However, United's hub closure created an opening for low-cost carriers to enter the market, which had previously had among the highest average fares in the country.

Cleveland Hopkins is of particular importance to the history of commercial air travel due to a number of first-in-the-world innovations that would eventually become the global standard.

[10] While USAir soon reduced its schedule from Cleveland, Continental substantially increased its hub capacity, becoming the airport's largest tenant and eventually accounting for upwards of 60 percent of passenger traffic.

The renovation included the installation of a continuous skylight, a Continental President's Club lounge, and a new Baggage Claim area.

The airline discontinued the service four months later, citing the recession and an inability to obtain affordable seasonal slots at Heathrow.

"[26] By June 5, 2014, United had effectively terminated its hub operation at the airport, reducing its daily departures by more than 60%.

[28] The airport initially experienced a sharp decline in passenger counts following the closure of United's hub in 2014.

Frontier Airlines significantly increased its service to the airport and declared Cleveland a focus city.

New routes connected Cleveland with destinations as far as Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

In November 2023, Frontier Airlines announced it would make Cleveland a crew base in March 2024, employing up to 110 pilots, 250 flight attendants, and 50 aircraft maintenance personnel.

As a result, by 2017, the airport's passenger count exceeded levels achieved during the last full year that United maintained a hub in Cleveland.

Despite the closure of its hub, as of 2017 United still maintained roughly 1,200 employees in Greater Cleveland, including a flight attendant and pilot base as well as maintenance facilities.

Regional airline CommuteAir, which flies exclusively on behalf of United Express, is headquartered in nearby North Olmsted.

[37] In 2021, the airport received $32.5 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to provide economic relief funds for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and combating the spread of pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cleveland Airmall, a unit of Fraport USA, manages the retail and dining locations at the airport.

Tenants include Johnston & Murphy, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum Store, Bar Symon, and Sunglass Hut.

Built in 1959, it had 243 rooms and was a popular layover point for passengers and crews during the airport’s hub days with United and Continental.

Originally meant to be a temporary fix, the airport made the Ground Transportation Center a permanent fixture in May 2017.

In May 2013, the airport demolished its aging, 2,600-space Long Term Garage, replacing it with a 1,000 space surface lot for $24 million.