BTS Releases May 2013 U.S. Airline Traffic Data

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. BTS 38-13 Thursday, August 22, 2013 Contact: Dave Smallen Tel: 202-366-5568  BTS Releases May 2013 U.S. Airline Traffic Data; System Passengers Up 1.7% from May 2012   The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S. airlines carried 64.8 million systemwide (domestic + international) scheduled service passengers in May 2013, 1.7 percent more than in May 2012. The systemwide increase was the result of a 1.4 percent increase in the number of domestic passengers (56.5 million) and a 3.7 percent increase in international passengers (8.2 million).    BTS, a part of the Department’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, reported that U.S. airlines carried 0.5 percent more total system (domestic + international) passengers during the first five months of 2013 (298.7 million) than during the same period in 2012. Domestically, U.S. airlines carried 259.9 million passengers, 0.3 percent more than 2012. Internationally, they carried 38.8 million passengers, up 1.9 percent from 2012. See Tables 2, 8 and 14 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous-year data.  The May 2013 system load factor of 84.2 percent, the domestic load factor of 84.8 percent and the international load factor of 83.0 percent were all record highs for the month of May as year-over-year growth in revenue passenger-miles exceeded both domestic and international capacity expansion. Load factor is a measure of the use of aircraft capacity that compares Revenue Passenger-Miles (RPMs) as a proportion of Available Seat-Miles (ASMs).  Top Airlines  In May, Delta Air Lines carried more system passengers than any other U.S. airline.  Southwest Airlines carried the most domestic passengers. United Airlines carried the most international passengers. The top 10 U.S. airlines in terms of number of passengers carried 80.4 percent of systemwide passengers, up from 79.9 percent carried by the U.S. airlines that were in the top 10 in May 2012. See Air Traffic Release for summary tables and additional data. Additional traffic data can be found on the BTS Airlines and Airports page.  Click on a link in the Quick Links box on the right.  For more historical data, see Traffic on the BTS website.   ### You are subscribed to DOT News for Department of Transportation. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. You are subscribed to DOT email updates. Subscriber Services: Manage Preferences Questions for DOT? Contact DOT  STAY CONNECTED             U.S. Department of Transportation | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington DC 20590 | 202-385-HELP (4357)