NORFOLK, Va. — A study from Old Dominion University found Norfolk International Airport generates more than $2 billion for the region it serves, the airport revealed this week.
According to a report produced by ODU's Dragas Center for Economic Analysis Policy in partnership with the Norfolk Airport Authority, ORF's economic impact was roughly $2.2 billion in 2023.
The report says that same year, the airport supported 17,000 jobs around the region.
In 2023, ORF saw a record-breaking 4.5 million passengers fly in and out.
“The Dragas Center study substantiates our long-held position that Norfolk International Airport is inarguably among the most important elements of our region’s continual success," said Mark Perryman, the CEO of the Norfolk Airport Authority in a statement. "As the air travel industry emerged and expanded following the pandemic, ORF added new airlines, new routes and new travelers, all of which contributed to the airport’s expanded economic impact."
Though the report did not reveal numbers from 2024, in January, the airport said it had broke the previous year's record, with 4.86 million passengers.
This information comes in the midst of Norfolk International's $1 billion Transform ORF improvement project. Click HERE to see News 3's most recent update on the project.
