Airlines for America predict “record-setting” summer

Airlines for America has forecast US airlines will “carry 271 million passengers across the globe this summer” a 6.3% increase from last summer. If correct, it would be a new record that surpasses the previous one set in summer 2023, during which US airlines transported 255 million customers. To accommodate this demand, US passenger carriers will offer more flights this summer with more than 26,000 scheduled flights per day – up nearly 1,400 from last summer. “US airlines are excited to fly a record number of travellers this summer,” Rebecca Spicer, A4A senior vice president of communications said. “Our carriers have adjusted their schedules to adapt to current realities of our National Airspace System (NAS), helping to alleviate some of those pressure points and making for a smooth summer travel season.” American Airlines is expecting 72 million flyers this summer on 690K flights with 10% more departures from last summer. United also expects a record-setting summer as the carrier plans for its busiest Memorial Day weekend with a record 3M passengers, a 10% increase over 2023. Delta is also predicting three million passengers for the Memorial Day weekend, up 5% from a year ago in what the carrier considers will be its “most constructive backdrop” for the airline industry. The Transportation Security Administration is expecting some travel days this summer will see 3.1 million passengers, exceeding the previous “busiest day on record” which was the Sunday after Thanksgiving in 2023. And according to Google Flights, London is the top destination this summer, followed by Paris -- the host of the Summer Olympics. Tokyo, Rome, and New York round out the top five.