BTS | June 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Six-Month System Traffic Up 0.9 Percent From 2005

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June 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Six-Month System Traffic Up 0.9 Percent From 2005

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BTS 42-06
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Thursday, Sept.14, 2006 - U.S. airlines carried 369.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems during the first six months of 2006, 0.9 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 more domestic passengers and 5.9 percent more international passengers during the six-month period in 2006 than during the same period in 2005 (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, June, U.S. airlines carried 67.2 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 0.1 percent more than in June 2005 (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers declined 0.8 percent in June from a year earlier while international passengers increased 6.8 percent (Tables 7, 13).

U.S. carriers operated 5.2 million domestic and international flights during the first six months of 2006, 4.6 percent fewer than were operated during the same period in 2005 (Table 1). Domestic fights were down 5.2 percent from the previous year while international flights were up 2.6 percent (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, June, U.S. airlines operated 889,200 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 4.9 percent from the number of flights operated in June 2005. The number of domestic flights declined 5.6 percent in June from a year earlier while international flights increased 3.0 percent (Tables 7, 13).

System Comparisons (Table 1-6)

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

Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.6 percent in the first six months. In June, RPMs were up 2.1 percent.

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 0.6 percent in the first six months. In June, ASMs were down 0.3 percent.

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 2.5 load factor points to 79.5 percent in the first six months. In June, load factor was up 2.1 load factor points to 84.8 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.6 percent in the first six months. In June, flight stage length was up 4.0 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.7 percent in the first six months. In June, passenger trip length was up 2.1 percent.

Among U.S. airlines, American Airlines carried 49.5 million passengers on its system from January to June, the most of any airline (Table 3). In June, American Airlines carried 8.8 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 June, with 20.2 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In June, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport was the busiest U.S. airport with 3.7 million domestic and international passenger boardings on U. S. carriers (Table 6).

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12)

U.S. airlines carried 326.7 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first six months of 2006, up from the 325.9 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 4.7 million flights, down 5.2 percent from the 5.0 million flights operated in the first six months of 2005 (Table 7).

In the most recent month, June, the airlines carried 59.2 million scheduled domestic passengers, down from the 59.7 million carried during June 2005. The passengers were carried on 814,700 flights, down 5.6 percent from the 863,000 flights operated in June 2005 (Table 7).

In other domestic comparisons from the first six months of 2005 to the first six months of 2006 and from June 2005 to June 2006 (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 six months. In June, domestic RPMs were unchanged.

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 six months. In June, domestic ASMs were down 2.7 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 3.1 load factor points to 79.6 percent in the first six months. In June, domestic load factor was up 2.4 load factor points to 84.7 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.8 percent in the first six months. In June, domestic flight stage length was up 3.0 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.2 percent in the first six months. In June, domestic passenger trip length was up 0.8 percent.

Southwest Airlines carried 47.3 million domestic passengers from January to June, the most of any airline (Table 9). In June, Southwest carried 8.7 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport from January to June, with 18.4 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In June, Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport with 3.3 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 12).

International Air Travel (Tables 13-18)

U.S. airlines carried 42.8 million scheduled international passengers during the first six months of 2006, up from the 40.4 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 423,500 flights, up 2.6 percent from the 412,800 flights operated in the first six months of 2005 (Table 13).

In the most recent month, June, the airlines carried 7.9 million international passengers, up from the 7.4 million carried during June 2005. The passengers were carried on 74,500 flights, up 3.0 percent from the 72,300 flights operated in June 2005 (Table 13).

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

International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 5.6 percent in the first six months. In June, international RPMs were up 7.7 percent.

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 4.7 percent in the first six months. In June, international ASMs were up 6.0 percent.

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.7 load factor points in the first six months. In June, international load factor was up 1.4 load factor points.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.3 percent in the first six months. In June, international flight stage length was up 3.1 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was down 0.2 percent in the first six months. In June, international passenger trip length was up 0.7 percent.

American Airlines carried 10.6 million international passengers from January to June, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In June, 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 June, with 2.2 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In June, Miami International was the busiest international airport with 402,500 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 Sept. 12 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 June, U.S. carriers reported 305,972 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January-to-June, U.S. carriers reported 1,846,666 foreign point-to-point passengers.

Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled Oct. 13 for the release of July traffic data.

June 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Six-Month System Traffic Up 0.9 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.-June 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

Table 6: Top 10 U.S. Airports ranked by June 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.- June 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

Table 12: Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by June 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- June 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

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

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

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