25 facts to know about U.S. air travel
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Whether they traveled for business or pleasure, almost 700 million passengers flew with U.S. carriers in 2015.
- Taylor Johnson | Additional reporting by Haley Sorensen WanderBat.com
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Whether they traveled for business or pleasure, almost 700 million passengers flew with U.S. carriers in 2015. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, in 2015, demand for air travel grew at the fastest rate in eight years, with passenger carriers reporting a combined operating profit of $24.1 billion — up from $14.9 billion in 2014.
The Big Four airlines — Southwest, Delta, United and American Airlines — control nearly 70 percent of the market, while low-cost carriers like Spirit and JetBlue are vying for marketshare and travelers' business. American Airlines is the latest large, passenger airline to offer more affordable flight fares, but passengers who purchase these tickets should pack a smaller bag or expect extra fees.
With so many airlines, airports and flight paths to keep track of, the data experts at WanderBat, a travel research site powered by Graphiq, curated a list of 25 facts you should know about traveling by air in the U.S. For most calculations, they used the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' 2015 data — the most recent full calendar year of data available. The facts are ordered on the number value of the answers to the flight questions the analysts asked themselves.
From airports with the most flight delays and largest price hikes to airports you'll love to fly out of, WanderBat has got you covered.
Compiled by Taylor Johnson | Additional reporting by Haley Sorensen
WanderBat.com
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-12 minutes
Of all flight paths with over 500 one-way flights in 2015, Casper/Natrona County International Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport departed 12 minutes early on average.
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-6 minutes
At the Yakutat Airport, in Yakutat, Alaska, flights depart six minutes early on average.
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0.19 percent
Of all domestic airports with over 4,000 flights in 2015, Hilo International Airport had the lowest cancellation rate — 0.19 percent.
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2.06 passengers
In October 2016, there were 2.06 reports of mishandled baggage for every 1,000 passengers on U.S. carriers.
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4.30 percent
LaGuardia Airport in New York City, New York, had 4.3 percent of its flights canceled — the most of any airport with more than 4,000 flights in 2015.
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28.2 minutes
Of flight paths with over 500 one-way trips in 2015, flights from Dallas-Fort Worth International to Kahului Airport were delayed 28.2 minutes on average.
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29.4 minutes
New Castle Airport in Wilmington, Delaware, averaged delays of 29.4 minutes.
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31 miles
Of all flight paths with at least 50 one-way flights in 2015, the flight from Wrangell Airport to Petersburg James A. Johnson Airport (Alaska) travels 31 miles, for an average flight time of 23.7 minutes.
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34 departures
Only 34 flights departed from Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport in Lansing, New York, in 2015.
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40.1 percent
Only 40.1 percent of flights were on-time on Presidents Day in 2016.
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65.9 percent
As of August 2016, only 65.9 percent of Frontier Airlines flights arrived on-time.
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76.1 percent
Over 76 percent of flights arrived on-time on the Fourth of July in 2016.
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92.6 percent
Ninety-two percent of Hawaiian Airlines flights arrived on-time as of August 2016.
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103 hours and 23 minutes
Passengers flying out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport experienced 6,203 minutes — over 103 hours — of security delays in 2015.
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$136.85
Of all airports with over 10,000 passengers, Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport in Newport News, Virginia, saw the largest price hike — $136.85 on average — from 2011 to 2015.
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$159.69
Of all airports with over 10,000 passengers, flight prices from Minot Airport in North Dakota, decreased by an average of $159.69 from 2011 to 2015.
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4,983 miles
The flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, to Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii, travels 4,983 miles.
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10,068 flights
Only 10,068 domestic flights lifted off on Thanksgiving Day, 2015.
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17,574 flights
Despite Thanksgiving being the least busy travel day of the year, the Sunday after Thanksgiving was the busiest travel day of 2015, with 17,574 domestic flight departures.
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118,500 employees
According to data from Dun & Bradstreet, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, employed over 118,000 people in 2015.
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379,424 departures
Over 379,000 flights departed from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in 2015.
