Third Quarter 2020 Air Fare Drops to New Low as Passenger Numbers Decline

Release Number: BTS 07-21

The average U.S. domestic air fare declined in the third quarter of 2020 to $245, the lowest inflation-adjusted average quarterly air fare in Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) records dating back to 1995. The previous low was $262 in the second quarter of 2020. 

Adjusted for inflation (constant 2020 dollars) the average 3Q 2020 air fare was:

Figure 2. Fares by Airport Group based on Number of Originating Domestic Passengers 3Q 2020

Figure 1. U.S. Average Domestic Fares, 3rd Quarter 1995-2020

Air Travel Consumer Report: November 2020 Numbers

October 2020 U.S. Airline Traffic Data

Release Number: BTS 06-21

U.S. airlines carried 29.4 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in October 2020, seasonally-adjusted, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS), up 8.4% from September.

Figure 1. Monthly Passengers on U.S. Scheduled Airlines (Domestic + International), Seasonally Adjusted, October 2017 - October 2020

Passenger Airline Employment Tables November 2020

Mid-November 2020 U.S. Passenger Airline Employment Down More Than 1,400 FTEs from Mid-October

Release Number: BTS 04-21

The 20 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 0.4% fewer full-time equivalents (FTEs) in mid-November 2020 than in mid-October 2020:

Employees at U.S. Scheduled Passenger Airlines Month of November, 1990-2020

U.S. Airlines Carried 12% More Cargo in November 2020