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Is flying safer than driving?

There have been effectively zero deaths per 100 million passenger miles traveled by air in the US each year from 2002 to 2020.

Published Tue, December 19, 2023 by the USAFacts Team

Air travel [1] is safer than driving on highways in the US, according to data from the US Department of Transportation (DoT). Passenger injuries and fatalities in air travel were significantly lower than in passenger cars and trucks for each year between 2002 and 2020. Flying is also safer than riding subways [2] , trains [3] , buses [4] , and motorcycles.

What is the safest way to travel?

Air travel is the safest form of transit in the US. Injury and death rates in air travel in the US have been near zero each year since 2002, and the number of aviation accidents declined from 2000 to 2021.

Comparing passenger injuries

From 2002 to 2020, there were 614 total serious injuries in US air travel , an average of 32 injuries per year. In that same time, 44 million people were injured in passenger cars and trucks on US highways — that’s approximately 2.3 million per year.

The average annual injury rate for air travel was .01 injuries per 100 million passenger miles traveled, compared with 48 injuries for the same distance traveled in cars and trucks.

Comparing passenger deaths

From 2002 to 2020, there were 755 deaths during air travel in the US on domestic carriers. Nearly 75% of these deaths occurred in accidents involving on-demand air taxis, smaller aircraft of 30 seats or fewer that operate on an on-demand basis. Passenger car and truck accidents logged 498,016 deaths on US highways over that same time frame, an average of 26,211 fatalities per year.

Effectively, there have been zero deaths per 100 million passenger air travel miles each year from 2002 to 2020. The average annual fatality rate over that time was .01 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. The death rate for passenger cars and trucks on US highways — though it declined from .7 deaths per 100 million passenger miles in 2002 to .5 deaths in 2020 — remains significantly higher.

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Injuries and deaths for different modes of transportation

The DoT records injuries and fatalities for all modes of passenger transportation, including motorcycles, railroads, subways and light rail systems, and buses. Each of those modes had higher injury and fatality rates than air travel in the US in 2019.

How safe is highway driving?

About 2.3 million people were injured on US highways in 2020. More than half (54%) of those injuries occurred in passenger cars, while 34% were in light trucks, 4% on motorcycles, and 2% were in large trucks. The remainder were pedestrians, bicyclists, or occupants of an unknown vehicle.

There were also 30,250 vehicle-occupant fatalities on highways in 2020: 45% of those happened in passenger cars, 34% in light trucks, and 18% on motorcycles. The remainder were occupants of large trucks. In addition to the 30,250 vehicle passenger deaths on highways, there were also 6,516 pedestrian deaths and 938 bicyclist deaths.

Injury rates for passenger vehicles and trucks have gradually declined, from more than 54 injuries per 100 million passenger miles in 2016 to just under 43 in 2021.

How safe is public transit?

US public transit systems accounted for 7,209 passenger injuries and 29 fatalities in 2022, the most recent year of available DoT data. Public transit includes buses, heavy rail (including subways), light rail, monorails, ferries, and other modes of transportation operated by public transit operators.

Buses in particular accounted for 82% of passenger injuries from public transit in 2022 and 34% of transit passenger deaths.

How safe is passenger railroad travel?

Passenger rail includes commuter rail and Amtrak but not local subway systems and streetcars. According to preliminary 2022 data, there were 677 passenger injuries and seven passenger fatalities on passenger railroad services, according to the DoT.

Railroad passenger injuries reached a recent high of 1,812 in 2016 and fell into the triple digits during 2020 (401 injuries), 2021 (525), and 2022 (677). Over the same period, the number of railroad miles traveled fell 66%.

How safe is air travel?

In 2019, US air carriers reported 31 serious injuries and 38 fatalities, according to the DoT. In 2020, the latest year on record, there were 17 injuries and 26 deaths; as noted, most of these were in on-demand air taxis. (Between 2019 and 2020, the number of air passenger miles traveled also fell, by nearly 60%.)

Forty percent of all air travel deaths in this century happened in 2001, the year of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

Explore more data on US transportation and infrastructure , see how many pedestrians and cyclists are killed by cars , and get the facts directly in your inbox by subscribing to our weekly newsletter .

Where does this data come from, and what is it missing?

The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics compiles annual data on fatalities and injuries for each mode of transportation.

Different modes of transportation have slightly different definitions of injuries. Passenger vehicle data in this analysis only includes injuries or fatalities that happen on highways and injuries that require medical attention away from the crash scene. Department of Transportation passenger vehicle data does not include non-highway incidents and injuries addressed at the scene of an incident and does not include non-passenger injuries or fatalities, such as pedestrians hit by cars or transit vehicles. Air travel data does not distinguish between passengers and non-passengers, like pilots and crew, and only records injuries that require hospitalization for at least 48 hours or involve serious fractures, tissue damage, or burns.

Air travel includes all scheduled flights by US domestic airlines, scheduled commuter flights, and on-demand air taxi services.

Subways are included in data for rail transit, which includes heavy rail (like subway systems), light rail, streetcars, and hybrid rail. It does not include commuter rail like Amtrak which is captured separately.

The term "trains" is used interchangeably with "railroads" throughout. Railroads include commuter rail and Amtrak.

Bus transit includes commuter bus, motor bus, rapid bus, and trolley bus. It does not include school buses or intercity buses like Greyhound.

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Simple Flying

How flying today is safer than at any time in the past.

Becoming safer with every year that passes.

It's been said that all aviation safety regulations are written in blood, but how true is that?

Every year, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) releases its global safety report. In its most recent iteration, findings showed that in 2022, the aviation industry saw a nearly 10% decrease in accidents compared to 2020—furthermore, fatalities resulting from aircraft accidents dropped by over 65%.