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1,125,452 passengers
Los Angeles International Airport served over 1.1 million passengers in 2015.
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1,261,855 flights
Southwest Airlines offered over 1.2 million flights in 2015, followed by Delta Airlines with over 875,000 flights.
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5,819,079 flights
More than 5.8 million domestic flights lifted off in 2015.
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$41,084,000,000
According to data from Dun & Bradstreet, American Airlines had an estimated total annual sales revenue of $41 billion in 2016.
- Taylor Johnson | Additional reporting by Haley Sorensen WanderBat.com
Whether they traveled for business or pleasure, almost 700 million passengers flew with U.S. carriers in 2015. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, in 2015, demand for air travel grew at the fastest rate in eight years, with passenger carriers reporting a combined operating profit of $24.1 billion — up from $14.9 billion in 2014.
The Big Four airlines — Southwest, Delta, United and American Airlines — control nearly 70 percent of the market, while low-cost carriers like Spirit and JetBlue are vying for marketshare and travelers' business. American Airlines is the latest large, passenger airline to offer more affordable flight fares, but passengers who purchase these tickets should pack a smaller bag or expect extra fees.
With so many airlines, airports and flight paths to keep track of, the data experts at WanderBat, a travel research site powered by Graphiq, curated a list of 25 facts you should know about traveling by air in the U.S. For most calculations, they used the Bureau of Transportation Statistics' 2015 data — the most recent full calendar year of data available. The facts are ordered on the number value of the answers to the flight questions the analysts asked themselves.
From airports with the most flight delays and largest price hikes to airports you'll love to fly out of, WanderBat has got you covered.
Compiled by Taylor Johnson | Additional reporting by Haley Sorensen
WanderBat.com
-12 minutes
Of all flight paths with over 500 one-way flights in 2015, Casper/Natrona County International Airport to Salt Lake City International Airport departed 12 minutes early on average.
-6 minutes
At the Yakutat Airport, in Yakutat, Alaska, flights depart six minutes early on average.
0.19 percent
Of all domestic airports with over 4,000 flights in 2015, Hilo International Airport had the lowest cancellation rate — 0.19 percent.
4.30 percent
LaGuardia Airport in New York City, New York, had 4.3 percent of its flights canceled — the most of any airport with more than 4,000 flights in 2015.
28.2 minutes
Of flight paths with over 500 one-way trips in 2015, flights from Dallas-Fort Worth International to Kahului Airport were delayed 28.2 minutes on average.
29.4 minutes
New Castle Airport in Wilmington, Delaware, averaged delays of 29.4 minutes.
34 departures
Only 34 flights departed from Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport in Lansing, New York, in 2015.
40.1 percent
Only 40.1 percent of flights were on-time on Presidents Day in 2016.
65.9 percent
As of August 2016, only 65.9 percent of Frontier Airlines flights arrived on-time.
76.1 percent
Over 76 percent of flights arrived on-time on the Fourth of July in 2016.
92.6 percent
Ninety-two percent of Hawaiian Airlines flights arrived on-time as of August 2016.
103 hours and 23 minutes
Passengers flying out of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport experienced 6,203 minutes — over 103 hours — of security delays in 2015.
4,983 miles
The flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, to Honolulu International Airport in Hawaii, travels 4,983 miles.
10,068 flights
Only 10,068 domestic flights lifted off on Thanksgiving Day, 2015.
17,574 flights
Despite Thanksgiving being the least busy travel day of the year, the Sunday after Thanksgiving was the busiest travel day of 2015, with 17,574 domestic flight departures.
118,500 employees
According to data from Dun & Bradstreet, American Airlines, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, employed over 118,000 people in 2015.
1,125,452 passengers
Los Angeles International Airport served over 1.1 million passengers in 2015.
1,261,855 flights
Southwest Airlines offered over 1.2 million flights in 2015, followed by Delta Airlines with over 875,000 flights.
5,819,079 flights
More than 5.8 million domestic flights lifted off in 2015.
$41,084,000,000
According to data from Dun & Bradstreet, American Airlines had an estimated total annual sales revenue of $41 billion in 2016.
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