Now is a strong time to consider careers in the airline industry.
In May 2017, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that employment across U.S. passenger airlines rose 3.6 percent compared with May 2016. That increase marks the 43rd consecutive month in which monthly employment grew compared with the same month a year earlier.
Among the major network carriers — Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — employment increased 2.4 percent from May 2016 to May 2017. Over a five-year span, those network carriers combined have expanded their workforces by 8.1 percent.
American Airlines, the largest carrier, posted the strongest five-year growth among the group at 11.9 percent. Delta followed with 9.6 percent growth over five years. United’s workforce was relatively flat in that period, increasing by just 0.4 percent. Alaska Airlines stood out with remarkable growth, expanding its employee base by 28.3 percent over five years.
Much of the industrywide increase reflects the rise of low-fare travel. Discount carriers such as Frontier and Spirit experienced significant gains, with employment up 8.3 percent year over year (May 2016 to May 2017) and up 27.3 percent over five years.