The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) is reporting that U.S. airlines carried 63.8 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in May 2011 -- a 3.9 percent increase from May 2010.
The May 2011 passenger total was also 6.9 percent above that of two years ago in May 2009 but remained 3.3 percent below the early recession level of May 2008 (Table 2).
Systemwide load factors, the combination of domestic and international, set all-time records for each month beginning with July 2009 as airlines reduced capacity.
Delta, Southwest were top carriers
In May, Delta Air Lines carried more total system and international passengers than any other U.S. airline and Southwest Airlines carried the most domestic passengers.
During the first five months of 2011, Delta carried more total system and Southwest carried more domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline. American carried the most international passengers (Table 15).
Atlanta, Miami top airports
In May, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport.
During the first five months of 2011, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson than at any other U.S. airport and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami than at any other U.S. airport.
