January 2007 Airline System Traffic Up 2.8 Percent From January 2006

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Contact BTS 16-07 Dave Smallen 202-366-5568

Thursday, April 12, 2007 - U.S. airlines carried 57.1 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in January 2007, 2.8 percent more than they did in January 2006, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported in a release of preliminary data (Table 1).

The rise was the fourth consecutive monthly increase in system passengers from the same month of the previous year (Table 2).

BTS, a part of DOT's Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that U.S. airlines carried 2.3 percent more domestic passengers and 6.1 percent more international passengers in January 2007 than in January 2006 (Tables 5, 9).  These passengers traveled on planes with average load factors exceeding 72 percent (Tables 1, 5, 9).

Top Airlines in January

American Airlines carried more total system passengers in January 2007 than any other airline (Table 3); Southwest Airlines carried more domestic passengers than any other airline (Table 7); and American Airlines carried more international passengers (Table 11).

Top Airports in January

More total system  and domestic passengers boarded planes in January 2007 at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport (Tables 4 and 8); more international passengers boarded planes at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport (Table 12).

Flights Operated

U.S. carriers operated 876,000 domestic and international flights in January 2007, 2.4 percent more than were operated in January 2006 (Table 1).  Domestic fights were up 2.3 percent from January of the previous year while international flights were up 4.1 percent (Tables 5, 9).

America West Airlines and US Airways report traffic data separately because the carriers hold two operating certificates despite the merged business operations.  They will file a merged traffic report when they operate under a single certificate. 

System Comparisons (Table 1-4)

In other total system comparisons from January 2006 to January 2007 (Table 1):

Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 3.5 percent in January 2007. 

Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 3.4 percent in January 2007.

Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was unchanged at 73.5 percent in January 2007.

Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 0.5 percent in January 2007.

Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.7 percent in January 2007. 

Among U.S. airlines, American Airlines carried 7.7 million passengers on its system in January 2007, the most of any airline (Table 3).

Among airports, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International was the busiest U.S. airport in January 2007, with 3.0 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 4). 

Domestic Air Travel (Tables 5-8)

U.S. airlines carried 50.0 million scheduled domestic passengers in January 2007, up 2.3 percent from 48.9 million carried in January 2006 (Table 6). The passengers were carried on 804,000 flights, up 2.3 percent from the 786,000 flights operated in January 2006 (Table 5).

In other domestic comparisons from January 2006 to January 2007 (Table 5):

Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.0 percent in January 2007. 

Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 2.3 percent in January 2007. 

Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was down 0.2 load factor points to 72.4 percent in January 2007. 

Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was down 0.1 percent in January 2007. 

Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was down 0.3 percent in January 2007. 

Southwest Airlines carried 7.3 million domestic passengers in January 2007, the most of any airline (Table 7).

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International was the busiest domestic airport in January 2007, with 2.7 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 8).

International Air Travel (Tables 9-12)

U.S. airlines carried 7.1 million scheduled international passengers in January 2007, up 6.1 percent from the 6.7 million carried in January 2006 (Table 9). The passengers were carried on 72,000 flights, up 4.1 percent from the 69,000 flights operated in January 2006 (Table 9).

In other international comparisons from January 2006 to January 2007 (Table 9):

International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 7.1 percent in January 2007. 

International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 6.5 percent in January 2007. 

International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.5 load factor points to 76.2 in January 2007. 

International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 2.5 percent in January 2007. 

International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger was up 1.0 percent in January 2007. 

American Airlines carried 1.8 million international passengers in January 2007, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 11).

Miami International was the busiest U.S. airport for international travel on U.S. carriers in January 2007, with 397 thousand international passenger boardings (Table 12).

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 94 carriers as of March 30 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 system passengers, RPMs and ASMs by carrier through January, click on "Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data)," and then click on "Schedule T-1."

For domestic numbers through December and international numbers through September 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 January, U.S. carriers reported 260,119 foreign point-to-point passengers.

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

Table 1. Scheduled System (Domestic and International) Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market and Segment

* Change in load factor points

** The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 2. Total System (Domestic and International) Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 3. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January 2007 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 4. Top 10 U.S. Airports ranked by January 2007 System* Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Market

* System equals domestic plus international

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 5. Domestic Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market and Segment

* Change in load factor points

** The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 6. Domestic Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 7. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January 2007 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 8. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January 2007 Domestic Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 Domestic Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 9. International Scheduled Airline Travel on U.S. Carriers

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Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market and Segment

* Change in load factor points

** The average non-stop distance flown per departure in miles

*** The average distance flown per passenger in miles

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 10. International Scheduled Enplanements on U.S. Carriers

Passenger numbers in millions (000,000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 11. Top 10 U.S. Airlines, ranked by January 2007 International Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.

Table 12. Top 10 U.S. Airports, ranked by January 2007 International Scheduled Enplanements

Passenger numbers in thousands (000)

Excel | CSV

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, T-100 International Market

Note: Percent changes based on numbers prior to rounding.