BTS | July 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Seven-Month System Traffic Up 0.5 Percent From 2005

Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) - Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA) - United States Department of Transportation (USDOT, US DOT or DOT)

ABOUT RITA | CONTACT US | PRESS ROOM | CAREERS | SITE MAP

Data and Statistics

Bookstore

Programs

About BTS

Upcoming Press Releases

External Links

BTS Home > Press Releases > 2006

July 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Seven-Month System Traffic Up 0.5 Percent From 2005

PDF

Contact

BTS 48-06
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Friday, Oct.13, 2006 - U.S. airlines carried 439 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems during the first seven months of 2006, 0.5 percent more than they did during the same period in 2005, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported in a release of preliminary data (Table 1).

BTS, a part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that the U.S. airlines carried 0.2 percent fewer domestic passengers and 6.0 percent more international passengers during the seven-month period in 2006 than during the same period in 2005 (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, July, U.S. airlines carried 69.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 1.6 percent fewer than in July 2005 (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers declined 2.6 percent in July from a year earlier while international passengers increased 6.0 percent (Tables 7, 13).

U.S. carriers operated 6.1 million domestic and international flights during the first seven months of 2006, 4.4 percent fewer than were operated during the same period in 2005 (Table 1). Domestic flights were down 5.0 percent from the previous year while international flights were up 2.7 percent (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, July, U.S. airlines operated 925,900 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 4.0 percent from the number of flights operated in July 2005 (Table 1). The number of domestic flights declined 4.6 percent in July from a year earlier while international flights increased 2.7 percent (Tables 7, 13).

System Comparisons (Table 1-6)

In other total system comparisons from the first seven months of 2005 to the first seven months of 2006 and from July 2005 to July 2006 (Table 1):

Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.4 percent in the first seven months. In July, RPMs were up 0.9 percent.

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 0.5 percent in the first seven months. In July, ASMs were down 0.4 percent.

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 2.2 load factor points to 80.3 percent in the first seven months. In July, load factor was up 1.1 load factor points to 85.1 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.5 percent in the first seven months. In July, flight stage length was up 3.2 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.8 percent in the first seven months. In July, passenger trip length was up 2.5 percent.

Among U.S. airlines, American Airlines carried 58.7 million passengers on its system from January to July, the most of any airline (Table 3). In July, American Airlines carried 9.2 million passengers on its system, the most of any airline (Table 4).

Among airports, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest U.S. airport from January to July, with 24.0 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In July, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest U.S. airport with 3.8 million domestic and international passenger boardings on U. S. carriers (Table 6).

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

U.S. airlines carried 387.5 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first seven months of 2006, down 0.2 percent from the 388.3 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 5.6 million flights, down 5.0 percent from the 5.9 million flights operated in the first seven months of 2005 (Table 7).

In the most recent month, July, the airlines carried 60.8 million scheduled domestic passengers, down 2.6 percent from the 62.4 million carried during July 2005. The passengers were carried on 845,800 flights, down 4.6 percent from the 886,600 flights operated in July 2005 (Table 7).

In other domestic comparisons from the first seven months of 2005 to the first seven months of 2006 and from July 2005 to July 2006 (Table 7):

Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 1.0 percent in the first seven months. In July, domestic RPMs were down 1.4 percent.

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 2.5 percent in the first seven months. In July, domestic ASMs were down 2.6 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 2.8 load factor points to 80.4 percent in the first seven months. In July, domestic load factor was up 1.0 load factor point to 85.0 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.6 percent in the first seven months. In July, domestic flight stage length was up 2.3 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.2 percent in the first seven months. In July, domestic passenger trip length was up 1.2 percent.

Southwest Airlines carried 56.1 million domestic passengers from January to July, the most of any airline (Table 9). In July, Southwest carried 8.8 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport from January to July, with 21.9 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In July, Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport with 3.4 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 12).

International Air Travel (Tables 13-18)

U.S. airlines carried 51.5 million scheduled international passengers during the first seven months of 2006, up 6.0 percent from the 48.6 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 504,000 flights, up 2.7 percent from the 490,800 flights operated in the first seven months of 2005 (Table 13).

In the most recent month, July, the airlines carried 8.7 million international passengers, up 6.1 percent from the 8.2 million carried during July 2005. The passengers were carried on 80,100 flights, up 2.7 percent from the 78,000 flights operated in July 2005 (Table 13).

In other international comparisons from the first seven months of 2005 to the first seven months of 2006 and from July 2005 to July 2006 (Table 13):

International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 6.0 percent in the first seven months. In July, international RPMs were up 7.2 percent.

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 5.0 percent in the first seven months. In July, international ASMs were up 5.3 percent.

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.8 load factor points to 80.2 percent in the first seven months. In July, international load factor was up 1.2 load factor points to 85.3 percent.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.5 percent in the first seven months. In July, international flight stage length was up 3.1 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was unchanged in the first seven months. In July, international passenger trip length was up 0.9 percent.

American Airlines carried 12.8 million international passengers from January to July, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In July, American carried 1.9 million international passengers, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 16).

Miami International was the busiest U.S. airport for international travel on U.S. carriers from January to July, with 2.7 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In July, Miami International was the busiest international airport with 435,400 international passenger boardings (Table 18).

Reporting Notes

Data are compiled from monthly reports filed with BTS by commercial air carriers detailing operations, passenger traffic and freight traffic. This release includes data received by BTS from 90 carriers as of Oct. 10 for U.S. carrier scheduled civilian operations. 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/.

Additional traffic numbers are available on the BTS website at TranStats, the Intermodal Transportation Database, at http://transtats.bts.gov. Click on "Aviation." For domestic and international passengers, RPMs and ASMs by carrier and carrier region through June, click on "Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data)", and then click on "Schedule T-1".

For domestic numbers through June and international numbers through March by origin as well as by carrier and region, 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.

TranStats system and international totals do not include U.S. carriers' foreign point-to-point flights. For July, U.S. carriers reported 327,907 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January-to- July, U.S. carriers reported 2,174,537 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled Nov. 16 for the release of August traffic data.

July 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Seven-Month System Traffic Up 0.5 Percent From 2005

System Comparisons (Table 1-6)

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

International Air Travel (Tables 13-18)

Reporting Notes

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

Table 2. Total Industry (Domestic and International) Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Table 3. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by Jan.-July 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 4. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by July 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 5. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by Jan.- July 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 6. Top 10 U.S. Airports ranked by July 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 7. Domestic Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

Table 8. Domestic Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Table 9. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by Jan.- July 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 10. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by July 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 11. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by Jan.- July 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 12. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by July 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 13. International Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

Table 14. Total Industry International Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Table 15. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by Jan- July 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 16. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by July 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 17. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by Jan.- July 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 18. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by July 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements