The power of choice: How air travel became more affordable and available for all

OPINION:

This summer, a record number of travelers are booking tickets, packing bags and heading to the airport. I am one of the millions of passengers buckling up and taking off.

And just about all of us have specific preferences when it comes to air travel, whether it’s aisle seat or window seat, cookies or pretzels, or even window shade open or closed during flight. (I like it open for the birds-eye view.)

Some people choose to pay extra for the comforts of first class, while some just want a bit of extra leg room. Others want the choice of saving some money by flying in economy.

I prefer to travel with a carry-on, but on big family trips I would rather check bags. I like getting to the airport early to have time to grab a snack (or drink) and relax, but others like to walk right onto the plane as the gate agents begin the boarding process.

We don’t just have the choice of where we want to go, but also how we want to fly.

Today, we have more choices than ever. From 2000 to 2023, the number of competitors per domestic air trip rose, as did passenger access to lower-cost carriers. In 2021, for example, two new low-cost airlines entered the U.S. air-travel market, generating even more competition among carriers for consumers.

Consumer choice and fierce competition among U.S. airlines has been benefitting passengers. It’s why nearly 90% of Americans have flown in their lifetime, half of them before their 16th birthday. Compare that to 1971, years before the industry was deregulated, when only 49% of Americans had flown in their lifetime.

This is a testament to airlines’ continued commitment to their customers and the robust competition that exists in the industry today. This has resulted in a range of options giving consumers more choices to let them pick the ticket and fare option that best fits their needs.

It’s also why travelers are paying historically low airfares.

In the first six months of this year, airfares, when adjusted for inflation, fell 9% compared to last year.

There’s more: Inflation-adjusted airfares for this year are more than 18% lower than they were pre-pandemic in 2019.

Since deregulation of the airline industry in 1978, airfares have fallen nearly 50%.

Airfares are an outlier as the cost of everyday goods continue to rise for Americans.

Essentials like food, housing and electricity are more expensive, forcing people at home to make tough choices on how they spend their hard-earned dollars.

Travel, however, continues to prove important for consumers, as U.S. airlines experience a record-shattering summer travel season.

U.S. airlines are expected to transport a record 271 million passengers across the globe this summer, up more than 6% from last year, according to Airlines for America’s (A4A) summer travel forecast.

To meet that demand, U.S. airlines will offer more flights this summer with 26,000 scheduled flights per day. That’s a boost of nearly 1,400 from summer 2023.

Just after the July 4th holiday, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screened more than 3 million passengers in a single day the most in the agency’s history.

According to TSA, seven of the top 10 busiest travel days ever happened in the last month.

The bottom line is this: travelers are paying less for flights and have more choices for where and how they want to fly.

As passenger numbers soar, U.S. airlines continue to work to improve the air travel experience for their customers, including investing heavily in their mobile apps to keep you up to date with the latest flight info and putting more cash into aircraft and ground equipment.

All would not be possible without the more than 800,000 airline employees who are the backbone of our industry. Our carriers are leveraging their largest workforce in more than two decades while proudly offering well-paying, quality jobs. In fact, in 2022, air transportation employees earned wages 39% higher than the average private sector employee with more benefits, including medical, flight and retirement benefits, as well as job flexibility.

So, as you head to the airport this summer, whether for a long-awaited vacation or an important business trip, know that our customers are what drive us to ensure air travel remains efficient, affordable, accessible and most importantly safe for all.

• Rebecca Spicer is Senior Vice President of Communications at Airlines for America (A4A), which promotes safety, security and a healthy U.S. airline industry. A4A works collaboratively with airlines, labor, Congress, the Administration and other groups to improve aviation for the traveling and shipping public.