Sloulin Field International Airport saw its air boardings catapult nearly 51 percent in June over the same period in 2007, according to data collected by the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. Those flying out of the local airport spiked from 722 in June of 2007 to 1,087 last month. Williston Airport Manager Rick Marburger credits a fourth flight for the boost in travelers’ flight use here. He is negotiating a fifth flight for Williston through the city’s only commercial passenger service Great Lakes Aviation.

Dickinson, who shares three of the four flights with Williston to Denver, saw its boarding numbers increase by 6.52 percent.

Jamestown held the biggest increase with a 69.43 percent more passengers flying from there.

Minot’s enplanements climbed 4.01 percent.

Fargo’s passenger numbers rose 16.89 percent, and the number of those flying from Grand Forks increased 7.43 percent. Bismarck’s enplanments fell 6.35 percent, and Devil Lake dropped 13.58 percent. Statewide, the June 2008 boardings at the eight commercial airports set a 10-year high with a total of 58,729 passengers. That amounts to a 4,363 or 8 percent, over June 2007 numbers.

Summer months are the highest travel months for the state’s airports, reported the commission.