Additional traffic numbers can be found on the BTS website in the Airline Industry box. Click on a link in the column on the right. For more historic numbers, see Traffic on the BTS website.

Passengers

Systemwide: US airline systemwide passenger numbers began turning upward in early 2010 after declines that began in April 2008 and continued for two years. There were 2.1 percent fewer passengers in the April 2009 to April 2010 period compared to April 2008 to April 2009. From the year ending April 2010 to the year ending in April 2011, systemwide passenger numbers on US airlines increased 2.9 percent. See Table 2 and previous Airline Traffic Press Releases .

Domestic: U.S. airline domestic passenger numbers showed the same pattern as the systemwide numbers but have recovered more slowly. There were 1.9 percent fewer passengers in the April 2009 to April 2010 period compared to April 2008 to April 2009. From the year ending in April 2010 to the year ending in April 2011, domestic passenger numbers on U.S. airlines increased 2.3 percent. See Table 8 and previous Airline Traffic Press Releases .

International: The decline in the number of international passengers on U.S. airlines did not start until September 2008, five months after the domestic drop-off began. However, the international decline was more severe, with a 3.3 percent decline in the number of passengers in the April 2009 to April 2010 period compared to April 2008 to April 2009. The recovery has been faster. From the year ending in April 2010 to the year ending in April 2011, international passenger numbers on U.S. airlines increased 6.9 percent. See Table 14 and previous Airline Traffic Press Releases .

Load Factor

In February 2011, U.S. airline systemwide load factor failed to attain record high levels for the first time in 19 consecutive months. Systemwide load factors, the combination of domestic and international, set all-time records for each month beginning with July 2009 as airlines reduced capacity. Beginning in early 2010, as passenger numbers increased, all-time high load factors resulted. In the latter half of 2010, airlines began adding new capacity, leading to less growth in load factors and, in April 2011, a reduction from the previous year. International capacity, measured by available seat-miles, grew 12.3 percent from April 2010 to April 2011 while overall system capacity grew 5.4 percent. The increased capacity resulted in reduced systemwide, domestic and international load factors in April 2011 compared to April 2010.

Top Airlines in April

In April, Delta Air Lines carried more total system passengers than any other U.S. airline (Table 4) and Southwest Airlines carried the most domestic passengers (Table 10). American Airlines carried the most international passengers (Table 16).

During the first four months of 2011, Southwest carried more total system and domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline (Tables 3, 9). American carried the most international passengers (Table 15).

Top Airports in April

           In April, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport (Tables 6 and 12); and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport (Table 18).

During the first four months of 2011, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson than at any other U.S. airport (Tables 5 and 11); and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami than at any other U.S. airport (Table 17). 

 

For other comparisons from the first four months of 2010 to the first four months of 2011 and from April 2010 to April 2011, see the following tables:

System (Domestic + International) (Tables 1-6)

Table 1 (April and January through April):

Revenue passenger-miles (RPMs)

Available seat-miles (ASMs)

Passenger load factor

Flight stage length

Passenger trip length

Table 2

System scheduled enplanements on U.S. airlines by month since January 2009

Airline Rankings

Table 3

January through April: Top 10 airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 4

April: Top 10 airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Airport Rankings

Table 5

January through April: Top 10 airports by scheduled passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Table 6

April: Top 10 airports by scheduled passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Scheduled Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

Table 7 (April and January through April):

Domestic revenue passenger-miles (RPMs)

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs)

Domestic passenger load factor

Domestic flight stage length

Domestic passenger trip length

Table 8

Domestic scheduled enplanements on U.S. airlines by month since January 2009

Airline Rankings

Table 9

January through April: Top 10 domestic airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 10

April: Top 10 domestic airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Airport Rankings

Table 11

January through April: Top 10 domestic airports by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 12

April: Top 10 domestic airports by scheduled passenger enplanements

Scheduled International Air Travel on U.S. Airlines (Tables 13-18)

Table 13 (April and January through April):

International revenue passenger-miles on U.S. airlines (RPMs)

International available seat-miles on U.S. airlines (ASMs)

International passenger load factor on U.S. airlines

International flight stage length on U.S. airlines

International passenger trip length on U.S. airlines

Table 14

International scheduled enplanements on U.S. airlines by month since January 2009

Airline Rankings

Table 15

January through April: Top 10 U.S. airlines by scheduled international passenger enplanements

Table 16

April: Top 10 U.S. airlines by scheduled international passenger enplanements