BTS | April 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Four-Month System Traffic Up 0.5 Percent From 2005

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April 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Four-Month System Traffic Up 0.5 Percent From 2005

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BTS 33-06
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Thursday, July 13, 2006 - U.S. airlines carried 0.5 percent more domestic and international passengers and flew 4.8 percent fewer flights on their systems during the first four months of 2006 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 airlines carried 238.9 million system passengers during the January to April period of 2006, up from the 237.8 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 2). The passengers were carried on 3.41 million flights, down 4.8 percent from the 3.58 million flights operated in the first four months of 2005 (Table 1).

U.S. airlines carried 62.8 million system passengers during April 2006, up from the 62.2 million carried during April 2005. The passengers were carried on 856,700 flights, down 7.0 percent from the 921,300 flights operated in April 2005 (Table 1).

System Comparisons (Table 1-6)

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

Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.1 percent in the first four months. In April, RPMs were up 3.6 percent.

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 1.4 percent in the first four months. In April, ASMs were down 1.5 percent.

Passenger load factor, passengers carried as a proportion of available seats, was up 2.5 load factor points to 77.7 percent in the first four months. In April, load factor was up 4.0 load factor points to 80.8 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.1 percent in the first four months. In April, flight stage length was up 4.5 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.6 percent in the first four months. In April, passenger trip length was up 2.8 percent.

Among U.S. airlines, American Airlines carried 32.1 million passengers on its system from January to April, the most of any airline (Table 3). In April, American Airlines carried 8.4 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 April, with 13.0 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In April, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest U.S. airport with 3.4 million domestic and international passenger boardings on U. S. carriers (Table 6).

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

U.S. airlines carried 210.4 million domestic passengers during the first four months of 2006, up from the 210.0 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 3.13 million flights, down 5.3 percent from the 3.30 million flights operated in the first four months of 2005 (Table 7).

In the most recent month, April 2006, the airlines carried 55.4 million domestic passengers, up from the 55.3 million carried during April 2005. The passengers were carried on 783,900 flights, down 7.7 percent from the 849,200 flights operated in April 2005 (Table 7).

Following are other domestic comparisons from the first four months of 2005 to the first four months of 2006 and from April 2005 to April 2006 (Table 7). Comparisons for April may be affected by the Easter holiday, which was in March in 2005 but in April in 2006.

Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 1.6 percent in the first four months. In April, domestic RPMs were up 2.5 percent.

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 2.8 percent in the first four months. In April, domestic ASMs were down 3.4 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passengers carried as a proportion of available seats, was up 3.4 load factor points to 78.0 percent in the first four months. In April, domestic load factor was up 4.7 load factor points to 81.4 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.6 percent in the first four months. In April, domestic flight stage length was up 3.7 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.4 percent in the first four months. In April, domestic passenger trip length was up 2.4 percent.

Southwest Airlines carried 30.2 million domestic passengers from January to April, the most of any airline (Table 9). In April, Southwest carried 8.1 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport from January to April, with 12.0 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In April, Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport with 3.1 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 12).

International Air Travel (Tables 13-18)

U.S. airlines carried 28.5 million international passengers during the first four months of 2006, up from the 27.7 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 285,900 flights, up 0.6 percent from the 284,100 flights operated in the first four months of 2005 (Table 13).

In the most recent month, April 2006, the airlines carried 7.4 million international passengers, up from the 7.0 million carried during April 2005. The passengers were carried on 72,800 flights, up 1.0 percent from the 72,100 flights operated in April 2005 (Table 13).

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

International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 3.2 percent in the first four months. In April, international RPMs were up 6.9 percent.

International 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 four months. In April, international ASMs were up 3.6 percent.

International passenger load factor, passengers carried as a proportion of available seats, was up 0.4 load factor points in the first four months. In April, international load factor was up 2.4 load factor points.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.0 percent in the first four months. In April, international flight stage length was up 2.6 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.7 percent in the first four months. In April, international passenger trip length was up 0.3 percent.

American Airlines carried 6.9 million international passengers from January to April, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In April, American carried 1.8 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 April, with 1.52 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In April, Miami International was the busiest international airport with 377,000 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 99 U.S. carriers as of July 11 for U.S. carrier scheduled and non-scheduled civilian operations. Foreign point-to-point flights operated by U.S. carriers 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 domestic traffic numbers through April and international traffic numbers through January are available on the BTS website at TranStats, the Intermodal Transportation Database at http://transtats.bts.gov. Click on "Aviation," then on "Air Carrier Statistics (Form 41 Traffic)". For passenger numbers, click on "T-100 Market" for system, "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. For RPMs and ASMs, after clicking on "Aviation", click on "Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data)", and then click on "Schedule T-1".

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

April 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Four-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. Total System (Domestic and International) Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

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

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

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

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

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

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

Table 8. Total Industry Domestic Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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