Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2020

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ July Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers.

Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service:

July 2020 fuel consumption was 37% higher than June 2020, 68% higher than May 2020 and 71% higher than April 2020. April was the lowest monthly fuel usage on record (447M gallons), dating back to 2000. July 2020 fuel consumption was down 54% from July 2019.

Fuel cost per gallon for U.S. airlines scheduled service:                                 

The July 2020 cost per gallon ($1.17) for aviation fuel was up 9 cents from June 2020 but down 81 cents from July 2019. The May 2020 cost per gallon ($1.03) was the lowest since April 2004 ($1.01).

Total fuel cost for U.S. airlines scheduled service:

Total July 2020 fuel cost in was 48% higher than June 2020 and 92% higher than May 2020, which was the lowest on record dating back to 2000. Total fuel cost in July 2020 was down 73% from July 2019.

The Fuel Cost and Consumption page can be found here: https://www.transtats.bts.gov/fuel.asp Summaries by month are also available.

Preliminary fuel cost and consumption numbers are industry summaries only. Airline fuel costs may be affected by hedging, contracts that allow airlines to limit exposure to future changes in fuel prices. The monthly web update with July data is scheduled for Oct. 7.

Individual airline numbers  through March are available on the BTS website. Individual airline numbers for April, May and June will be available with the BTS second-quarter 2020 financial release on Sept. 14. Individual airline numbers for July will be available with the BTS third-quarter 2020 financial release on Dec. 7.

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