Summary
- US airlines have seen significant capability growth for the reason that pandemic.
- Southwest Airlines has the very best domestic capability this 12 months, but its growth rate is lower than Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines.
- Spirit and Frontier have experienced significant growth and have increased their presence at large hubs, competing with legacy carriers.
While airlines within the US have grown capability and revenues significantly for the reason that pandemic, several aspects have contributed to growth previously 12 months. More seats have been offered due to airlines adding latest aircraft to their fleets and utilizing larger planes on routes traditionally served by regional jets.
Among the many capability metrics of the US’s top 10 domestic carriers, just one airline experienced a decrease in year-on-year capability. The remaining have recorded growth of as much as 15% since last 12 months.
The highest 10
In response to aviation analytics provider OAG, the US domestic market will finish at around 7.8 million seats, a rise of 4% in comparison with the 7.5 million seats recorded last 12 months. While the advance is modest, the result’s reportedly thrice higher than the compound annual growth rate of 1.4% recorded between 2015 and 2019.
Listed here are the highest 10 domestic airlines capability metrics this 12 months versus 2022, in response to OAG.
Airline |
2022 Domestic Capability |
2023 Domestic Capability |
Percentage Difference |
---|---|---|---|
Southwest Airlines |
202,364,789 |
226,953,900 |
12.2% |
American Airlines |
205,004,039 |
213,215,714 |
4.0% |
Delta Air Lines |
183,664,138 |
196,597,372 |
7.0% |
United Airlines |
142,112,884 |
158,070,274 |
11.2% |
Alaska Airlines |
48,807,638 |
52,225,217 |
4.9% |
Spirit Airlines |
40,299,006 |
45,911,021 |
13.9% |
JetBlue Airways |
36,074,301 |
36,126,621 |
0.1% |
Frontier Airlines |
28,534,714 |
33,005,842 |
15.7% |
Allegiant Air |
20,148,027 |
19,807,938 |
-1.7% |
Hawaiian Airlines |
12,112,353 |
12,756,558 |
5.3% |
Photo: Ontario International Airport
Southwest Airlines has the very best domestic capability thus far this 12 months, with nearly 227 million seats. Nevertheless, its change from last 12 months is below Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines, each ultra-low-cost carriers (ULCC). Allegiant Air was the one airline to record a decrease in capability.
Dominating the market
Spirit had the second-largest percentage difference at 13.9% but got here in sixth in capability, with nearly 46 million seats. Because the pandemic, the airline has significantly added frequencies. Despite its ongoing challenges with Pratt & Whitney engine recall, it’s essentially the most recovered airline on the earth for the reason that pandemic as of this month.
Frontier is eighth in capability, offering 33 million seats, but in comparison with its capability last 12 months, the airline is primary with growth of nearly 16%. Just like Spirit, the ULCC has added latest routes and frequencies, specifically recording triple-digit growth and becoming the top-growing airline in Phoenix, Arizona, in September.
Spirit and Frontier have also welcomed latest Airbus A320neo family aircraft, increasing their fleets. Nevertheless, it doesn’t all the time equate to capability growth.
said John Grant, an OAG contributor.
Photo: nyker | Shutterstock
Nonetheless, the expansion of ULCCs has been felt across the whole country as they’ve begun to have more presence at large hubs, home to legacy airlines. Nine of the highest 10 US airports have seen a rise in low-cost carrier (LCC) capability shares since pre-pandemic.
Airport |
Airline Hub |
2019 LCC Capability Share |
2023 LCC Capability Share |
Percentage Difference |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hartsfield–Jackon Atlanta International Airport (ATL) |
Delta Air Lines |
15.9% |
20.3% |
4.4% |
Denver International Airport (DEN) |
United Airlines |
44.4% |
46.0% |
1.6% |
Dallas/Fort Price International Airport (DFW) |
American Airlines |
5.3% |
7.8% |
2.5% |
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) |
American Airlines, United Airlines |
6.8% |
9.3% |
2.5% |
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) |
Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines |
25.9% |
30.1% |
4.2% |
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) |
American Airlines |
4.0% |
6.2% |
2.3% |
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) |
American Airlines |
40.2% |
43.8% |
3.7% |
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) |
Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines |
10.1% |
7.5% |
-2.6% |
Orlando International Airport (MCO) |
– |
60.3% |
63.6% |
3.3% |
San Francisco International Airport (SFO) |
Alaska Airlines, United Airlines |
13.7% |
14.5% |
0.8% |
Swapping out smaller jets for larger ones
Other carriers have focused on resource strategies to grow their capability, deploying mainline aircraft on routes solely operated by regional jets for years. For instance, American’s regional brand American Eagle, explicitly served the Phoenix to Tucson route until a number of years ago when the carrier began mixing in A319s and A320s. American similarly began scheduling mainline aircraft on flights to Palm Springs, California, from Phoenix. Southwest introduced latest service between the 2 cities in 2020.
Within the Pacific Northwest, Alaska’s regional subsidiary Horizon Air operated flights between Seattle and Portland on Dehavilland Dash-8-400s for several years. Mainline aircraft have since been scheduled on the route in recent times, along with Delta also introducing service between the 2 cities on the Boeing 737.