Interestingly, these numbers have fallen despite the number of scheduled flights increasing. The ICAO attributes the improvements in safety to the safety commitments shared across the industry. In fact - the trend across many years of aviation is that today, flying is safer than ever.

Improving safety over time

According to research by Harvard University, flying in the US, Europe, and Australia is significantly safer than driving a car. Your odds of being in an accident during a flight is one in 1.2 million, and the chance of that being fatal is one in 11 million. Comparatively, your chances of dying in a car crash are over 200,000 times higher, averaging around one in 5,000.

Harvard is far from the only US academic institution researching this topic. Indeed, a 2020 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) study tracked how airline safety has improved in recent years. Between 2008 and 2017, there was one fatality for every 7.9 million passengers who boarded a flight, while between 1998 and 2007, it stood at closer to one death per 2.7 million passengers.

Love aviation history ? Discover more of our stories here

The trend is even more apparent in the pre-9/11 era of lowered safety standards, limited security, and airport vending machines offering airline insurance. From 1988 to 1997, there was one fatality for every 1.3 million passengers, and from 1978 to 1987, that decreased further to one per 750,000 boardings. 1968 to 1977 saw an abysmal record of one fatality for every 350,000 passengers. Adjusted to 2023 traffic figures, that would account for at least 18 aviation-related deaths every day.

Arnold Barnett, the author of the MIT paper, summarized the findings, outlining the astounding work the aviation industry has done to limit fatal accidents,

“The worldwide risk of being killed had been dropping by a factor of two every decade… The pace of improvement has not slackened at all even as flying has gotten ever safer and further gains become harder to achieve. That is really quite impressive and is important for people to bear in mind.”

Different rates for different regions

Of course, within the data, geographical differences can be found. The countries where passengers will find the lowest-risk airlines include Europe, China, Japan, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Israel. Across these countries, the fatality rate between 2008 and 2017 was one in 33.1 million passengers. Meanwhile, the higher-risk airlines came from developing countries that typically operate older aircraft or have limited regulatory oversight, such as Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

In these locations, the overall risk was found to be one fatality per 1.2 million passenger boardings. But, even here, the safety culture had improved dramatically, from one fatality per 400,000 boardings between 1998 and 2007.

What's making aviation so much safer?

A range of factors go into making air travel the safe environment it is today, ranging from engineering overhauls to improved regulation.

Recent technological developments have significantly enhanced aviation safety. Aircraft are no longer manually flown with limited navigational equipment; modern glass cockpits boast state-of-the-art technology to limit human error .

Not too long ago, at least three engines were required to cross the Atlantic due to reliability concerns and ETOPS regulations . In 1980, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) director J. Lynn Helms was quoted as telling Boeing's Engineering Director Dick Taylor that "it'll be a cold day in hell before I let twins fly long-haul, overwater routes," but just eight years later, ETOPS for was doubled from 90 minutes to 180, signaling a significant shift in the industry. Recent advancements in engine technology have seen the introduction of up to ETOPS-370 for Airbus' A350XWB, with many other twin-engine widebodies holding ETOPS-330 capabilities.

On the ground, flight crew, air traffic controllers, and dispatchers all work together to ensure a safe flight, and any changes to the plan are scrutinized by all parties to avoid mistakes.

When you're in the air, you can be confident you're flying with highly trained, certified individuals. In the US, pilots are required to have a minimum of 1,500 flying hours before they can work on a commercial airliner, the equivalent of nine straight weeks in the skies. Cabin crew is also vital to aircraft safety, with large portions of current training programs now related to keeping passengers safe onboard and minimizing risk during incidents .

Read More: 5 Major Air Disasters That Were Easily Preventable

The role of regulation and industry pressure

However, many of these advancements can be attributed to improvements in regulation. Everyone from aircraft manufacturer board members to part-time airline ground employees must adhere to strict governmental oversight. These regulations range from something as simple as minimizing work hours to reduce fatigue to ensuring aircraft parts are made from high-quality, approved materials.

Want answers to more key questions in aviation? Check out the rest of our guides here

The strict requirements for maintenance, reporting, training, and operations can extend further than the country in which it's implemented. Flight and airline bans, such as the European Union's Air Safety List, have prompted governments to shape up their act to ensure continued international operations and encourage tourism.

A notable recent graduate of the Air Safety list is Indonesia. Following two fatal crashes in early 2007 and a historically poor aviation safety record, all Indonesian airlines were banned from EU airspace. Gradual advancements by individual airlines saw some carriers slowly removed from the list before the ban was lifted entirely in 2018 amid consultation with the FAA and ICAO.

In a statement by the Government of Indonesia, EU Ambassador Yuri O. Tharmin noted the country's significant investment in improving its aviation industry and complying with global regulations. Tharmin added,

“The lifting of the flight ban for all Indonesian airlines is a form of EU ’ s recognition to the Indonesian Government in improving air safety in the country.”

What are your thoughts on the recent advancements in aviation safety? Let us know in the comments.

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Air Travel Consumer Report: March 2024 Numbers

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of March 2024 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, and 1st quarter oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines. 

For March 2024, 0.9% of flights were cancelled, lower than the 1.3% cancellation rate for March 2023 and the 2.0% cancellation rate for pre-pandemic March 2019.  

DOT expects that airlines will operate flights as scheduled and that when they do not, airlines will provide consumers the services promised when a flight is cancelled or delayed because of an airline issue. After a two-year DOT push to improve the passenger experience, the 10 largest airlines now guarantee meals and free rebooking on the same airline and nine guarantee hotel accommodations. Consumer-friendly information regarding airline commitments to their customers is available on the Department’s Airline Customer Service Dashboard at FlightRights.Gov . DOT also pushed airlines to provide fee-free family seating and rolled out a new family seating dashboard that highlights the airlines that guarantee fee-free family seating, and those of the 10 largest that do not, making it easier for parents to avoid paying junk fees to sit with their children when they fly.

