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US Carriers and American Citizens Dominate World Air Traffic

Sept. 08, 2018
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3 min read
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US Carriers and American Citizens Dominate World Air Traffic
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The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released its annual report detailing all of the aviation statistics you could imagine — and last year was a record for the airline industry.

More than 4.1 billion travelers flew on scheduled service in 2017, a record for any 12-month period. That represents a 7.3% increase over 2016 and is 280 million more trips than the year before.

IATA says the growth was supported by a strong global economy and cheaper airfares.

"At the same time, airlines connected a record number of cities worldwide, providing regular services to more than 20,000 city pairs in 2017, more than double the level of 1995," the organization said in a statement. "Such increases in direct services improve the industry’s efficiency by cutting costs and saving time for both travelers and shippers alike."

American legacy carriers maintained their dominance for the world's busiest airlines, but Middle Eastern, Chinese and low-cost carriers aren't too far behind. These are the top airlines by total scheduled passenger kilometers flown:

  1. American Airlines (324 million)
  2. Delta Air Lines (316.3 million)
  3. United Airlines (311 million)
  4. Emirates Airline (289 million)
  5. Southwest Airlines (207.7 million)
  6. China Southern Airlines (177.5 million)
  7. Ryanair (157 million)
  8. Lufthansa (152.2 million)
  9. China Eastern Airlines (151 million)
  10. Air China (147 million)

Not only do American carriers fly the most, but US citizens came in first place for the amount of trips taken:

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  1. United States of America (632 million, representing 18.6% of all passengers)
  2. People’s Republic of China (555 million or 16.3% of all passengers)
  3. India (161.5 million or 4.7% of all passengers)
  4. United Kingdom (147 million or 4.3% of all passengers)
  5. Germany (114.4 million or 3.4% of all passengers)

Star Alliance continues to be the strongest airline alliance, receiving 22% of total scheduled traffic while SkyTeam came in with 19% and Oneworld at 16%.

IATA also delved into some of the traffic numbers on specific routes, finding that the busiest international airline routes were all in the Asia Pacific region:

  1. Hong Kong — Taipei Taoyuan (5.4 million, up 1.8% from 2016)
  2. Jakarta Soekarno — Hatta-Singapore (3.3 million, up 0.8% from 2016)
  3. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi — Hong Kong (3.1 million, increase of 3.5% from 2016)
  4. Kuala Lumpur — Singapore (2.8 million, down. 0.3% from 2016)
  5. Hong Kong — Seoul Incheon (2.7 million, down 2.2% from 2016)
Image courtesy of IATA.

While airline revenue is down over the last few years, profits are at an all time high. The airline industry displayed an operating result of nearly $38 billion — indicating that these companies are more efficient than ever.

Image courtesy of IATA.

“In 2000, the average citizen flew just once every 43 months. In 2017, the figure was once every 22 months," said Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO. "Flying has never been more accessible. And this is liberating people to explore more of our planet for work, leisure and education. Aviation is the business of freedom.”

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.