PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- The final enplanement numbers for passenger use of Pierre Regional Airport are in.  Airport Liaison to the Pierre City Commission Jamie Huizenga presented December enplanements Tuesday night.

However, Airport Manager Brian Cowles discovered an error in Huizenga’s numbers.  The actual December enplanements were 1,329 with 1,230 of those to Denver and 99 to Minneapolis/St. Paul.  That change means the actual 2023 enplanement total for Pierre was 15-thousand 617.  December 2022 had 1,141 enplanements.  Last year was a better year overall as total 2022 enplanements hit 16-thousand 129 or 1,512 more than this year.  The best month for 2023 enplanements was November with 1,794; the worst was January with 944.  By comparison Pierre bested Watertown enplanements last year by 162 as Watertown tallied 15-thousand 455 boardings.  December 2023 Watertown enplanements were 1,194 with 724 to Denver and 470 to Chicago.  For the year, Watertown had 9.284 to Denver and 6,065 to Chicago with 106 Montana State football fans on a charter from Bozeman in September of last year.