BTS | August 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Southwest Tops System Carrier List for First Time

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August 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Southwest Tops System Carrier List for First Time

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BTS 54-06
Dave Smallen
202-366-5568

Thursday, November 16, 2006 - Southwest Airlines carried 8.7 million total system passengers in August, more than any other U.S. carrier and the first time that Southwest has topped the list for combined domestic and international passengers (Table 4), the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported, in a release of preliminary data. Southwest has been the number one domestic passenger carrier since May 2003.

BTS, a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that in August, Southwest’s 8.7 million system passengers led American Airlines, the previous top system airline, which carried 8.5 million passengers. In July, American topped the list with 9.2 million passengers while Southwest was second with 8.8 million passengers.

American Airlines still carried the most passengers on its system for the year-to-date January-to-August period. American carried 67.3 million passengers, trailed by Southwest with 64.7 million passengers. A year earlier, from January to August 2005, American carried 66.8 million passengers, trailed by Delta Air Lines with 60.7 million passengers and Southwest with 59.2 million. Delta has dropped to third in the system rankings this year (Table 3).

American also topped the list for international passengers (Table 16). Southwest carries only domestic passengers.

Total Passengers and Flights

U.S. airlines carried 505.6 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems during the first eight months of 2006, 0.4 percent more than they did during the same period in 2005 (Table 1).

U.S. airlines carried 0.3 percent fewer domestic passengers and 6.0 percent more international passengers during the eight-month period in 2006 than during the same period in 2005 (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, August, U.S. airlines carried 66.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 0.5 percent fewer than in August 2005 (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers declined 1.4 percent in August from a year earlier while international passengers increased 6.5 percent (Tables 7, 13).

U.S. carriers operated 7.1 million domestic and international flights during the first eight months of 2006, 3.8 percent fewer than were operated during the same period in 2005 (Table 1). Domestic fights were down 4.5 percent from the previous year while international flights were up 2.8 percent (Tables 7, 13).

In the most recent month, August, U.S. airlines operated 944,700 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 2.3 percent from the number of flights operated in August 2005 (Table 1). The number of domestic flights declined 2.8 percent in August from a year earlier while international flights increased 3.8 percent (Tables 7, 13).

System Comparisons (Table 1-6)

In other total system comparisons from the first eight months of 2005 to the first eight months of 2006 and from August 2005 to August 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 eight months. In August, RPMs were up 1.0 percent.

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

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 2.0 load factor points to 80.4 percent in the first eight months. In August, load factor was up 0.4 load factor points to 81.2 percent.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.2 percent in the first eight months. In August, flight stage length was up 2.3 percent.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.8 percent in the first eight months. In August, passenger trip length was up 1.5 percent.

Among airports, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International was the busiest U.S. airport from January to August, with 27.5 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In August, 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 445.9 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first eight months of 2006, down 0.3 percent from the 447.4 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 6.5 million flights, down 4.5 percent from the 6.8 million flights operated in the first eight months of 2005 (Table 7).

In the most recent month, August, the airlines carried 58.3 million scheduled domestic passengers, down 1.4 percent from the 59.1 million carried during August 2005. The passengers were carried on 866,100 flights, down 2.8 percent from the 891,000 flights operated in August 2005 (Table 7).

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

Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 0.8 percent in the first eight months. In August, domestic RPMs were down 0.8 percent.

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were down 2.3 percent in the first eight months. In August, domestic ASMs were down 1.5 percent.

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 2.5 load factor points to 80.5 percent in the first eight months. In August, domestic load factor was up 0.5 load factor points to 80.9 percent.

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.3 percent in the first eight months. In August, domestic flight stage length was up 1.4 percent.

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.1 percent in the first eight months. In August, domestic passenger trip length was up 0.6 percent.

Southwest Airlines carried 64.7 million domestic passengers from January to August, the most of any airline (Table 9). In August, Southwest carried 8.7 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).

Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport from January to August, with 25.1 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In August, 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 59.7 million scheduled international passengers during the first eight months of 2006, up 6.0 percent from the 56.3 million carried during the same period in 2005 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 582,700 flights, up 2.8 percent from the 566,700 flights operated in the first eight months of 2005 (Table 13).

In the most recent month, August, the airlines carried 8.2 million international passengers, up 6.5 percent from the 7.7 million carried during August 2005. The passengers were carried on 78,700 flights, up 3.8 percent from the 75,800 flights operated in August 2005 (Table 13).

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

International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 5.9 percent in the first eight months. In August, international RPMs were up 5.5 percent.

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 5.1 percent in the first eight months. In August, international ASMs were up 5.8 percent.

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.7 load factor points to 80.4 in the first eight months. In August, international load factor was down 0.1 load factor points to 81.8.

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.5 percent in the first eight months. In August, international flight stage length was up 2.4 percent.

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was unchanged in the first eight months. In August, international passenger trip length was down 0.2 percent.

American Airlines carried 14.8 million international passengers from January to August, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In August, American carried 2.0 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 August, with 3.0 million international passenger boardings (Table 17). In August, Miami International was the busiest international airport with 388,100 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 94 carriers as of Nov 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 August, U.S. carriers reported 329,640 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January-to-August, U.S. carriers reported 2,504,213 foreign point-to-point passengers.

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

August 2006 Airline Traffic Data: Southwest Tops System Carrier List for First Time

Total Passengers and Flights

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.-August 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Table 4. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, Ranked by August 2006 System* Scheduled Enplanements

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

Table 6. Top 10 U.S. Airports Ranked by August 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.- August 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Table 10. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, Ranked by August 2006 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

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

Table 12. Top 10 U.S. Airports, Ranked by August 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- August 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

Table 16. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, Ranked by August 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements

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

Table 18. Top 10 U.S. Airports, Ranked by August 2006 International Scheduled Enplanements