U.S. International Air Cargo Rose Slightly in July 2020 from July 2019 (Preliminary)

U.S. and foreign airlines carried 0.4% more cargo by weight between the U.S. and foreign points in July 2020 than in July 2019, including a 19% rise in cargo between the U.S. and Asia, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by large air carriers. July’s 0.4% increase followed year-over-year decreases in March (down 17%), April (down 16%), May (down 14%) and June (down 10%).

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

Mid-July 2020 U.S. Passenger Airline Employment Up 4,600 FTEs from Mid-June

The 23 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines employed 1.1 % more full-time equivalents (FTEs) in mid-July 2020 than in mid-June 2020:

Mid-July’s total number of FTEs (415,154) was up 4,600 FTEs from mid-June 2020 (410,557 FTEs) and down nearly 45,000 FTEs from mid-March 2020. July 2020 was the lowest FTE total for any July since 2016 (413,746 FTEs).

Mid-July 2020 FTEs were down more than 34,000 FTEs, down 7.7%, from mid-July 2019 (449,907 FTEs).  

International Air Cargo Data, July 2020 (preliminary)

Annual Rise in U.S. Airlines July Cargo (13%) Largest Increase in a Decade

U.S. airlines carried almost 13% more cargo by weight in July 2020 (preliminary) than in July 2019, the largest annual increase since 2010. The rise was fueled by a gain of almost 16% in domestic cargo while the 4.5% rise in international cargo was the first annual gain since March 2019, according to data filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) by 15 of the leading cargo airlines.

The 15 airlines carry 97% 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.

Airline Financials 2Q 2020 Tables

Figure 3. International U.S. Scheduled Service Passenger Airlines Quarterly After Tax Net Profit, 2Q 2020

Figure 2. Domestic U.S. Scheduled Service Passenger Airlines Quarterly After Tax Net Profit, 2Q 2020

Figure 1. Systemwide U.S. Scheduled Service Passenger Airlines Quarterly After Tax Net Profit, 2Q 2020

U.S. Airlines Report Second Quarter 2020 Losses

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reported a second-quarter 2020 after-tax net loss of $11.0 billion and a pre-tax operating loss of $16.2 billion.

These second-quarter losses are the second consecutive quarterly losses following 27 consecutive quarterly after-tax net profits and 35 consecutive quarterly pre-tax operating profits.

U.S. airline financial reports are filed quarterly with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). See the tables that accompany this release on the BTS website for additional second-quarter 2020 (Tables 1-6) financial results.