DOT recently announced two final rules that require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds to passengers when owed and protect consumers from costly surprise airline fees . These rules will significantly expand consumer protections in air travel, provide passengers an easier pathway to refunds when owed, and save consumers more than half a billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise junk fees. Provisions of the final rule on airline refunds were fortified through the FAA reauthorization bill that President Biden signed into law on May 16, 2024.

In addition, DOT is improving transportation for individuals with disabilities. In July 2023, DOT finalized a rule which requires airlines to make lavatories on new, single-aisle aircraft more accessible. Then, in February 2024, DOT issued a proposal to address other barriers that Americans who use a wheelchair encounter when it comes to air travel by, among other things, proposing to mandate enhanced training for airline employees and contractors who physically assist passenger with disabilities and handle passengers’ wheelchairs.

Further, when necessary, DOT takes enforcement action against airlines and ticket agents that fail to comply with the Department’s aviation consumer protection requirements. In 2023, DOT issued the largest fines in the history of the consumer protection office. This includes a $140 million penalty against Southwest Airlines for failing passengers during the 2022 holiday meltdown. That penalty, which was in addition to over $600 million DOT already ensured was refunded by Southwest to passengers, requires Southwest to establish a $90 million compensation system for passengers affected by significant delays and cancellations beginning April 30, 2024.  Additionally, DOT has helped return nearly $4 billion in refunds to travelers since the pandemic began.

In April, DOT announced the launch of the bipartisan Airline Passenger Protection Partnership with 18 state attorneys general to investigate airlines and ticket agents and hold them accountable when they violate aviation consumer protection laws. The partnership significantly expands the Department’s oversight capacity by establishing a new fast-track system prioritizing misconduct cases from state attorneys general who uncover unfair or deceptive airline practices. Through the partnership, DOT will provide state attorneys general with access to the federal complaint database and help ensure that airlines cooperate with state investigations.

Flight Operations

The 623,409 flights operated in March 2024 were 102.47% of the 608,387 flights operated in March 2023. Operated flights in March 2024 were up 2.47% year-over-year from the 608,387 flights operated in March 2023 and up 13.46% month-over-month from 549,439 flights operated in February 2024. 

In March 2024, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 628,786 scheduled domestic flights, 5,377 (0.9%) of which were cancelled. In February 2024, airlines scheduled 552,691 domestic flights, 3,252 (0.6%) of which were cancelled. In March 2023, airlines scheduled 616,234 domestic flights, 7,847 (1.3%) of which were cancelled.

March 2024 On-Time Arrival

In March 2024, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 78.7%, down from 83.7% in February 2024 and up from 75.4% in March 2023. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2024 is 78.3%.

Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates March 2024 (ATCR Table 1)

• Hawaiian Airlines – 87.2%
• Delta Air Lines Network – 84.8%
• United Airlines Network – 81.8% 

Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates March 2024 (ATCR Table 1)

• Frontier Airlines – 66.4%
• JetBlue Airways – 68.4%
• Spirit Airlines – 69.6%

For the first three months of 2024, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 78.31% up from 76.89% for the same period in 2023.

March 2024 Flight Cancellations

In March 2024, reporting marketing carriers cancelled 0.9% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than the rate of 0.6% in February 2024 and lower than the rate of 1.3% in March 2023. The year-to-date cancellation rate for 2024 is 1.7%.

Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights March 2024 (ATCR Table 6)

• Delta Air Lines Network – 0.2%  
• Hawaiian Airlines – 0.6%   
• Allegiant Air – 0.6%    

  Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights March 2024 (ATCR Table 6)

• Frontier Airlines – 2.7%    
• Spirit Airlines – 1.7%    
• JetBlue Airways – 1.4%    

For the first three months of 2024, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 1.7%, equal to 1.7% for the same period in 2023.

Complaints About Airline Service

The release of air travel service complaint data in the Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) has been delayed primarily because of the continued high volume of complaints against airlines and ticket agents received by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) and the time needed to review and process these consumer complaints. The Department is investing in modernizing its system for handling consumer complaints with the support of a Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) investment to improve the customer experience for the tens of thousands of consumers who use the system each year and enable OACP to more effectively engage in oversight of the airline industry. 

As DOT modernizes its system, given the continued high volume of air travel service complaints concerning airlines and ticket agents, DOT has revised how it processes consumer complaints received after June 1, 2023. From June 2023 until the date its system is modernized, DOT intends to revise the ATCR to display consumer submissions (complaints, inquiries, and opinions) as opposed to complaints for this period. The Department will continue to display civil rights complaints in the ATCR in a similar manner as before and anticipates publishing submission and civil rights complaint numbers for June 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023 in June 2024.

Tarmac Delays

In March 2024, airlines reported six tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to 10 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in February 2024. In March 2024, airlines reported one tarmac delay of more than four hours on an international flight, compared to two tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights reported in February 2024. 

Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.

The Department investigates extended tarmac delays.

Mishandled Baggage

In March 2024, reporting marketing carriers handled 43.1 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.52%, higher than the rate of 0.48% in February 2024, but lower than the rate of 0.58% in March 2023.

For the first quarter of 2024, the carriers posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.58%, lower than the first quarter 2023 rate of 0.64%.

The Department began displaying the mishandled baggage data as a percentage (i.e., per 100 bags enplaned) in January 2022. This is consistent with the manner that the mishandled wheelchairs and scooters rate is calculated and displayed.     In the prior three calendar year reports (2019 to 2021), the Department calculated the mishandled baggage rate based on the number of mishandled bags per 1,000 checked bags. 

Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters

In March 2024, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 65,793 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 859 for a rate of 1.31% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.30% mishandled in February 2024 and lower than the rate of 1.33% mishandled in March 2023.

For the first quarter of 2024, the carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.36%, lower than the rate of 1.40% in the first quarter of 2023.

To address many of the significant barriers and challenges experienced by passengers who use wheelchairs, the Department has proposed a rulemaking that, if adopted as proposed would make it an automatic violation of the Department’s Air Carrier Access Act regulations for airlines to mishandle a passenger’s wheelchair. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would also enhance training requirements for airline personnel who provide hands-on transfer assistance to passengers and handle wheelchairs. The proposal is available at https://www.regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0144.

Bumping/Oversales

Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the first quarter of 2024, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.27 per 10,000 passengers, lower than both the rate of 0.29 in the first quarter of 2023 and higher than the rate of 0.20 in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Incidents Involving Animals

As part of its IT modernization, DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) is improving the options for covered carriers to submit their monthly and annual Reports on Incidents Involving Animals During Air Transport. While the new system is being developed, OACP is permitting covered carriers to delay submission of reports on incidents involving animals during air transport. Annual data on such incidents will be published when DOT receives carriers’ complete submissions of the 2023 data. 

In March 2024, carriers reported zero incidents involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the two reports filed in February 2024, and equal to the zero reports filed in March 2023.

Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at   https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint , or they may mail a complaint to the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-70, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.

The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .

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Friendly skies? Study charts Covid-19 odds for plane flights

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What are the chances you will contract Covid-19 on a plane flight? A study led by MIT scholars offers a calculation of that for the period from June 2020 through February 2021. While the conditions that applied at that stage of the Covid-19 pandemic differ from those of today, the study offers a method that could be adapted as the pandemic evolves.

The study estimates that from mid-2020 through early 2021, the probability of getting Covid-19 on an airplane surpassed 1 in 1,000 on a totally full flight lasting two hours at the height of the early pandemic, roughly December 2020 and January 2021. It dropped to about 1 in 6,000 on a half-full two-hour flight when the pandemic was at its least severe, in the summer of 2020. The overall risk of transmission from June 2020 through February 2021 was about 1 in 2,000, with a mean of 1 in 1,400 and a median of 1 in 2,250.

To be clear, current conditions differ from the study’s setting. Masks are no longer required for U.S. domestic passengers; in the study’s time period, airlines were commonly leaving middle seats open, which they are no longer doing; and newer Covid-19 variants are more contagious than the virus was during the study period. While those factors may increase the current risk, most people have received Covid-19 vaccinations since February 2021, which could serve to lower today’s risk — though the precise impact of those vaccines against new variants is uncertain.

Still, the study does provide a general estimate about air travel safety with regard to Covid-19 transmission, and a methodology that can be applied to future studies. Some U.S. carriers at the time stated that onboard transmission was “virtually nonexistent” and “nearly nonexistent,” but as the research shows, there was a discernible risk. On the other hand, passengers were not exactly facing coin-flip odds of catching the virus in flight, either.

“The aim is to set out the facts,” says Arnold Barnett, a management professor at MIT and aviation risk expert, who is co-author of a recent paper detailing the study’s results. “Some people might say, ‘Oh, that doesn’t sound like very much.’ But if we at least tell people what the risk is, they can make judgments.”

As Barnett also observes, a round-trip flight with a change of planes and two two-hour segments in each direction counts as four flights in this accounting, so a 1 in 1,000 probability, per flight, would lead to approximately a 1 in 250 chance for such a trip as a whole.

All told, given about 204 million U.S. domestic airline passengers from June 2020 through February 2021, the researchers estimate that about 100,000 cases of Covid-19 were transmitted on flights during that time.

The paper, “ Covid-19 infection risk on U.S. domestic airlines ,” appears in advance online form this month in the journal Health Care Management Science . The authors are Barnett, who is the George Eastman Professor of Management Science in the MIT Sloan School of Management; and Keith Fleming, a student from MIT Sloan’s master’s program in business analytics.

Barnett is a longtime expert in airline safety who has analyzed the long-term reduction in aviation crashes in recent decades, among other topics. The current study about transmission of the Covid-19 virus was spurred by an airline policy change from early in the pandemic — Delta Air Lines started leaving open the middle seats on domestic flights, in order to de-densify its planes, a practice that some other airlines followed for a while. (Delta and all other airlines are no longer using this policy.)

To conduct the study, Barnett and Fleming amalgamated public health statistics about Covid-19 prevalence, data from peer-reviewed studies about Covid-19 contagion mechanisms, data about the spread of viruses on airlines generally and the spread of Covid-19 on international airlines, and some available industry data about seat-occupancy rates on U.S. domestic jet flights. They then estimated transmission risks on U.S. domestic airlines through extensive modeling.

The researchers used a two-hour flight for their estimates because that is about the average duration of a domestic flight in the U.S. As their airplane settings, the scholars used a Boeing 737 and Airbus A320, workhorse planes in the U.S. with a single aisle, three seats on either side, and typical capacities of about 175 passengers. Most such planes do have high-functioning HEPA air-purification systems, which help reduce the transmission risk of airborne illnesses.

Using the prevalence of Covid-19 in the U.S. as a starting point, and integrating airborne transmission data, Barnett and Fleming modeled what would likely happen on flights filled with a wide variety of passenger loads. The modeling includes a series of adjustments to make the passenger profile as realistic as possible. For instance, airline passengers are a bit more affluent than the U.S. population as a whole, and Covid-19 has affected more affluent populations slightly less than other social groups, so those things are quantified in the study, among other factors.

