U.S. Airlines November 2020 Fuel Use Up 5% from October
The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ November Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers.
Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service:
| November 2019 | 1.4 billion gallons |
| October 2020 | 807 million gallons |
| November 2020 | 845 million gallons |
U.S. airlines’ November 2020 fuel consumption was 4.6% higher than October 2020, and 89% higher than April 2020. April was the lowest monthly fuel usage on record (447M gallons), dating back to 2000. November 2020 fuel consumption was down 42% from November 2019.
Fuel cost per gallon for U.S. airlines scheduled service:
| November 2019 | $1.99 |
| October 2020 | $1.14 |
| November 2020 | $1.20 |
The November 2020 cost per gallon ($1.20) for aviation fuel was up 6 cents per gallon from October 2020 ($1.14) but down 79 cents per gallon from November 2019 ($1.99). 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:
| November 2019 | $2.9 billion |
| October 2020 | $917 million |
| November 2020 | $1.0 billion |
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 price changes. The monthly web update with December data is scheduled for Feb. 3.
Individual airline numbers through September are available on the BTS website. Individual airline numbers for October and November will be available with the BTS fourth-quarter 2020 financial release on May 3.
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