BTS | April 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Four-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 0.4 Percent from 2007 but Down 2.8 Percent in April

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April 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Four-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 0.4 Percent from 2007 but Down 2.8 Percent in April

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BTS 34-08
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Thursday, July 10, 2008 - The number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines during the first four months of 2008 grew by 0.4 percent from the same period in 2007, reaching 244.2 million, 0.9 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 April, the most recent data month, U.S. airlines carried 63.1 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 2.8 percent less than in April 2007, the second consecutive monthly decline from the same month of the previous year (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers decreased 3.3 percent in April from a year earlier and international passengers increased 1.2 percent (Tables 7, 13).

The combined domestic and international system load factor of 77.7 percent for January through April was 0.1 percentage point below last year’s record for the four-month period (Table 1). Load factor measures the use of the airlines’ passenger capacity.

U.S. airlines carried 0.3 percent fewer domestic passengers and 5.4 percent more international passengers during the first four months of 2008 than during the same period in 2007 (Tables 7, 13).

Top Airlines

Southwest Airlines carried more total system and more domestic passengers for the first four 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 four 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 3.4 million domestic and international flights in the first four months of 2008, 1.3 percent fewer than were operated during the same period in 2007 (Table 1). Domestic flights decreased 1.6 percent from the previous year while international flights were up 1.7 percent (Tables 7, 13).

In April, U.S. airlines operated 867,400 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 1.7 percent from the number of flights operated in April 2007 (Table 1). The number of domestic flights decreased 1.8 percent in April from a year earlier while international flights were down 0.2 percent (Tables 7, 13).

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

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

Revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.0 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, RPMs were down 1.4 percent.

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 2.1 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, ASMs were up 0.5 percent.

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was down 0.1 percentage points to 77.7 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, load factor decreased 1.5 percentage points to 79.3 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.0 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, flight stage length was up 2.0 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.6 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, passenger trip length was up 1.5 percent.

Among U.S. airlines, Southwest carried 33.5 million passengers on its system in the first four months of 2008, the most of any airline (Table 3). In April, Southwest carried 8.8 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 four months of 2008, with 13.6 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In April, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest U.S. airport with 3.5 million domestic and international passenger boardings on U. S. carriers (Table 6).

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

U.S. airlines carried 213.8 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first four months of 2008, down 0.3 percent from the 214.4 million carried during the same period in 2007 (Table 7). The passengers were carried on 3.1 million flights, down 1.6 percent from the number of flights operated in 2007 (Table 7).

In the most recent data month, April, the airlines carried 55.5 million scheduled domestic passengers, down 3.3 percent from the passengers carried during April 2007 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 795,300 flights, down 1.8 percent from the 809,700 flights operated in April 2007 (Table 7).

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

Domestic revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 0.2 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, domestic RPMs were down 3.3 percent.

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 0.2 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, domestic ASMs were down 1.8 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was unchanged at 77.9 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, domestic load factor was down 1.3 load factor points to 80.1 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.0 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, domestic flight stage length was up 0.9 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.5 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, domestic passenger trip length was unchanged.

Southwest carried 33.5 million domestic passengers in the first four months of 2008, the most of any airline (Table 9). In April, Southwest carried 8.8 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport in the first four months of 2008, with 12.3 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In April, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport with 3.2 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 12).

International Air Travel (Tables 13-18)

U.S. airlines carried 30.4 million scheduled international passengers during the first four months of 2008, up 5.4 percent from the 28.8 million carried during the same period in 2007 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 288,400 flights, up 1.7 percent from the 283,600 flights operated in 2007 (Table 13).

In the most recent data month, April, the airlines carried 7.6 million scheduled international passengers, up 1.2 percent from the passengers carried during April 2007. The passengers were carried on 72,100 flights, down 0.2 percent from the 72,300 flights operated in April 2007 (Table 13).

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

International revenue passenger-miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 6.6 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, international RPMs were up 3.8 percent.

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 7.1 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, international ASMs were up 6.3 percent.

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was down 0.4 load factor points to 77.4 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, international load factor was down 1.9 load factor points to 77.3 percent.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 4.8 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, international flight stage length was up 5.4 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.1 percent in the first four months of 2008. In April, international passenger trip length was up 2.6 percent.

American carried 7.0 million international passengers in the first four months of 2008, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In April, American carried 1.7 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 four months of 2008, with 1.6 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In April, Miami was the busiest international airport with 376,100 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 July 1 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 April, 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 April and international numbers through January 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 April, U.S. carriers reported 222,256 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January through April, U.S. carriers reported 962,376 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled Aug. 14 for the release of May traffic data.

April 2008 Airline Traffic Data: Four-Month 2008 System Traffic Up 0.4 Percent from 2007 but Down 2.8 Percent in April

Top Airlines

Top Airports

Flights Operated

System (Domestic + International) 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-April 2008 System* Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

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

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

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

Table 12. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by April 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-April 2008 International Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

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