Ultimately Barnett and Fleming did find a notable dropoff in transmission risk when planes have fewer people on them — whether having fewer passengers is due to lack of demand, or because airlines were leaving middle seats open. While it is true that leaving middle seats open does not eliminate all proximity with all other passengers, it does reduce the extent of close proximity with others, and thus appears to lower the overall transmission risk. 

“The [medical] literature suggests the proximity matters,” Barnett says.

As Barnett readily notes, pandemic circumstances and airline policies keep evolving, meaning that their estimates for the 2020-2021 period in the study may not translate precisely to the summer of 2022. Even despite the availability of vaccines, he believes the reduced amount of masking, the more-crowded flights, and easy transmissibility of current variants all mean that risks could have increased.

“If we were to do an estimate of the chances of infection now, it could be considerably higher,” Barnett says.

Still, he adds, the approach used in this paper could readily be adapted to updated studies about in-flight transmission risks, for Covid-19 or other viruses.

“Modeling like that presented here could help in assessing the changed situation, much as the general approach might help in connection with a future pandemic,” Barnett and Fleming write in the paper.

Open access funding making the paper free for readers was provided by MIT Libraries.

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Data & Statistics

Safety record of u.s. air carriers.

The U.S. government began publishing statistics on the safety of commercial aviation in 1927. While 1978 legislation eliminated economic regulation of the U.S. airline industry, it left safety regulation very much in place. The following table depicts the safety record of U.S. airlines performing scheduled services worldwide, from 2000 to present, as recorded by NTSB.

Safety Record of U.S. Air Carriers (Part 121 Scheduled Service): 2000 to Present

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Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Statistics, Table 6. Fatal Accident Rate excludes incidents resulting from illegal acts, consistent with NTSB practice.

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Aviation incidents seem to be proliferating, but experts say there's no reason for alarm

A flying tire. A runway roll-off. Multiple emergency landings.

It may seem like mishaps involving planes have been growing in frequency. But experts say there is no cause for major alarm, as the aviation industry’s safety record remains better than it’s ever been when measured by lives lost.

“This is not a safety trend,” said John Cox, a pilot and the president and CEO of Safety Operating Systems LLC, of the recent spate of high-profile incidents.

According to the aviation industry publication FlightGlobal, there were just six recorded fatal commercial aviation accidents worldwide in 2023, resulting in 115 deaths — the fewest on record.

National Transportation Safety Board data confirms the downward trend: Compared with 27 major accidents involving large U.S. carriers in 2008, there were just 20 in 2022, the most recent year for which data is available.

The rate of accidents involving injury or death to a passenger or substantial damage to a plane has also declined — from 0.141 per 100,000 flight hours to 0.112 in 2022.

In other words, the data shows flying has rarely been safer.

“There’s not anything unusual about the recent spate of incidents — these kinds of things happen every day in the industry,” said Jeff Guzzetti, a pilot and the president of Guzzetti Aviation Risk Discovery LLC.

Still, the flying public is now especially attuned to such reports — perhaps most notably because of January’s midair blowout incident on an Alaska Airlines flight involving a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet.

Among the latest high-profile events: On Friday, a United Airlines flight on a Boeing 737 Max 8 rolled off the runway in Houston while taxiing to its gate. No one was injured. United noted the plane was operating in rainy conditions at the time.

On Thursday, a tire fell off a United Airlines flight on a Boeing 777-200 that had just taken off from San Francisco, forcing an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport. No one was injured in that incident either. Cox told The Associated Press tire incidents are usually a maintenance issue and not linked to the manufacturer. United said the plane, built in 2002, was designed to land safely without all tires in operation.

On Monday, a United Airlines flight on a Boeing 737-900 from Houston to Fort Myers, Florida, had to make an emergency landing after  flames started shooting out of the engine . United said in a statement that it appeared bubble wrap entered the airfield and was ingested by the plane’s engine.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating these incidents.

The NTSB also revealed this week it was investigating a United flight on a Boeing 737 Max in February that had potentially faulty rudder pedals.

In a statement, United said it is also looking at each of the incidents, though they all appear to be unique.

“Each of these events is distinct and unrelated to one another,” the airline said. “Safety is our top priority, and we’ll continue to do everything we can to keep our customers and employees safe.”

Boeing also said it was assisting with investigations of the incidents.

No likely connection to any one airline or plane manufacturer

Experts pointed out that each incident is unique and may not be related to United or Boeing. Even as he acknowledged the commonality of United and Boeing as the players in each of these incidents, Guzzetti said such cases were still fairly common in the regular course of flying.

“If you look at the big picture, there hasn’t been an increase in the number of incidents,” Guzzetti said. “There’s just a lot of scrutiny now because of the door-plug event, so you have a jittery public and the news media picking up all these things.”

Because consumers can use their phone cameras to immediately broadcast these mishaps over vast social media networks as they happen, that makes the public more aware of them, even if their frequency has not actually increased, Cox said.

Still, while experts say there is little cause for alarm, they acknowledge a crucial part of the air travel industry has changed in recent years — namely, that aviation personnel on average now have less experience than previous generations of pilots and maintenance crews.

“I think it’s a possibility that the lack of super-experienced and qualified pilots and mechanics could play a role in decreasing aviation safety,” Guzzetti said. “But it’s hard to quantify. I don’t think the decrease is alarming — you can’t quantify that — or even correlate it. But it’s worthy of consideration.”

Another factor that could be at play is newer airplanes. In fact, older planes were in some ways easier to manage because they were less technologically sophisticated, experts say.

But newer planes have more automatic or computerized features that may make flying easier for a pilot, but which are harder to deal with when something goes wrong.

“The evolution of airplanes is requiring changes in how we train pilots, where there’s a focus not only on understanding the systems of an airplane, but also managing that automation while keeping manual flying skills sharp,” said Cox.

