It's another sign of Saskatchewan's charging economy.

The one-millionth passenger came through Saskatoon's Diefenbaker Airport on Thursday, nearly a month sooner than the milestone was reached last year. Traffic is up 9.3 percent year-over-year.

Saskatoon Airport Authority CEO Bill Restall attributes this year's significant increase to the greater capacity airlines have in Saskatoon, as well as better prices for travellers. Business travel is up and Restall says leisure flights continue to show sizable gains.

With the winter travel season just beginning, Restall expects flights to Caribbean nations to be in high demand.

He says the province's economy is holding strong and that should at least mean moderate gains in the months ahead. Increases in the two- to three-percent range are expected for 2009.