The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey disclosed that the first quarter of 2025 marked the second busiest period for passenger volumes at its commercial airports. The Port of New York and New Jersey also topped the list as the busiest U.S. port for loaded containers in March, managing 516,757 loaded TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). The PATH commuter rail system noted a passenger volume increase, reaching 74% of pre-pandemic levels for March and surpassing the previous year's numbers by more than 10%. Despite a decline in the agency's bridges and tunnels volumes by 2.4% compared to the first quarter of 2024, the figures reveal some positive trends.
During the first quarter of this year, the commercial airports under the Port Authority served 31.9 million passengers. This figure is slightly below the record 32.3 million passengers from the same period in 2024, which remains the busiest year on record. Specifically, in March 2025, these airports saw a total of 11.6 million passengers, experiencing a 3% decline from March 2024. The agency attributes this drop to several factors, including more severe weather events this year and the timing of the Easter holiday travel period.
In March, the Port of New York and New Jersey became the leading port in the nation by loaded containers, showing a 9.7% rise from March 2024. Across the month, the port managed a total of 783,732 TEUs.
The PATH commuter rail reported 5 million passengers served in March 2025, a substantial increase of 11% from March 2024, and reaching 74% of March 2019 levels. Average weekday ridership increased by 9% from March 2024, with totals at 194,127 passengers, indicating 69% of March 2019 levels. Weekend ridership exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with a 7% increase on Saturdays and a 5% rise on Sundays from March 2019. Over the quarter, PATH served 13.4 million passengers, a 5.7% rise from 2024, and reached 70% of pre-pandemic 2019 levels.
Regarding bridges and tunnels, the agency recorded 10 million eastbound vehicle crossings in March 2025, a 0.5% decrease from March 2024. The first three months of 2025 saw a total of 27.8 million eastbound vehicles, aligning with 2019 levels and reflecting a 2.4% decline from the same timeframe in 2024. Influencing factors include the 2024 leap year, more severe weather days in 2025, and the different timings of the Easter holiday travel weekend. These elements complicate the analysis of the Central Business District Tolling Program's impacts until more data is available.