Yet the reduced accident count is proof that, overall, these newer planes have made flying safer, he said.

Boeing and its 737 Max line of planes remain under investigation by the NTSB in the wake of the January blowout incident. Earlier this week, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy blasted Boeing for failing to turn over information related to its 737 Max manufacturing process; a day later, Boeing provided the names of 737 Max employees, according to Reuters.

The news wire service also reported the NTSB now plans to hold a multiple-day investigative hearing into the Max 9, likely in late summer.

CORRECTION (April 8, 2024, 10:02 p.m. ET): A previous version of this story misidentified the airplane that rolled off a Houston runway. It was a Boeing 737 Max 8, not a Boeing 737-800.

Rob Wile is a breaking business news reporter for NBC News Digital.

Protect Your Trip »

Why Air Travel Is Actually Much Safer Than You Think

Major technological advancements and improved protocols have helped enhance flight safety.

Getty Images

Flying is one of the safest forms of transportation – believe it or not.

In spite of a series of high-profile incidents making headlines since 2014 – from the AirAsia Flight 8501 tragedy to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 – air travel safety is improving. According to the International Air Transport Association, in 2015 only 1 in 3.1 million global flights resulted in an airline accident, a 30 percent decrease from flights assessed from 2010-14 . "We see a continuing improvement in safety performance over time," says Rudy Quevedo, the director of safety for IATA. And significant shifts in airplane design and technology since the '70s and '80s, along with heightened regulations and training standards, are fueling the decline in airline accidents. Here's a primer on the major advancements that have helped make flying one of the safest ways you can get from point A to point B.

[See: 8 Airports With Amenities That Will Make You Look Forward to Flying .]

Improved Design

Beyond rolling out free in-flight entertainment systems and increased premium economy-class seating options , airlines are taking great strides to enhance their technology and equipment. To continually improve safety over time, "aircraft manufacturers and their partners study accidents and learn what went wrong," explains Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst for Atmosphere Research Group. Nowadays, planes are better designed and constructed with improved engines, translating to heightened reliability and fewer failures, he explains. Aircrafts are built with multiple redundant backup systems, with two or three built-in systems to control the engine if something isn't operating correctly. And though human error can occur, such as neglecting to follow a checklist or failing to correctly calibrate an instrument, "in some cases, automation can compensate," he adds. "As airplanes are designed and built, they are tested literally to the point of destruction" Harteveldt says, noting that engineers are going to great lengths to improve the margin of safety.

Flight Fear Is Common, But It's Not Grounded in Plane Crashes

Despite technological advancements decreasing the number of accident-related events, more than 6 million Americans suffer from a fear of flying identified as aviophobia or an anxiety order, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. In reality, "flying is a confluence of fears," says Dr. Martin Seif, a clinical psychologist. But with an endless cycle of terrifying airplane crash coverage on the news, "people are kind of vicariously traumatized," Seif explains. By seeing these tragedies dominate the news cycle, people imagine themselves in that terrifying situation. Thirty people on the same flight could each have a different fear, such as a fear of heights or a social anxiety. "We look for reasons to hang our fear on," Seif says. "Once you're afraid, it's too dissonant not to be afraid without a reason," he explains. You likely recognize that, statistically, it's safer to fly than to drive. But for someone with flight anxiety, it's easy to disregard how unlikely something like the Malaysia flight crash is, he says.

Still, there have been few U.S. airline accidents since Sept. 11, 2001. "In Europe, the Germanwings crash and Air France 447 still trigger anxiety," explains captain Tom Bunn, a former commercial pilot who is now a licensed therapist and helps fliers overcome flight anxiety. "Though the cause of these crashes had been remedied, anxious fliers say since these tragedies were unforeseen, other dangers must be lurking." But Bunn says the industry is proactively mitigating such accidents. "When Boeing was designing the 777, engineer Todd Curtis, Ph.D., led a team to think of everything that could possibly go wrong. After listing every risk, he directed another team to develop a way to get the plane safely on the ground in every case," he says. And with few airplane-related incidents reported for the 777 and 787 models, Curtis did his job well, he adds.

[See: 10 Frequent Flier Secrets Every Traveler Should Know .]

New Pilot Protocols

In the aftermath of tragic events, the Federal Aviation Administration put into effect new rules in 2014 that limit the hours pilots spend in the cockpit to ensure they receive enough rest prior to flights and reduce fatigue-associated incidents. The rules require that pilots get a 10-hour minimum break prior to flight duty, with eight of those hours devoted to undisturbed sleep. The rules also mandate that pilots are restricted to flying eight or nine consecutive hours, according to their shift times.

These days, airplanes are also equipped with locked cockpit doors. The "rule of two," which was introduced in the aftermath of Sept. 11, mandates two pilots be in an airliner cockpit at all times. Plus, airplanes offer cockpit resource management, Harteveldt adds, meaning that if either pilot believes the other is doing something incorrectly, he or she can challenge their co-pilot. For example, if a captain senses the first officer is under the influence of alcohol, the pilot has the right to demand that the other pilot take a breathalyzer, he explains. "We can't overlook the people who fly," Harteveldt adds. With heightened FAA standards, flight training has also improved and simulators for training have become more realistic, he says.

Satellite Technology and Air Traffic Control Enhancements

"With rapid industry growth, you're seeing a large influx of new technology," Quevedo says. A variety of components, including satellite global positioning technology and air traffic control systems, have bolstered flight safety, he explains. Quevedo notes that positioning technology, which allows pilots to easily layout their routes and dodge inclement weather, also helps with traffic, increasing efficiency and safety.

Harteveldt points out that in addition to investments for flight navigation systems and improved satellite positioning avionics, there's been a growing investment in air traffic control, which has played a key role in boosting safety. Thanks to airports investing in ground navigation systems to enhance their infrastructure, pilots and air traffic controllers have a better awareness of other planes and can more easily prevent accidents while taxiing, he explains.

