PORTLAND – The Portland International Airport had a record number of boardings in December.

Airport officials said 47,457 passengers boarded planes last month. That’s an increase of 21 percent from December 2001. The previous record of 46,329 was set in 1998.

Nationally, December boardings were up 11.4 percent.

The jetport fared better than the national average for the entire year as well.

Boardings for all of last year in Portland were up 0.33 percent to 629,400. Nationally, boardings fell 4.7 percent.

Jetport spokesman Kevin Sullivan said the numbers will help the airport as it negotiates with airlines in the next few months for more flights and better connections.