Global air travel on U.S. airlines is forecasted to reach 2.54 million passengers daily, between June 1 and August 31, according to Airlines for America (A4A), a four percent increase from 2016.
To prepare for the influx in traffic, airlines are adding 123,000 seats daily.
Domestic seats are expected to rise 3.8 percent while international seats are expected to increase 6.1 percent.
“Rising U.S. GDP, a steadily improving economy, an all-time high household net worth and historically low airfares are proving to be the perfect combination for the expected growth in summer air travel,” John Heimlich, A4A vice president and chief economist, said. “We continue to see consumers today shift their spending towards experiences and travel, and airlines are making sure to meet this growing demand by increasing staffing and seat supply, as well as further investing in new aircraft, technology and overall customer experiences.”
First quarter financial results for 10 publically traded American airlines showed earnings were down 2.4 percent year-over-year as expenses increased 9.3 percent. Operating revenue, however, grew 1.5 percent.
Severe weather impacted travel during the first quarter, causing on-time arrival rates to fall to 79.42 percent, but, 98.24 million flights were completed, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.