USA Banner

Official US Government Icon

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure Site Icon

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Department of Transportation Icon United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

Airline Traffic Data

Legacy ID
321
Show Effective Date
On
Significant Regulatory Guidance
No
Subscribe to RSS

March 2020 U.S. Airline Traffic Data (Final)

U.S. airlines carried 36.6 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in March 2020, seasonally-adjusted, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS), down 53.2% from February.

 

BTS is withholding the scheduled release of estimated U.S. airlines’ traffic data for April and May because the estimates are statistical forecasts based on previous trends. The estimates do not account for the coronavirus.

 

U.S. airlines carried 32.3 million domestic passengers and 4.4 million international passengers in March, seasonally-adjusted.

Preliminary Air Traffic Data, April 2020: 96% Reduction in U.S. Airline Passengers from 2019

U.S. airlines carried 96% fewer scheduled service passengers in April 2020 than in April 2019, according to preliminary data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 24 airlines that carry 99% of the passengers.

 

The 96% annual decline in the number of passengers from April 2019 is the largest year-to-year decrease on record, larger than the 51% decline from March 2019 to March 2020.

 

The large airlines carried 3.0 million passengers in April, the lowest monthly total in BTS records dating back to 1974. The previous low was 14.6 million passengers in February 1975.

Air Cargo Down 15% Between the U.S. and Foreign Points, March 2020 (Preliminary)

U.S. and foreign airlines carried 15.2% less cargo by weight between the U.S. and foreign points in March 2020 than in March 2019, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by large air carriers.

 

March 2020 cargo numbers to and from the U.S. by world geographic areas (by weight):

  • Total to and from the U.S.: 403 thousand tons, down 15.2% from March 2019 (475T tons)
  • Europe: 102 thousand tons, down 25.0% from March 2019 (135T tons)
  • Latin America: 46 thousand tons, down 29.2% from March 2019 (65T tons)
  • Asia (including China): 229 thousand tons, down 6.4% from March 2019 (245T tons)
  • China: 66 thousand tons, up 2.0% from March 2019 (66T tons)
  • Canada: 9 thousand tons, down 8.1% from March 2019 (10T tons)

 

March 2020 U.S. Airline Cargo Data (Preliminary): International Cargo Weight Down 14%

U.S. airlines carried 1.4% less cargo by weight in March 2020 than in March 2019, according to preliminary data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 15 of the leading cargo airlines.

 

The 15 airlines carry more than 95% of the total cargo by weight on U.S. airlines. Cargo data consists of freight and mail carried within the U.S. and between the U.S. and foreign points.

February 2020 U.S. Airline Traffic Data

U.S. airlines carried 78.3 million systemwide (domestic and international) scheduled service passengers in February 2020, seasonally-adjusted, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics’ (BTS), down 0.6% from January.

 

See preliminary March U.S. airlines passenger numbers [Link2Come]

 

BTS is withholding the scheduled release of estimated U.S. airlines’ traffic data for March and April because the estimates are statistical forecasts based on previous trends. The estimates do not account for the impact of the coronavirus.

 

In February, there were 68.9 million domestic passengers and 9.3 million international passengers on U.S. airlines flights, seasonally-adjusted