[See: 8 Ways You're Irritating People at the Airport .]

Heightened Industry Awareness and Resources

The integration of data-driven programs to boost safety and a focus on proactively targeting safety management has triggered a greater awareness in the airline industry, Quevedo says. There's been more collaboration between the industry and IATA as well as other organizations to improve safety and ensure standards in place are adequate, he says, pointing to the IATA Operational Safety Audit, which develops and executes standardized practices to enhance safety.

Aside from these measures, airlines have funneled in more money to aircraft maintenance, Harteveldt explains. "Even though airlines are always looking for ways to save money, maintenance is one of the sacred areas," he says. "Safety is job one." More changes, such as giving flight attendants additional rest and providing pilots with a heads-up display to easily view important data like air speed without looking away from the airplane's windshield will continue to help bolster air travel safety, he says. Overall "it has gotten better. It's not perfect," he says.

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Air Traffic By The Numbers

Every day, FAA 's Air Traffic Organization ( ATO ) provides service to more than 45,000 flights and 2.9 million airline passengers across more than 29 million square miles of airspace. With an airspace system as vast and complex as ours, it is helpful to have an easy-to-reference source for relevant facts and information. View the infographic below for a glimpse into ATO , or for more information, see Air Traffic by the Numbers ( PDF ) . * based on FY23 figures

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Air Travel Statistics: On Safety and Pollution

You’ve probably heard that air travel is widely considered the safest mode of transportation. 

Believe it or not, according to the latest air travel statistics, flying is far safer than other methods of transport, including driving a car, taking the train, sailing a boat, and even walking. 

This partly has to do with the fact that air travel is the most carefully regulated and monitored transport method. In fact, it has been ever since its inception. 

What’s more, air travel has a long and proud history that testifies to mankind’s desire to reach for the stars. At the same time, that history has its fair share of setbacks. 

But whether you’re an airline CEO, maintenance worker, air travel safety statistics lover, or a traveler looking to ease your mind before your upcoming flight, our list of numbers and stats about air travel is bound to provide sufficient, reliable, and accurate information. 

Let’s dig right in.

Top Statistics on Air Travel: Editor’s Choice

• The number of international arrivals per year has increased 56 times since 1950.
• Statistics on air travel reveal that there are around 500,000 people in the air at any moment.
• There were only 1.8 billion passengers on commercial airlines in 2020, global air travel passenger statistics reveal
• The U.S. has the largest commercial air travel market with over 926.7 million passengers.
• 7.9% of pilots are female.
• Air travel statistics say the odds of dying in an airplane accident amount to 1 in 11 million .
• By 2050, the aviation sector will cut its net carbon footprint to half of 2005 levels .

General Air Travel Stats

1. the number of international arrivals per year has increased 56 times since 1950..

If you’re wondering how many people travel a year, that’s 1.4 billion according to the latest worldwide air travel statistics. This number represents a 56-fold increase in the number of travelers all over the world since 1950.

Back then, there were just 25 million international arrivals based on the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates.

2. There were only 1.8 billion passengers on commercial airlines in 2020, global air travel passenger statistics reveal.

Since many countries shut down borders, canceled, and reduced the number of their flights in 2020, a reduction in commercial airline passengers is expected.

With only 1.8 billion passengers, the aviation industry generated global revenue of only $328 billion.

3. Statistics on air travel reveal that there are around 500,000 people in the air at any moment.

The daily air travel statistics show there are 10.18 million people working in the aviation industry at the moment. This only proves that the aviation industry is a major staple of developed countries.

Additionally, the data suggests that there’s a huge number of customers requiring the services of aviation personnel.  

4. The Federal Aviation Administration oversees 16,405,000 flights per year.

The FAA oversees a massive number of flights on an annual basis. The US air travel statistics state that more than 16 million flights occur under the FAA’s watch. That amounts to roughly 45,000 flights every day.

5. Aviation jobs are, on average, 4.4 times more productive than other jobs.

The air travel sector indirectly creates much more value than the average industry. It’s for this reason that the global air travel statistics point to airline jobs being 4.4 times more productive than other jobs. 

But why does the airline industry generate an abnormally large value? This is mostly because airlines transport people, goods, and information, all of which help other sectors function faster and more efficiently.

6. The worldwide Revenue Passenger-Kilometres has been increasing at an average annual growth rate of 5%.

In terms of air travel economic growth, statistics show an increase in profits correlating with the 5% increase in RPK.

Notably, the air travel industry has maintained this growth despite a series of global or near-global disasters, from the 1998 Asian Crisis to the 2008 recession.

7. International flights in 2020 were less than half of that in 2019.

The anticipated increase in air travel statistics did not happen in 2020. International flights fall drastically in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

From a total of 38.9 million flights in 2019, the figure went down to 16.4 million in 2020. This over 50% decline broke the record of steady increase the airline industry enjoyed since the early 2000s.

Air Travel Statistics 2020: COVID-19 Impact on Aviation

8. world freight traffic declined by 27.7% yoy in april 2020..

As with most industries, the coronavirus made a serious dent in the air travel industry. Fewer people and goods are flying now than they have been in years, as we can see from the air travel demand statistics. 

As the viral outbreak reaches a fever pitch in many countries worldwide, the global demand for freight traffic has slumped by over 27% in April 2020.

9. Commercial flights dropped by 73.7% in April 2020 compared to April 2019.

It surprises no one to learn that commercial flying has slowed down to a crawl in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

All the statistics about air travel mention a dip in commercial flying, but its severity may shock some. The number of commercial flights in April 2020 was only 26.3% of the number in the same month of the previous year.

