Contact: BTSNews@dot.gov

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ June Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers. U.S. airlines used 9.6% more fuel in July 2021 (1.35 billion gallons) than in June 2021. The cost per gallon ($1.99) was down from June.

Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service:

July 2019:     1.68 billion gallons
July 2020:     763 million gallons
June 2021:   1.23 billion gallons
July 2021:     1.35 billion gallons

U.S. airlines used 9.6% more fuel in July 2021 than in June 2021 to reach the highest monthly consumption level since January 2020 but still remained 20% lower than in pre-pandemic July 2019.

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

July 2019:   $1.98
July 2020:   $1.17
June 2021: $2.02
July 2021:   $1.99

The July 2021 cost per gallon ($1.99) for aviation fuel was down from June 2021 ($2.02). July’s cost per gallon was up from both July 2020 ($1.17) and July 2019 ($1.98).

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

July 2019: $3.32 billion
July 2020: $895 million
June 2021: $2.48 billion
July 2021: $2.47 billion

Total July 2021 fuel cost was up 8.1% from June 2021 and down 19% from pre-pandemic July 2019.

The Fuel Cost and Consumption page can be found at 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 price changes. The monthly web update with August data is scheduled for October 6.

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 2021 financial release on September 13.

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