RDATE:17102007
U.S. airlines carried 72.2 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems in July, a record high for a single month and 2.2 percent more than the previous record of 70.6 million in July 2005, the U.S. Department of Transportations Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today reported in a release of preliminary data.
BTS, a part of DOTs Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that U.S. carriers also set passenger records in July for the separate domestic passenger and international passenger categories. U.S. airlines carried 63.2 million domestic passengers in July, up 1.3 percent from the previous high of 62.4 million in July 2005 (Table 8). U.S. airlines carried 8.9 million international passengers in July, up 3.2 percent from the previous high of 8.7 million in July 2006 (Table 14).
Load factors in July reached an all-time high for combined domestic and international system flights. The July system load factor for domestic and international flights was 86.0 percent, topping the previous high of 85.8 percent in June. The July load factor for domestic flights was 86.4 percent, matching the previous high of 86.4 percent in June (Tables 7, 13). Load factor measures the use of airline capacity.
The 72.2 million total system passengers increased 3.8 percent from July 2006 (Table 2). The number of domestic passengers increased 3.9 percent in July from a year earlier and international passengers increased 3.2 percent (Tables 7, 13).
U.S. airlines carried 451.7 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems during the first seven months of 2007, 2.9 percent more than they did during the same period in 2006 and a record for the January-to-July period.
U.S. airlines carried 2.8 percent more domestic passengers and 3.8 percent more international passengers during the first seven months of 2007 than during the same period in 2006 (Tables 7, 13). These passengers traveled on planes with average load factors exceeding 80.1 percent (Tables 1, 7 and 13).
Top Airlines Southwest Airlines carried more total system and more domestic passengers in the first seven months than any other U.S. airline (Tables 3 and 9) and American Airlines carried more international passengers than any U.S. carrier (Table 15).
Top Airports More total system and domestic passengers boarded planes in the first seven months at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport (Tables 5 and 11); and more international passengers boarded planes on U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport (Table 17).
Flights Operated U.S. carriers operated 6.2 million domestic and international flights in the first seven months of 2007, 1.0 percent more than were operated during the same period in 2006 (Table 1). Domestic flights were up 1.0 percent from the previous year while international flights also increased 1.0 percent (Tables 7, 13).
In July, U.S. airlines operated 928,000 scheduled domestic and international flights, down 0.5 percent from the number of flights operated in July 2006 (Table 1). The number of domestic flights declined 0.4 percent in July from a year earlier while international flights decreased 1.8 percent (Tables 7, 13).
America West Airlines and US Airways reported traffic data separately in July because the carriers held two operating certificates despite their merged business operations. They are now operating under a single certificate and will begin reporting data jointly later this year.
System Comparisons (Table 1-6) In other total system comparisons from the first seven months of 2006 to the first seven months of 2007 and from July 2006 to July 2007 (Table 1):
Revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 3.3 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, RPMs were up 3.9 percent.
Available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 2.8 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, ASMs were up 2.7 percent.
Passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.4 percentage points to 80.7 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, load factor was up 0.9 percentage points at 86.0 percent.
Flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 0.9 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, flight stage length was up 2.3 percent.
Passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 0.4 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, passenger trip length was up 0.1 percent.
Among U.S. airlines, Southwest carried 59.5 million passengers on its system from January to July, the most of any airline (Table 3). In July, Southwest carried 9.7 million passengers on its system, the most of any airline (Table 4).
Among airports, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International was the busiest U.S. airport from January through July, with 24.8 million domestic and international passenger boardings (Table 5). In July, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International was the busiest U.S. airport with 4.1 million domestic and international passenger boardings on U. S. carriers (Table 6).
Domestic Air Travel (Tables 7-12) U.S. airlines carried 398.3 million scheduled domestic passengers during the first seven months of 2007, up 2.8 percent from the 387.6 million carried during the same period in 2006 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 5.7 million flights, up 1.0 percent from the number of flights operated in 2006 (Table 7).
In the most recent month, July, the airlines carried 63.2 million scheduled domestic passengers, up 3.9 percent from the passengers carried during July 2006 (Table 8). The passengers were carried on 849,300 flights, down 0.4 percent from the 852,300 flights operated in July 2006 (Table 7).
In other domestic comparisons from the first seven months of 2006 to the first seven months of 2007 and from July 2006 to July 2007 (Table 7):
Domestic revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 2.5 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, domestic RPMs were up 3.5 percent.
Domestic available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 1.8 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, domestic ASMs were up 1.8 percent.
Domestic passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was up 0.5 load factor points to 80.9 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, domestic load factor was up 1.4 load factor points to 86.4 percent.
Domestic flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 0.2 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, domestic flight stage length was up 1.4 percent.
Domestic passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was down 0.3 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, domestic passenger trip length was down 0.4 percent.
Southwest carried 59.5 million domestic passengers in the first seven months of 2007, the most of any airline (Table 9). In July, Southwest carried 9.7 million domestic passengers, the most of any airline (Table 10).
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport in the first seven months of 2007, with 22.5 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 11). In July, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson was the busiest domestic airport with 3.7 million domestic passenger boardings (Table 12).
International Air Travel (Tables 13-18) U.S. airlines carried 53.4 million scheduled international passengers during the first seven months of 2007, up 3.8 percent from the 51.5 million carried during the same period in 2006 (Table 14). The passengers were carried on 508,900 flights, up 1.0 percent from the 504,000 flights operated in 2006 (Table 13).
In the most recent month, July, the airlines carried 8.9 million scheduled international passengers, up 3.2 percent from the passengers carried during July 2006. The passengers were carried on 78,700 flights, down 1.8 percent from the 80,100 flights operated in July 2006 (Table 13).
In other international comparisons from the first seven months of 2006 to the first seven months of 2007 and from July 2006 to July 2007 (Table 13):
International revenue passenger miles (RPMs), a measure of the number of passengers and the distance flown, were up 5.3 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, international RPMs were up 4.9 percent.
International available seat-miles (ASMs), a measure of airline capacity using the number of seats and the distance flown, were up 5.3 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, international ASMs were up 5.0 percent.
International passenger load factor, passenger miles as a proportion of available seat-miles, was unchanged from the 80.2 percent in the first seven months of 2006. In July, international load factor was down 0.1 load factor points to 85.2 percent.
International flight stage length, the average non-stop distance flown per departure, was up 3.9 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, international flight stage length was up 6.8 percent.
International passenger trip length, the average distance flown per passenger, was up 1.5 percent in the first seven months of 2007. In July, international passenger trip length was up 1.7 percent.
American carried 12.7 million international passengers in the first seven months of 2007, the most of any U.S. airline (Table 15). In July, American carried 2.1 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 seven months of 2007, with 2,817,400 international passenger boardings (Table 17). In July, Miami International was the busiest international airport with 469,300 international passenger boardings (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 90 carriers as of Sept. 28 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_stat istics/.
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 July, click on Air Carrier Summary Data (Form 41 and 298C Summary Data), and then click on Schedule T-1.
For domestic numbers through July and international numbers through April 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 July, U.S. carriers reported 249,284 foreign point-to-point passengers. For January through July, U.S. carriers reported 1,767,335 foreign point-to-point passengers.
Data are subject to revision. BTS has scheduled Nov. 15 for the release of August traffic data. (Tables have been removed)
CONTACT: Dave Smallen,BTS, US Department of Transport Tel: +1 202 366 5568
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