June 2012 Airline System Traffic Up 0.6 Percent from June 2011

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S. airlines carried 66.6 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in June 2012, 0.2 percent more domestic passengers and 2.8 percent more international passengers than in June 2011. These changes resulted in a systemwide increase of 0.6 percent in passengers from June 2011 (Tables 1, 7, 13).  The June 2012 passenger total was 2.5 percent above that of two years ago in June 2010 (Table 2).

Passengers on All U.S. Scheduled Airlines (Domestic & International), July 2007-June 2012

Table Version | Excel | CSV

SOURCE for Recession Dates: National Bureau of Economic Research, US Business Cycle Expansions and Contractions

U.S. airlines carried 363.8 million total system passengers during the first six months of 2012, up 1.6 percent from the same period in 2011 (Table 2). Domestically, they carried 317.0 million passengers, up 1.5 percent from 2011 (Table 8). Internationally, they carried 46.8 million passengers, up 2.2 percent from 2011 (Table 14). See Tables 2, 8 and 14 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous year numbers.

Additional traffic numbers can be found on the BTS website in the Airlines and Airports box.  Click on a link in the column on the right.  For more historical numbers, see Traffic on the BTS website.

Load Factor and Capacity

 Passenger load factors for domestic, international and system passenger traffic were at record levels in the month of June (Tables 1, 7, 13). Domestic capacity, measured by available seat-miles, was flat in June 2012 compared to June 2011. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased by 0.8 percent (Table 7). The international load factor in June increased as airlines did not grow capacity while RPMs increased by 2.1 percent (Table 13). Systemwide capacity was unchanged compared to a 1.2 percent increase in RPMs (Table 1). See Tables 1, 7 and 13 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous year numbers.

Top Airlines

Monthly: In June, Southwest Airlines carried more total system and domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline (Tables 4, 10).  United Airlines, following its merger with Continental Airlines, carried the most international passengers (Table 16). The top 10 US airlines carried 82.6 percent of systemwide passengers, an increase from the 75.6 percent carried by the top 10 U.S. airlines in June 2011.

Year-to-date: During the first six months of 2012, Southwest Airlines, following its merger with AirTran, carried more total system and domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline (Tables 3, 9).  United, following its merger with Continental, carried the most international passengers (Table 15). The top 10 US airlines carried 81.0 percent of systemwide passengers, an increase from the 75.6 percent carried by the top 10 airlines during the first six months of 2011.

Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly as Southwest in April 2012. Numbers reported as Southwest in this release for January-March 2012 and for previous years do not include AirTran’s numbers. 

United and Continental began reporting jointly as United in January 2012.  Numbers reported as United in this release for previous years do not include Continental’s numbers. 

ExpressJet Airlines and Atlantic Southeast Airlines began reporting jointly as ExpressJet in January 2012. Numbers reported as ExpressJet in this release for previous years do not include Atlantic Southeast’s numbers. 

Top Airports           

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

Year-to-date: During the first six months of 2012, 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 year-to-date and monthly comparisons, see the following tables:

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

Table 1 (June and January through June 2011 and 2012):
Passengers
Flights
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 2010

Airline Rankings

Table 3
January through June: Top 10 airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 4
June: Top 10 airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Airport Rankings

Table 5
January through June: Top 10 airports by scheduled passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Table 6
June: Top 10 airports by scheduled passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Scheduled Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

Table 7 (June and January through June):
Domestic passengers
Domestic flights
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 2010

Airline Rankings

Table 9
January through June: Top 10 domestic airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 10
June: Top 10 domestic airlines by scheduled passenger enplanements

Airport Rankings

Table 11
January through June: Top 10 domestic airports by scheduled passenger enplanements

Table 12
June: Top 10 domestic airports by scheduled passenger enplanements

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

Table 13 (June and January through June):
International passengers
International flights
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 2010

Airline Rankings

Table 15
January through June: Top 10 U.S. airlines by scheduled international passenger enplanements

