Contact: BTSNews@dot.gov

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ September Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers. U.S. airlines used 1.22 billion gallons of fuel in September, 7.6% less fuel than in August 2021 and 17.3% less than in pre-pandemic September 2019. The cost per gallon of fuel ($1.99) was up from August ($1.97).

Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service:

September 2019:      1.48 billion gallons
September 2020:      728 million gallons
August 2021:             1.32 billion gallons  
September 2021:      1.22 billion gallons

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

September 2019:   $1.96
September 2020:   $1.17
August 2021:          $1.97
September 2021:   $1.99

The September 2021 cost per gallon ($1.99) for aviation fuel was up from August 2021 ($1.97). September’s cost per gallon was up from both September 2020 ($1.17) and September 2019 ($1.96).

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

September 2019:  $2.89 billion
September 2020:  $852 million
August 2021:         $2.61 billion
September 2021:  $2.43 billion

Total September 2021 fuel cost ($2.43B) was down 6.8% from August 2021 ($2.61B) and down 16% from pre-pandemic September 2019 ($2.89B).

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 October data is scheduled for December 1.

Individual airline numbers through June are available on the BTS website. Individual airline numbers for July, August, and September will be available with the BTS third-quarter 2021 financial release on December 6.

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