Skift Take
International air traffic broke every record in 2014 and macro-trends suggest that it can be done again in 2015. January statistics highlight the possibility.
A total 16.1 million travelers flew in and out of the United States in January 2015, a 5.4 percent increase over the same month last year, according to data released by the National Travel and Tourism Office.
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 for full-year 2015, see here.
U.S. citizens accounts for 6.8 million passengers, 42 percent of all U.S. air traffic, and an increase of 7 percent over last year. Non-U.S. citizen traffic accounted for 9.3 million passengers, 58 percent of all air traffic, and a 4 percent increase over last year.
Almost identical to previous months, U.S. airlines account for slightly more market share, 51 percent, than foreign carriers, 49 percent.
The largest markets for air traffic to and from the U.S. are Europe and Asia, which combined accounted for 38 percent of all international traffic. Asia’s market share grows slightly during the winter months.
The markets that experienced the greatest growth in January 2015 versus January 2014 were the Middle East (+25.2%) and the Caribbean (+11%).
The following chart outlines the performance of overseas regions:
| Overseas Regions | Passengers (mlns) | % of all International | % Change 2015 / 2014 YTD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe | 3.596 | 22% | 2.1% |
| Asia | 2.515 | 16% | 2.3% |
| Caribbean | 1.801 | 11% | 11% |
| South America | 1.403 | 9% | 0.1% |
| Central America | 1.044 | 6% | 4.5% |
| Middle East | 0.755 | 5% | 25.2% |
| Oceania | 0.419 | 3% | 6.1% |
| Africa | 0.104 | 1% | 0.1% |
A little less than a third, or 28 percent, of all 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 | 0.446 | 10% | 19.90% | 0.8 |
| Non-U.S. Citizens | 1.794 | 4% | 80.10% | -0.8 |
| U.S. Flag Carriers | 0.871 | 2% | 38.90% | -1.4 |
| Foreign Flag Carriers | 1.369 | 8% | 61.10% | 1.4 |
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 | 1.405 | 10% | 62.70% | 0.8 |
| Non-U.S. Citizens | 0.834 | 7% | 37.30% | -0.8 |
| U.S. Flag Carriers | 1.655 | 7% | 73.90% | -1.3 |
| Foreign Flag Carriers | 0.584 | 14% | 26.10% | 1.3 |
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Tags: ntto, skiftstats, tourism
Photo credit: The international terminal at Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Nicola / Flickr