It's more than just planes taking off at the airport.
According to numbers released by the Prince George Airport Authority, passenger totals were on the upswing for 2011.
For the first time in three years, the airport breached the 400,000-passenger mark, with 402,438 travellers passing through YXS. This is an increase of 3.1 per cent over 2010 numbers.
Airport officials point to the end of the recession as the reason for the climb.
"Although there are still indications we are not fully out of the recession, the 2011 numbers are a great sign of economic recovery," said marketing manager Lindsay Cotter.
The rise in business opportunities in the region also play a role in the increase.
"We are starting to see growth in the north in areas such as mining, forestry and transportation, which means more jobs," said airport authority president and CEO John Gibson, in a press release.
"Growth is expected to continue in 2012 with the opening of the Northern Cancer Agency this fall, which also brings with it more jobs."
In figures released by the airport authority, 2008 was the benchmark in the past few years, with 417,484 passengers.
That dropped to 376,000 in 2009 and regained only slightly to 390,340 in 2010.
Much of 2011's increase came in the last third of year, with November showing the highest increase in passenger numbers - a 14 per cent increase from the same time in 2010.
"Lots of people are just have more faith in the end of the recession, have more spending money . Plus there's more people having to travel up here to check on projects," Cotter said.
The direct flight to Las Vegas introduced in the fall was also a bonus.
The three-month destination schedule accounts for about 25 per cent of the increase over 2010 numbers, said Cotter.
