Economics & Energy

ATA Monthly Passenger Yield

Fares vs. Yields

ATA does not collect or report airline fare information. ATA does collect passenger yield information. "Yield" is the average price someone pays to fly one mile (excluding government taxes and fees, which often constitute a substantial portion of an airline ticket). Passenger yield data, which ATA reports monthly by geographic region, serves as one indicator of recent U.S. airline market/pricing trends.

Data Sample

The ATA report relies on data from seven U.S. airlines* and their regional affiliates. The results are not adjusted for inflation or trip length. The data is based on 100% of scheduled service and reflects all "revenue" passengers, including those redeeming frequent flyer miles ($0 fare) for award travel. Results for a given month are typically available 22 days thereafter and are subject to restatement.

Yield (¢ per Mile)
Excl. Taxes
2008
DOMESTIC* ATLANTIC LATIN PACIFIC
¢/RPM % Change ¢/RPM % Change ¢/RPM % Change ¢/RPM % Change
January 14.70 8.1 12.98 10.5 14.58 5.8 12.29 10.7
February 15.03 5.7 13.09 6.5 13.75 2.7 11.81 12.7
March 15.75 7.3 12.44 4.7 14.33 5.1 11.95 8.4
April 15.26 5.5 12.85 11.6 13.95 3.1 12.43 9.4
May 15.42 6.8 13.20 7.0 14.49 8.9 12.51 8.4
June 16.22 8.3 14.59 3.0 15.39 12.3 12.96 8.1
July 15.71 7.5 14.52 8.4 15.64 13.7 13.39 10.9
August 15.49 6.4 14.24 11.7 15.81 16.8 14.90 13.1
September
October
November
December
YTD 2008 15.47 7.0 13.61 7.8 14.76 8.6 12.81 10.1

*Alaska, American, Continental (incl. Micronesia), Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways and their regional affiliates

Note: Changes shown are year-over-year comparisons, which are significantly more useful than month-to-month comparisons. An RPM is one revenue (paying) passenger flown one mile.

Click here for historical yield data, by region, since 2000.

Yield (¢ per Mile)
Excl. Taxes
2007
DOMESTIC* ATLANTIC LATIN PACIFIC
¢/RPM % Chg. YOY ¢/RPM % Chg. YOY ¢/RPM % Chg. YOY ¢/RPM % Chg. YOY
January     13.60 (1.1) 11.75

4.9

13.78 8.0 11.10 8.1
February 14.22 (2.1) 12.28 7.3 13.38 5.5 10.48 1.9
March 14.67 0.3 11.88 12.2 13.64 6.7 11.03 8.2
April 14.47 (3.2) 11.52 6.4 13.53 3.4 11.37 8.5
May 14.43 (2.3) 12.33 8.1 13.31 2.9 11.54 10.2
June 14.97 (1.5) 14.16 11.6 13.71 4.2 12.00 12.3
July 14.61 0.4 13.39 5.2 13.75 2.5 12.08 6.7
August 14.56 1.4 12.75 7.9 13.54 3.6 13.17 7.0
September 14.28 (0.3) 12.91 7.6 13.04 (1.4) 12.77 8.9
October 14.71 2.5 12.60 8.1 12.99 (2.0) 12.18 10.2
November 15.19 4.4 12.54 8.2 13.69 1.2 12.19 11.7
December 14.58 8.3 12.12 8.8 14.94 4.7 12.13 12.8
Avg. 2007 14.54 0.5 12.60 8.0 13.65 3.5 11.86 9.0

*Alaska, American, Continental (incl. Micronesia), Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways and their regional affiliates

Last Modified: 10/12/2008

*Scheduled Mainline Services -- 7 Airlines*

 

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