The Airlines for America Air Travelers in America report found that 48 percent of Americans flew on an airline in 2017, and 88 percent said they had flown on a commercial flight at least once in their lifetime. By comparison, in 1977 only 25 percent of Americans flew in a single year and 63 percent had flown at some point in their lives.
Nearly every age group and household income bracket reported taking more trips in 2017 than in 2016, with the lone exception being households earning more than $150,000 annually. The most notable increase occurred among households with incomes between $75,000 and $99,999, who averaged 5.1 trips in 2017, up from 3.4 trips in 2016.
Of those surveyed last year, 71 percent of trips were for personal reasons. On average, travelers took 5.3 flights per year, including an average of 2.6 flights for leisure. Overall satisfaction with the air travel experience was high: 81 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction, and many specifically cited improvements in the check-in process.
“Airlines continue to adapt to a highly price-sensitive American public by ensuring that passengers of all income levels can choose the services and price points that meet their individual needs, making air travel affordable and accessible to everyone,” said John Heimlich, vice president and chief economist at Airlines for America. He noted that a range of fare options, expanded in-flight entertainment, upgraded food choices and ongoing technology improvements both on the ground and in the air are helping to attract more travelers.
Chris Jackson, vice president at Ipsos Public Affairs, added that the data illustrate an ongoing “democratization” of U.S. air travel. “In this year’s survey we found that almost half — 48 percent — of Americans flew in 2017, and the large majority of those trips, 71 percent, were for personal reasons. Compared to air travel of a generation ago, which was more heavily business-focused, this shows that Americans increasingly view flying as an accessible and mainstream way to travel between cities and abroad.”