Airlines for America, the U.S. airline trade association, forecasts a record 246.1 million passengers on U.S. carriers this summer.
According to the report, between June 1 and August 31 an average of 2.68 million people will fly each day, a 3.7 percent increase over last year’s previous record of 237.3 million passengers.
To handle the surge in travelers, airlines are adding roughly 116,000 seats per day to accommodate about 96,000 additional daily passengers. The outlook follows a strong first quarter for the industry, which also saw a drop in customer complaints, the lowest-ever rate of involuntary denied boardings and improved on-time performance.
“As the economy expands and household net worth grows, travelers are taking advantage of persistently low airfares for their summer plans,” said A4A Vice President John Heimlich. He noted that later this year the industry will mark 40 years since the Airline Deregulation Act, which has helped both business and leisure travelers benefit from the nation’s safest form of transportation, lower fares, enhanced in-flight amenities and modern technology from booking to arrival.