U.S. airlines expected to carry record 151 million passengers during spring break travel season
U.S.-based airlines are expected to carry a record 151 million people to vacations and getaways during the spring break season, a trade group for the country’s airlines is projecting.
Airlines for America, which represents carriers including American, Southwest and United Airlines, predicts a 4% increase in air travelers compared with last year. The group attributed the increase to a strong economy, low airfares and a surge in household wealth.
“An expanding economy, employment gains and surging household net worth are also contributing to the growth in demand for air travel,” said John Heimlich, chief economist for the group.
Based on the prediction, 2.47 million people will fly each day from March 1 to April 30. This fits into a trend of rising demand for air travel.
From November 2014 to November 2017, the number of passengers on domestic flights increased 13.5% while fliers on U.S. airlines’ international flights to and from the U.S. rose 9%, resulting in an overall increase of 12.9%, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
Airfares have also remained low in the last two years, thanks to relatively cheap fuel and increasing competition from ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Frontier Airlines, industry experts say.
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