $260,067 $261,545 $241,299 $661 1.9% -3.7% -7.7% 

16 El Paso, TX $236,191 $225,489 $204,859 $561 1.6% -6.9% -9.1% 

17 Tulsa, OK $219,570 $219,788 $188,699 $517 1.5% -7.3% -14.1% 

18 Little Rock, AR $176,486 $171,431 $156,282 $428 1.2% -5.9% -8.8% 

19 Des Moines, IA $153,896 $147,887 $128,769 $353 1.0% -8.5% -12.9% 

20 Madison, WI $118,812 $117,212 $101,840 $279 0.8% -7.4% -13.1% 

21 Wichita, KS $119,788 $116,873 $100,398 $275 0.8% -8.5% -14.1% 

22 NW Arkansas $108,292 $108,085 $95,728 $262 0.7% -6.0% -11.4% 

23 Cedar Rapids, IA $84,296 $82,685 $68,235 $187 0.5% -10.0% -17.5% 

24 Lubbock, TX $67,688 $67,396 $63,567 $174 0.5% -3.1% -5.7% 

25 Moline, IL $65,805 $68,607 $62,336 $171 0.5% -2.7% -9.1% 

26 Springfield, MO $75,370 $67,893 $59,083 $162 0.5% -11.5% -13.0% 

27 Fargo, ND $60,272 $63,210 $57,477 $157 0.4% -2.3% -9.1% 

28 Sioux Falls, SD $71,992 $67,785 $57,298 $157 0.4% -10.8% -15.5% 

29 McAllen, TX $68,386 $62,357 $56,285 $154 0.4% -9.3% -9.7% 

30 Baton Rouge, LA $78,485 $67,337 $55,686 $153 0.4% -15.8% -17.3% 

31 Midland/Odessa, TX $61,423 $64,601 $54,892 $150 0.4% -5.5% -15.0% 

32 Corpus Christi, TX $61,743 $58,619 $51,508 $141 0.4% -8.7% -12.1% 

33 Amarillo, TX $58,294 $56,805 $49,640 $136 0.4% -7.7% -12.6% 

34 Shreveport, LA $57,975 $57,050 $49,453 $135 0.4% -7.6% -13.3% 

35 Green Bay, WI $73,512 $64,622 $48,734 $134 0.4% -18.6% -24.6% 

36 Harlingen, TX $53,384 $52,362 $44,717 $123 0.3% -8.5% -14.6% 

37 Rapid City, SD $48,359 $49,477 $43,162 $118 0.3% -5.5% -12.8% 

38 Killeen/Fort Hood, TX $35,375 $39,294 $40,501 $111 0.3% 7.0% 3.1% 

39 Appleton, WI $49,310 $45,574 $38,517 $106 0.3% -11.6% -15.5% 

40 Bismarck, ND $37,701 $37,859 $36,017 $99 0.3% -2.3% -4.9% 

41 Lafayette, LA $35,268 $36,896 $34,444 $94 0.3% -1.2% -6.6% 

42 Peoria, IL $40,527 $38,742 $32,746 $90 0.3% -10.1% -15.5% 

43 Bloomington/Normal, IL $34,456 $35,352 $30,920 $85 0.2% -5.3% -12.5% 

44 Alexandria, LA $25,709 $26,497 $26,664 $73 0.2% 1.8% 0.6% 

45 La Crosse, WI $24,848 $25,843 $23,147 $63 0.2% -3.5% -10.4% 

46 Lincoln, NE $26,479 $25,258 $22,207 $61 0.2% -8.4% -12.1% 

47 Duluth, MN $30,675 $28,544 $22,063 $60 0.2% -15.2% -22.7% 

48 Wausau, WI $27,435 $26,620 $21,145 $58 0.2% -12.2% -20.6% 

49 Grand Forks, ND $18,507 $20,061 $18,294 $50 0.1% -0.6% -8.8% 

50 Rochester, MN $25,814 $25,928 $18,033 $49 0.1% -16.4% -30.4% 

Top 50 Airports $14,511,715 $14,136,399 $12,601,015 $17,262 97.6% -6.8% -10.9% 

Total Regional Revenue $14,858,005 $14,473,124 $12,909,489 $17,684 100.0% -6.8% -10.8% 

Avg. Ann. Change

Rank
Bismarck Airport – Small Community Air Service Development Grant – August 2010 59

CONCLUSIONS 

The Bismarck market has some of the highest average fares in the northern tier of the United 

States. The nearest airport ranked among the US top 200 with a higher average fare is located 

some 750 miles away, in Kalispell, MT. 

The Delta/Northwest merger has concentrated two-thirds of network carrier traffic in the 

Bismarck market in the hands of the newly merged Delta. Accented by the merger but true 

even before it, Bismarck’s air service has not kept pace with the strong economic growth of the 

city and surrounding region. While most of the rest of our country struggles with recovery from a 

deep economic recession, Bismarck cannot find enough workers for all its job openings. And the 

driver of the Bismarck regional economy is domestic energy production, a top national 

economic priority that ties north-central North Dakota to petroleum headquarters in Texas and 

other points in the South. 

Thus, air service issues in Bismarck have national importance due to their impact on the efficient 

development of domestic energy production. The Airport’s fares are high, much higher than the 

national or even regional averages. Bismarck air service is excessively concentrated in the hands 

of one carrier, and that carrier’s market share position in the East and South is essentially that of 

a monopoly. 

The Bismarck Airport has put forth in this Grant application a set of three distinct new commercial 

air service options, all of which will help address East and South access issues, market share 

concentration concerns, and high average fare problems. 

The Airport and its local and regional public/private partnership have committed $50,000 in 

local, non-airport cash to match the Grant request of $500,000. This total funding will greatly 

assist the Airport in its efforts to bring new air service to Bismarck. The benefits of the new air 

service will greatly outweigh the modest Department and local match cost. 

The Bismarck Airport and its partners urge the Department to approve this Grant request. We 

thank the Department in advance for its consideration of our proposal.