U.S. Airlines Carry Record 769 Million Passengers in 2007

U.S. airlines set an annual record by carrying 769.4 million scheduled domestic and international passengers on their systems in 2007, nearly 25 million more passengers or 3.3 percent more than they did in 2006 when the previous high was reached, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), a part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), reported in a release of preliminary data.

BTS, a part of DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, said U.S. airlines carried 3.1 percent more domestic passengers in 2007 than in 2006, for an annual record of 679 million. U.S. airlines carried 4.7 percent more international passengers in 2007 than in 2006, for an annual record of 90 million. These passengers traveled on planes with average load factors of 79.9 percent, an annual record.

In December, the most recent month, U.S. airlines carried 60.8 million scheduled domestic and international passengers, 0.1 percent more than in December 2006. The number of domestic passengers decreased 0.6 percent in December from a year earlier and international passengers increased 4.9 percent.

Southwest Airlines carried more total system passengers in 2007 than any other airline for the first time. American Airlines had topped the list in the previous five years; Southwest carried more domestic passengers than any other airline for the fourth consecutive year; and American carried more international passengers than any U.S. carrier for the 18th consecutive year.

America West Airlines and US Airways report jointly as US Airways. Numbers reported as US Airways in this release for previous years do not include America West’s numbers. See the notes for system, domestic and international airline ranking tables 3, 4, 9, 10, 15 and 16 for 2007 and 2006 passenger numbers previously reported for America West.

More total system and domestic passengers boarded planes operated by U.S. carriers in 2007 at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport for the 12th consecutive year (Tables 5 and 11); more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport for the 13th consecutive year.