Skift Take
July is one of the strongest months for U.S. airlines as summer holidays at home and abroad get travelers into the sky.
Some 115 million travelers flew to and from the United States in the first seven months of 2014, a seven percent increase over the same period last year, according to data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office.
U.S. citizen travel accounted for 52.6 million passengers, 46 percent of all U.S. air traffic, and was up eight percent. Non-U.S. citizen traffic accounted for 63 million air travelers, 54 percent of all traffic, and increased by seven percent.
Every month, the Office of Travel & Tourism Industries releases data regarding recent travel activity, including details about international air passenger traffic to and from the United States. This is the most recent month for which this information is available.
For statistics on international air traffic in May 2014, see here.
U.S. carriers account for slightly more market share, 53 percent, than foreign carriers, 47 percent; however, passenger growth on foreign carriers (+10 percent) exceeded growth seen on U.S. airlines (+5 percent).
The largest markets for air traffic to and from the U.S. are Europe and Asia, which combined account for 43 percent of all international traffic.
The markets that experienced the largest growth in the first seven months of 2014 versus 2013 were the Middle East and Central America.
| Overseas Regions | Passengers (mlns) | % of all International | % Change 2014 / 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 32.3 | 28% | 5.3% |
| Asia | 17 | 15% | 5.6% |
| Caribbean | 12.8 | 11% | 7.6% |
| South America | 8.7 | 8% | 4.3% |
| Central America | 6.4 | 6% | 11.5% |
| Middle East | 4.5 | 4% | 15.2% |
| Oceania | 2.5 | 2% | 2% |
| Africa | 0.8 | 1% | -0.6% |
A little more than a quarter, or 26 percent, of international traffic is between the U.S. and Mexico or Canada.
Air traffic between the U.S. and Canada performed as follows:
| Canada Region | Passengers (mlns) | % Chg y-o-y | Market Share | % Pt. chg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Citizens | 4.3 | 9% | 26.4% | 0.5 |
| Non-U.S. Citizens | 11.9 | 6% | 73.6% | -0.5 |
Air traffic between the U.S. and Mexico performed as follows:
| Mexican Region | Passengers (mlns) | % Chg y-o-y | Market Share | % Pt. chg. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Citizens | 9.3 | 14% | 64.8% | 1.1 |
| Non-U.S. Citizens | 5.1 | 9% | 35.2% | -0.5 |
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Tags: ntto, skiftstats, usa
Photo credit: Southwest Airlines kicked off long-distance flights from its home base at Love Field in Dallas on October 13, 2014, after the expiration of the Wright Amendment. Associated Press