The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S. airlines carried 61.5 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in April 2012, 1.5 percent more domestic passengers and 1.7 percent more international passengers than in April 2011. These changes resulted in a systemwide increase of 1.6 percent in passengers from April 2011. The April 2012 passenger total was 3 percent above that of two years ago in April 2010.

DOT also reported in a release of preliminary data that the system load factor of 82.6 percent, domestic load factor of 83.5 percent, and international load factor of 80.5 percent were all record highs for April.

U.S. airlines carried 233.5 million total system passengers during the first four months of 2012, up 2.5 percent from the same period in 2011. Domestically, they carried 203.4 million passengers, up 2.5 percent from 201. Internationally, they carried 30.1 million passengers, up 2.5 percent from 2011.

In April, Southwest Airlines carried more total system passengers than any other U.S. airline. Southwest also carried the most domestic passengers. United Airlines, following its merger with Continental, carried the most international passengers. The top 10 US airlines carried 82.4 percent of systemwide passengers, an increase from the 70.1 percent in April 2011.

In April, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport, and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport. During the first four months of 2012, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson than at any other U.S. airport, and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami than at any other U.S. airport.