Passenger traffic at Bellingham International Airport is ahead of last year's record pace.

According to airline data gathered by the Port of Bellingham, 281,664 people traveled out of the Bellingham airport in the first six months of 2012, a 15 percent increase compared to the same period in 2011.

Last year was a record year in terms of passengers, with 511,756 passengers taking flights out of Bellingham.

In its first full month of service, Frontier Airlines had 3,819 passengers using its daily flights from Bellingham to Denver. Allegiant Air had the most Bellingham airport passengers in June with 25,322, followed by Horizon Air (11,851 passengers) and Alaska Airlines (8,728).

Reach DAVE GALLAGHER at dave.gallagher@bellinghamherald.com or call 715-2269. Visit his business blog online at blogs.bellinghamherald.com/business or get updates on Twitter at twitter.com/BhamHeraldBiz.