BTS | March 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Three-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 1.5 Percent from 2007 but Down 0.4 Percent in March

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March 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Three-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 1.5 Percent from 2007 but Down 0.4 Percent in March

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BTS 29-08
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Thursday, June 12, 2008 - The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines during the first three months of 2008 grew by 1.5 percent from the same period in 2007, reaching 181.1 million, 2.7 million more than a year earlier, 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 in March, the most recent data month, U.S. airlines carried 66.9 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 0.4 percent less than in March 2007, the first decline from the same month of the previous year since September 2006 (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers decreased 1.4 percent in March from a year earlier and international passengers increased 7.0 percent (Tables 7, 13).

The combined domestic and international system load factor of 77.2 percent from January through March was a record for the three-month period (Table 1). Load factor measures the use of the airlines’ passenger capacity.

U.S. airlines carried 0.8 percent more domestic passengers and 6.9 percent more international passengers during the first three months of 2008 than during the same period in 2007 (Tables 7, 13).

The following airlines reported 1.0 million total passengers for February 2008, after failing to report in time for the February release: Shuttle America , Republic Airlines, and Tradewinds Aviation. See Tables 2, 8 and 14 for revised industry numbers.

Top Airlines

Southwest Airlines carried more total system and more domestic passengers for the first three months than any other U.S. airline (Tables 3 and 9). American Airlines carried more international passengers than any U.S. carrier (Table 15).

America West Airlines and US Airways now operate under a single certificate and report jointly as US Airways. Numbers reported as US Airways in this release for previous years do not include America West’s numbers. See the notes for system, domestic and international airline ranking tables 3, 4, 9, 10, 15 and 16 for America West’s 2007 passenger numbers.

Top Airports

More total system and domestic passengers boarded planes in the first three months at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport (Tables 5 and 11); and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport (Table 17).

Flights Operated

U.S. carriers operated 2.5 million domestic and international flights in the first three months of 2008, 1.6 percent fewer than were operated during the same period in 2007 (Table 1). Domestic flights decreased 1.9 percent from the previous year while international flights were up 2.1 percent (Tables 7, 13).

In March, U.S. airlines operated 869,300 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 3.9 percent from the number of flights operated in March 2007 (Table 1). The number of domestic flights decreased 4.4 percent in March from a year earlier while international flights increased 1.2 percent (Tables 7, 13).

System Comparisons (Tables 1-6)

In other total system comparisons from the first three months of 2007 to the first three months of 2008 and from March 2007 to March 2008 (Table 1):

Revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 3.2 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, RPMs were up 1.8 percent.

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 2.7 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, ASMs were up 1.0 percent.

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.4 percentage points to 77.2 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, load factor increased 0.6 percentage points to 82.3 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.6 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, flight stage length was up 4.1 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.7 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, passenger trip length was up 2.2 percent.

Among U.S. airlines, Southwest carried 24.7 million passengers on its system in the first three months of 2008, the most of any airline (Table 3). In March, Southwest carried 9.3 million passengers on its system, the most of any airline (Table 4).

Among airports, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest U.S. airport in the first three months of 2008, with 10.1 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In March, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson 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 158.3 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first three months of 2008, up 0.8 percent from the 157.0 million carried during the same period in 2007 (Table 7). The passengers were carried on 2.3 million flights, down 1.9 percent from the number of flights operated in 2007 (Table 7).

In the most recent data month, March, the airlines carried 58.4 million scheduled domestic passengers, down 1.4 percent from the passengers carried during March 2007 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 793,800 flights, down 4.4 percent from the 830,300 flights operated in March 2007 (Table 7).

In other domestic comparisons from the first three months of 2007 to the first three months of 2008 and from March 2007 to March 2008 (Table 7):

Domestic revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 1.5 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, domestic RPMs were down 0.2 percent.

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 0.9 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, domestic ASMs were down 1.0 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.5 load factor points to 77.1 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, domestic load factor was up 0.7 load factor points to 82.3 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.7 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, domestic flight stage length was up 3.2 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.7 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, domestic passenger trip length was up 1.2 percent.

Southwest carried 24.7 million domestic passengers in the first three months of 2008, the most of any airline (Table 9). In March, Southwest carried 9.3 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport in the first three months of 2008, with 9.1 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In March, Atlanta 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 22.8 million scheduled international passengers during the first three months of 2008, up 6.9 percent from the 21.4 million carried during the same period in 2007 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 215,800 flights, up 2.1 percent from the 211,300 flights operated in 2007 (Table 13).

In the most recent data month, March, the airlines carried 8.5 million scheduled international passengers, up 7.0 percent from the passengers carried during March 2007. The passengers were carried on 75,500 flights, up 1.2 percent from the 74,700 flights operated in March 2007 (Table 13).

In other international comparisons from the first three months of 2007 to the first three months of 2008 and from March 2007 to March 2008 (Table 13):

International revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 7.6 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, international RPMs were up 7.0 percent.

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 7.4 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, international ASMs were up 6.3 percent.

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.1 load factor points to 77.4 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, international load factor was up 0.5 load factor points to 82.3 percent.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 4.8 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, international flight stage length was up 4.8 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.6 percent in the first three months of 2008. In March, international passenger trip length was up 0.1 percent.

American carried 5.3 million international passengers in the first three months of 2008, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In March, 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 in the first three months of 2008, with 1.3 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In March, Miami was the busiest international airport with 447,700 international passenger boardings on U.S. carriers (Table 18).

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 87 carriers as of June 2 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/.

Additional 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 March, click on “Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data),” and then click on “Schedule T-1.”

For domestic numbers through March and international numbers through December 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.

TranStats system and international totals do not include U.S. carriers’ foreign point-to-point flights. For March, U.S. carriers reported 252,484 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January through March, U.S. carriers reported 740,120 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled July 10 for the release of April traffic data.

March 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Three-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 1.5 Percent from 2007 but Down 0.4 Percent in March

Top Airlines

Top Airports

Flights Operated

System Comparisons (Tables 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 System (Domestic and International) Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Table 3. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January-March 2008 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 4. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by March 2008 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 5. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-March 2008 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 6. Top 10 U.S. Airports ranked by March 2008 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 January-March 2008 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 10. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by March 2008 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 11. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-March 2008 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 12. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by March 2008 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

Table 15. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January-March 2008 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 16. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by March 2008 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 17. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January-March 2008 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 18. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by March 2008 International Scheduled Enplanements