Table 16
June: Top 10 U.S. airlines by scheduled international passenger enplanements

Airport Rankings

Table 17
January through June: Top 10 airports by scheduled international passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Table 18
June: Top 10 airports by scheduled international passenger enplanements on U.S. airlines

Reporting Notes

Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial U.S. air carriers detailing operations, passenger traffic and freight traffic. This release includes data received by BTS from 79 carriers as of Sept. 12 for U.S. carrier scheduled civilian operations. Go to http://www.transtats.bts.gov/releaseinfo.asp for the complete list of reporting and non-reporting carriers. U.S. carriers’ foreign point-to-point flights are included in system and international totals. To create a customized table for passengers, flights, RPMs, ASMs and other data, including non-scheduled service, go to http://www.bts.gov/programs/airline_information/air_carrier_traffic_statistics/.

Traffic numbers are available on the BTS website at TranStats, the Intermodal Transportation Database, at http://transtats.bts.gov.  Click on “Aviation.”  For system passengers, RPMs and ASMs by carrier through June, click on “Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data),” and then click on “Schedule T-1.” Use crosstabs to find scheduled service.

For domestic numbers through May and international numbers through February by origin as well as by carrier, after clicking on “Aviation,” click on “Air Carrier Statistics (Form 41 Traffic).”  Click on “T-100 Market” for system passenger numbers, “T-100 Domestic Market” for domestic or “T-100 International Market” for international.  For flights, stage length and trip length, use the appropriate T-100 Segment database. Use crosstabs to find scheduled service.

TranStats system and international totals do not include U.S. carriers’ foreign point-to-point flights. For June, U.S. carriers reported 196,518 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January through June, U.S. carriers reported 1,182,750 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled Oct. 24 for the release of July 2012 traffic data.

Table 1: Scheduled System (Domestic and International) Airline Travel on U.S. Airlines

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market and Segment

*Change in load factor points

**The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2: Total System (Domestic and International) Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 3. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January-June 2012 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

** The merged Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly in April 2012.  Previous numbers, including Jan-March 2012, were reported separately.

*** United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

**** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 4: Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by June 2012 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

** The merged Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly in April 2012.  Previous numbers, including Jan-March 2012, were reported separately.

*** United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

**** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 5: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-June 2012 System* Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines**

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

** Numbers do not include international enplanements on foreign carriers

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases

Table 6: Top 10 U.S. Airports ranked by June 2012 System* Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines**

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

** Numbers do not include international enplanements on foreign carriers

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases

Table 7: Domestic Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Airlines

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market and Segment

* Change in load factor points

**The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 8: Domestic Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 9: Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January-June 2012 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

* The merged Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly in April 2012.  Previous numbers, including Jan-March 2012, were reported separately.

** United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

*** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 10: Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by June 2012 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

* The merged Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly in April 2012.  Previous numbers, including Jan-March 2012, were reported separately.

** United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

*** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 11: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-June 2012 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases

Table 12: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by June 2012 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases

Table 13: International Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Airlines

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market and Segment

*Change in load factor points

**The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 14: International Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding

Table 15: Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January-June 2012 International Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

* United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 16: Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by June 2012 International Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

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* United's 2012 number is the report of the merged United and Continental.  The 2011 numbers were reported separately by United and Continental.

** ExpressJet's 2012 number is the report of the merged ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast. The 2011 numbers were reported separately by ExpressJet and Atlantic Southeast.

*** The merged Southwest and AirTran began reporting jointly in April 2012.  Previous numbers, including Jan-March 2012, were reported separately.

Note: Percentage changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases.

Table 17: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-June 2012 International Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines*

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

* Numbers do not include international enplanements on foreign carriers

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases

Table 18: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by June 2012 International Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Airlines*

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

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SOURCE: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

* Numbers do not include international enplanements on foreign carriers

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Note: For previous rankings see BTS Air Traffic Press Releases