Data analyzed by Cirium, a leading aviation
technology company, shows that the summer travel demand is real.
The major U.S. airlines have scheduled
around 6 percent more domestic seats this July than last year — with a
notable exception. This July, JetBlue has scheduled 9.2 percent fewer domestic
seats compared to last. JetBlue announced capacity cuts earlier in the year
primarily due to staffing and the congested network on the East Coast of the
U.S.
Southwest Airlines will schedule only 1.4
percent more seats for this July compared to last, having reduced its plans due
to availability of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft it relies on.
The airlines’ plans differ substantially
depending on the type of carrier. Three ultra-low-cost carriers — Frontier,
Spirit and Sun Country — will bring significantly more seats to their markets.
Breeze Airways — which now boasts a fleet
of 40 aircraft (of which 25 are Airbus A220) — shows a 33 percent increase in
seats scheduled. In the aggregate, these carriers fly substantially fewer seats
than the Big 4 U.S. airlines.
American Airlines will fly the most seats
out of any carrier at more than 20.5 million seats scheduled, followed closely
by Southwest Airlines.
International carriers have scheduled
almost 8 percent more seats in July. The Summer Olympics, which start on
July 21, 2024, in Paris, are a contributing factor. American, Delta and United are all
up and Air France has increased seeming by 15 percent this month. But for the
European market, Denmark, Croatia and Spain show the most growth in seats from
the U.S., with double-digit growth in flying.
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