The number of passengers who flew last year through Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport increased 2.3 percent compared to the previous year — one of only two airports among the 25 largest in the continental United States that showed growth, according to Gov. Martin O'Malley.

The airport saw 20.9 million airline passengers last year despite the impact of the recession on travel. In the past six months, the airport has seen passenger numbers climb 8.4 percent, the administration reported.

Two new airlines started flying out of BWI last year: JetBlue with flights to Boston; and Cape Air with flights to Hagerstown and Lancaster, Pa. Southwest Airlines accounted for more than half of BWI's passenger traffic. AirTran Airways had the second-highest passenger count.

- Gus G. Sentementes