In 2024, U.S. airlines recorded 982.62 million passengers on domestic and international flights. The previous year, the number of passengers at U.S. airports officially surpassed the pre-pandemic peak of 926.4 million passengers recorded in 2019.

Southwest Airlines was the airline group that carried the most passengers in the United States in 2024, with roughly ***** million passengers. American Airlines ranked second in that year after uplifting just under ***** million passengers.

The number of enplaned passengers in the United States followed an increasing trend with slight oscillations until the coronavirus pandemic. Due to border closures and stay-at-home requirements, the passenger volume dropped by 60 percent and amounted to 347.9 million travelers. However, American airline companies showed strong resilience to the narrowing down effects of the pandemic, and a strong recovery was recorded in the following years. As of 2024, around 900.2 million passengers traveled with American air carriers, the highest figure recorded in the given period.

Graph and download economic data for Enplanements for U.S. Air Carrier Domestic, Scheduled Passenger Flights (ENPLANED) from Jan 2000 to Mar 2025 about flight, passenger, air travel, travel, domestic, and USA.

In 2024, U.S. airlines carried around 852.1 million passengers on domestic flights across the United States. This was an increase from the roughly 819.3 million domestic passengers carried by U.S. airlines in the previous year.

Graph and download economic data for Revenue Passenger Miles for U.S. Air Carrier Domestic and International, Scheduled Passenger Flights (RPM) from Jan 2000 to Feb 2025 about flight, miles, passenger, air travel, travel, revenue, domestic, and USA.

United States Air Passenger Departures: US Airlines data was reported at 49,395.120 Person th in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 47,682.000 Person th for 2016. United States Air Passenger Departures: US Airlines data is updated yearly, averaging 36,165.500 Person th from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2017, with 28 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 51,567.000 Person th in 2015 and a record low of 21,285.753 Person th in 1991. United States Air Passenger Departures: US Airlines data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.Q004: Air Passenger Travel: Departures .

Graph and download economic data for Air Revenue Passenger Miles (AIRRPMTSID11) from Jan 2000 to Apr 2025 about miles, passenger, air travel, travel, revenue, and USA.

Data from all U.S. air carrier domestic and international, scheduled passenger flights. International data in system total includes U.S. carrier operations to and from the U.S. and from one foreign point to another foreign point. BTS’ Airlines and Airports available here (https://www.transtats.bts.gov/Data_Elements.aspx) does not include U.S. carriers’ foreign point-to-point flights.

This data is collected by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), U.S. Air Carrier Traffic Statistics reported in BTS' monthly Air Traffic Data release, available here (https://www.bts.dot.gov/statistical-releases).

United States US: Air Transport: Passengers Carried data was reported at 849,403,000.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 824,039,000.000 Person for 2016. United States US: Air Transport: Passengers Carried data is updated yearly, averaging 492,425,056.000 Person from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2017, with 48 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 849,403,000.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 163,448,992.000 Person in 1970. United States US: Air Transport: Passengers Carried data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Aviation Sector – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Transportation. Air passengers carried include both domestic and international aircraft passengers of air carriers registered in the country.; ; International Civil Aviation Organization, Civil Aviation Statistics of the World and ICAO staff estimates.; Sum;

Graph and download economic data for Available Seat Miles for U.S. Air Carrier Domestic, Scheduled Passenger Flights (ASMDD11) from Jan 2000 to Mar 2025 about flight, miles, passenger, domestic, and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Load Factor for U.S. Air Carrier International, Scheduled Passenger Flights (LOADFACTORID11) from Jan 2000 to Mar 2025 about flight, passenger, and USA.

In 2023, American Airlines uplifted the largest number of air passengers, amounting to nearly 211 million. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines' traffic figure was the second larges, with 190 million passengers.

The average for 2021 based on 152 countries was 15 million passengers. The highest value was in the USA: 666.15 million passengers and the lowest value was in Guatemala: 0 million passengers. The indicator is available from 1970 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Miles data was reported at 95,266,489.000 Unit th in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 99,298,253.000 Unit th for Jul 2018. United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Miles data is updated monthly, averaging 64,705,364.000 Unit th from Jan 1996 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 272 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 99,298,253.000 Unit th in Jul 2018 and a record low of 38,601,717.000 Unit th in Sep 2001. United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Miles data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Transportation. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA008: Air Traffic Statistics.

Mexico No. of Passengers: Intl: American Airlines: U.S.A. Jet Airlines data was reported at 0.000 Person in Dec 2017. This stayed constant from the previous number of 0.000 Person for Nov 2017. Mexico No. of Passengers: Intl: American Airlines: U.S.A. Jet Airlines data is updated monthly, averaging 0.000 Person from Jan 1992 (Median) to Dec 2017, with 312 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 549.000 Person in Jul 2012 and a record low of 0.000 Person in Dec 2017. Mexico No. of Passengers: Intl: American Airlines: U.S.A. Jet Airlines data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Secretary of Tourism. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Mexico – Table MX.TA008: Number of Passengers: International Flights.

United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Enplanements data was reported at 81,411.000 Person th in Aug 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 84,307.000 Person th for Jul 2018. United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Enplanements data is updated monthly, averaging 59,650.500 Person th from Jan 1996 (Median) to Aug 2018, with 272 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 84,307.000 Person th in Jul 2018 and a record low of 34,801.000 Person th in Sep 2001. United States Air Carrier Traffic: Revenue Passenger Enplanements data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Transportation. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.TA008: Air Traffic Statistics.

In 2021, Atlanta International Airport was the busiest airport in the United States, transporting 36.9 million passengers. In that same year, Atlanta was also the main hub of Delta Air Lines. Delta Air Lines – additional information U.S.-based Delta Air Lines is among the major airlines and legacy carrier in the United States, with a market share of 16.3 percent. As a founding member of the SkyTeam airline alliance, Delta is a member of SkyTeam and SkyTeam Cargo. In 2022, Delta Air Lines was ranked third within the long-haul airline segment, with a satisfaction index score of 813. Major airports in the U.S.
In 2018, Chicago O’Hare International Airport was the first leading domestic airport hub in terms of connectivity index and number of airport operations implemented. In 2020, Atlanta International Airport was the fourth most punctual major hub in the U.S.

Since 2006, the total number of air traffic passengers increased steadily. In 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is estimated that the number of air passengers traveling to and from the U.S. was only 99 million. Passenger aviation in the U.S. After the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. passenger aviation industry experienced a profound evolution. Between 2009 and 2019, the aviation industry in the U.S. experienced an increasing concentration amongst the leading airline operators. In 2021, there were 18 major air carriers in the U.S. Moreover, between 2009 and 2019, passenger revenue generated by the U.S. airline industry increased exponentially, and then dropped sharply in 2020, due to the pandemic, reaching 49 billion U.S. dollars. Size of U.S. aviation industry Thanks to the efficiency-enhancing measures, major competing aviation firms provided a steady improvement in the aviation industry. Five out of the ten most profitable airlines worldwide are U.S.-based, indicating how large the aviation market in the U.S. is compared to the rest of the world. Besides this, the U.S. had the highest airport connectivity in 2019, reaching a score of 7.29 million.

In March 2024, the number of passengers that entered or departed Israel onboard airlines from the United States amounted to about ******. That was a significant decline compared to the same month the previous year. Various american airlines ceased to fly to Israel between November 2023 and February 2024 due to the start of the Israel-Hamas war. US-based airlines, which operate in Israel, include Delta and American Airlines.