Daily and hourly airport traffic is crucial for businesses related to airports, including airport authorities, airlines, retailers, ground handlers, rental car companies, and hotels. If you belong to any of these industries, utilizing daily airport traffic data can help you plan your operations, schedule your resources, forecast revenue, and plan budgets more accurately. Additionally, this data can help you target your marketing and promotional efforts more specifically, leading to more effective business strategies.
FlightBI collects and normalizes the airport passenger throughput data from US Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In addition, it has developed a product called Fligence TSA, which features a wide variety of data visualizations. FlightBI is currently offering a two-week, no-obligation trial of Fligence TSA for you to explore valuable insights from the airport traffic data.
This article summarizes US air traffic using the aforementioned tool, utilizing actual airport-level data as of Jan 4, 2025. Our analysis will examine trends in different segments of air travel, such as domestic versus international flights and leisure versus business travel. To learn more about the specific airports chosen to represent these markets, please refer to this article.
U.S. Airport Traffic Overview
The US airport system concluded 2024 on a strong note in December. As illustrated in Figure 1, daily passenger throughput across all US airports was 4-7% higher compared to the same period last year, setting a positive momentum for the start of 2025.
Figure 1: US Overall Air Traffic Trend
Domestic Airport Traffic Indicator
Figure 2 highlights steady year-over-year growth in U.S. domestic air travel throughout December. Although domestic traffic typically declines after Thanksgiving, the decrease in 2024 was less pronounced compared to the previous year. Throughput rebounded during the Christmas holiday. Projections for 2025 suggest that domestic air traffic may fall between the levels observed in 2023 and 2024.
Figure 2: US Domestic Air Traffic Indicator
International Airport Traffic Indicator
Figure 3 presents the U.S. international air traffic index for December 2024, highlighting a more stable performance compared to December 2023. Projections indicate that U.S. international air traffic is likely to continue growing.
Figure 3: US International Air Traffic Indicator
Leisure Air Traffic Indicator
Figure 4 provides an overview of the U.S. leisure air travel market. In December 2024, leisure traffic matched last year’s levels. However, forecasts predict a decline at the end of January, which could hinder the sustained growth of leisure traffic in 2025.
Figure 4: US Leisure Air Traffic Indicator
Business Air Traffic Indicator
Figure 5 illustrates the resurgence of business travel in December 2024, showing an approximate 8% increase compared to the previous year. Projections indicate that business travel is set to gain further momentum in the coming months.
Figure 5: US Business Air Traffic Indicator
To summarize, U.S. air traffic showed positive growth trends in December 2024, with domestic and international travel both surpassing 2023 levels. Leisure travel remained steady year-over-year, while business travel experienced a notable resurgence. However, forecasts for early 2025 indicate potential challenges for leisure traffic, even as overall air traffic growth is expected to continue.