ROCHESTER, Minn. - The Rochester International Airport is seeing more passengers by the month, and are preparing for even more. 

The airport is fully operational while under construction. 

By Spring 2018 the airport will be bigger, with more bathrooms, and have a better "flow" with ticketing on one side of the building and baggage claim on the other. 

Tiana Rossow is the Marketing and Communications Manager at the airport. 

She said there are benefits to flying local especially around the holidays, like shorter lines.  

"We see a lot of business travelers, and business travel tends to slow down a lot over the holiday period. And so with the increase that we have for those traveling for holidays and leisure... but with a little less business travel, it tends to be just kind of a typical day for us here at the airport," she said.

More travelers helps the airport recruit more airlines. 

Compared to these months in 2016, the airports seen a 41% increase in August, 42% increase in September, and a 66% increase in October.