US airline traffic hits all-time high in 2017

The US Transportation Department said on Thursday that airlines carried 3.4% more passengers on US domestic and international flights in 2017 for an all-time high of 965 million passengers.

The government said international travel rose 4.8% in 2017 to 223.4 million passengers, also a record, and foreign airlines carried 6.1% more passengers last year on US-bound and departing flights. Carriers transported 741.6 million passengers on US domestic flights in 2017, up 3%.

Southwest Airlines led all carriers again with 157.7 million passengers on US flights, up 3.9%, followed by Delta Air Lines, which rose to second with 145.6 million passengers, up 1.8%, followed by American Airlines with 144.9 million.

United Air Lines, despite a controversy involving a passenger dragged out of his seat at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport in April 2017, reported a 7.1% increase to 107.2 million passengers. The four largest US carriers accounted for 58% of total passengers in 2017.

Among US airports, Atlanta remained the busiest airport in 2017, handling 50.2 million passengers, down 0.5%, followed by Los Angeles with 41.2 million. Denver edged out New York’s JFK airport for fifth busiest airport in 2017 with 29.8 million passengers.

JFK remained the busiest US airport for international travellers.