The leading trade association for US airlines projects that 25.3 million passengers will travel globally on USA carriers over the 12-day Thanksgiving travel period, up 3% from a year ago and the highest number since the recession of 2007.
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“With operations improving, airfares falling and new aircraft entering the fleet at a steady pace, 2015 has translated to an improving experience for airline customers”, A4A Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich said in the press release. A4A expects an additional 65,000 passengers per day during the Friday, November 20 through Tuesday, December 1 time period. The top 3 are: Sunday, Nov. 29; Monday, Nov. 30 and Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Airlines for America also ranked the days travel is expected to be the busiest. Thanks partly to lower fuel costs this year and increased competition, the average airfare is about nine percent lower than last year. Airlines are buying 367 new planes this year, along with adding services such as Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment. The largest operating expense, employee wages and benefits, rose 11.2 percent as airlines invest more in the workforce.
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The 10 publicly traded US airlines collectively earned $17.9 billion during the first nine months of 2015, with a 36-percent decline in fuel costs more than offsetting flat operating revenues, the group said. Flight comparison website Orbitz puts the average USA flight at $369 over the Thanksgiving holiday. With higher demand, hotel costs seem to be up about five percent for the Thanksgiving holidays, to an average of $181 a night. It seems that a few may be taking advantage of the holiday time to hit the beach somewhere sunny and warm.
