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The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport posted a record year for passenger traffic for the second consecutive year.
BTR served 847,000 passengers in 2025, an average of 70,583 monthly passengers, surpassing its 2024 record of 844,025 by about 0.5%. Before the consecutive record years, the airport’s previous record was 821,236 passengers in 2019.
Louis Hubbard, assistant director of aviation at BTR, says the growth mirrors the continued rise in air travel nationwide throughout 2025, reflecting strong demand and sustained momentum in the aviation industry.
He added that several changes are ahead for the airport in 2026, one of which is the recently launched new Fly My Airport tool that allows users to search flights and destinations, compare prices and book directly with airlines.
Governance model shift
BTR anticipates completing a governance transition by midyear that would shift the airport to an airport authority-based model, pending approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.
“For the community, this means a more agile, business-focused airport that can strategically invest, attract additional air service and enhance the guest experience,” Hubbard says. “This transition allows the airport to operate with greater flexibility while maintaining public accountability, an industry best practice adopted by airports nationwide.”
Currently, BTR operates as a department of the city-parish government under the oversight of the Metro Council. While municipally governed, the airport is financially self-sufficient and operates as an enterprise fund, which means all revenue generated by the airport supports its operations and capital needs, according to Hubbard. The airport does not receive funding from the city-parish general fund.
From an operational standpoint, the airport authority model would allow the airport to operate “at the speed of business,” Hubbard says, with greater flexibility in hiring and retaining specialized talent and faster decision-making to pursue new initiatives and air service opportunities. The new authority board would have direct approval authority, enabling quicker implementation of strategic initiatives and service enhancements.
Parking
BTR has introduced new parking options to improve convenience and flexibility. Parking reservations are now available in both the short-term garage and the economy lot. Travelers can reserve general parking spaces in the short-term garage or select premium reserved spaces closer to the terminal. Covered parking spaces are available by reservation in the economy lot. Electric vehicle charging is also now offered in the short-term garage on levels one and two.
Terminal project
Looking ahead, the airport plans to begin a terminal modernization project later this year to enhance the overall guest experience and refresh the facility. Planned improvements include new flooring, furniture and lighting, as well as interactive, state-of-the-art displays.