10. 40% of flight reservations were canceled by March 25, 2020.

The data on how many flights per day take place are far from encouraging. As the numbers suggest, 40% of people making flight reservations canceled said reservations by March 25, 2020. While that worrying trend decreased in April, the figures are still too high.

11. 70% of people believe flying is either very or somewhat unsafe due to COVID-19.

Judging by the statistics about air travel safety and the public’s current perception of flying, only around 30% of people consider flying safe at the moment. This is expected.

People observe flying during the coronavirus pandemic is like being stuck in a giant can for hours with who knows how many potentially infected people.

12. In May 2020, YoY flight frequency dipped by 75%.

April 2020 was a poor month for the air travel industry, but May of the same year has proven even worse in some aspects. From the air travel frequency statistics, we can see that the YoY frequency of flights has slowed down drastically in May 2020, decreasing by 75%.

13. In the first week of October, the private airline industry ran at 85% capacity.

The private flight sector hasn’t suffered nearly as much as commercial airlines. According to the corporate jet air travel statistics, private airlines are operating at a relatively comfortable 85% capacity. 

14. TSA-screened airline passengers have grown from about 80,000 per day in mid-April to around 901,000 on October 4.

While the number of people flying decreased, the number of passenger screenings mushroomed. As the stats and air travel safety facts on the matter indicate, the number of screenings grew by a factor of 11 from mid-April to October 4.

15. TSA checkpoint travel numbers for 2020 are roughly 35% of those from 2019.

Going in line with how many airline passengers per day fly, the numbers for TSA checkpoints have also decreased significantly. In 2019, there was an average of around 2.5 million checkpoints.

However, in 2020, the total traveler throughput struggles to even approach 1 million.

16. Airlines’ seat capacity to remain at least 10% below the 2019 levels.

In the first quarter of 2020, more and more countries worldwide shut down borders due to COVID-19, air travel statistics confirm. Flights have been canceled if not limited, which also changed airlines’ capacity.

While some countries started to recover, there are several factors causing the airline’s seat capacity to stay at least 10% below the 2019 levels.

American Airlines Statistics

17. u.s. airlines incurred a loss of $11 billion in q2 2020..

The airline industry is among those greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the U.S. air travel statistics 2020, this sector incurred a net loss of $11 billion in the second quarter.

The second-quarter loss demonstrates further losses the industry experienced in the same year, as data show an initial loss of $5.2 billion in Q1 2020.

18. The United States currently has 58 airlines.

How many airlines are there in the US? The data indicates that there were 58 airlines in the United States in 2018, and there haven’t been any new additions in 25 years.

Out of all these airlines, 17 fall in the major carrier category (meaning that they have annual revenue exceeding $1 billion).

19. There were approximately 19,636 airports in the United States.

Given that it’s the most prolific country in terms of flying, it comes as no surprise to learn that the U.S. has so many airports.

The most recent data suggests that the total number of airports in the US is a bit over 19,000. The majority of those (14,556) are private airports, while around 5,000 of them are public.

20. The U.S. has the largest commercial air travel market with over 926.7 million passengers.

The latest air travel by country statistics highlights how large the American commercial air travel market is. With over 926.7 million passengers boarding U.S.air carriers-registered planes, this demonstrates that the U.S. was well ahead of other countries.

China, the runner-up, had just under 660 million registered passengers, while Ireland had just over 170 million.

21. U.S. commercial air carriers have roughly 4% projected annual growth of RTM between 2020 and 2040.

The aviation industry was progressing across countries prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The yearly statistics for worldwide commercial air travel could attest to this.

It shows that the U.S. commercial air carriers will have nearly 4% annual growth of revenue-ton miles from international flights between 2020 and 2040. But with the pandemic being in effect, this figure will likely change.

22. Cargo carried by U.S. airlines weighed 7% more in 2020 than in 2019.

While the number of passengers significantly fell as shown by the  U.S. airline passenger statistics, 2020 is not all about a decrease in the aviation industry.

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics report shows that cargo on U.S. airlines weighed 1,276 thousand tons more than in 2019. This accounts for a 7% increase in goods shipped by U.S. air transportation.

Intriguing & Fun Air Travel Facts

23. the airbus a380 has a total of 320 miles of cables and wires..

Planes have a lot of wiring, but few people understand how much of it is in there. Nothing like some air travel fun facts can put that in perspective, though!

Airbus A380 is widely considered the airplane with the most wires and cables, all of which combine to a stupefying length of 320 miles. That’s roughly enough wiring to span from NYC to Ontario.

24. The fastest passenger plane in use today is the 747 Jumbo.

Although it comes as no surprise that most airlines are slowly phasing this behemoth out of their fleets, the legendary 747 Jumbo continues to be the fastest commercial jet in the sky. 

One of the more interesting air travel facts is that the 747-8i takes the win in the battle of speed, thanks to its cruising speed of Mach 0.86.

However, only Air China, Korean Air, and Lufthansa still use this legendary plane, though plans are underway to decommission it. 

25. Air transport today is much cheaper than it was 20 years ago. 

Air travel facts reveal that air transport now is much cheaper than it was two decades ago. A key reason for this is the rapid development of low-cost airlines whose capacity swiftly outpaces that of legacy airlines.

Nowadays, airlines can connect places and people that were impossible to connect with in the past. Flying by plane is not only more accessible and practical than ever, but it has also become much more affordable. 

26. 7.9% of pilots are female.

The air travel statistics by gender show us that gender disparity among pilots is significant. As the numbers show, not even 10% of all pilots are female. 

27. Founded on October 7, 1919, KLM is officially the oldest airline in operation today.

This is another entry of the most interesting air travel facts and figures. The Netherlands’ flag carrier airline, the KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, operates scheduled cargo and passenger services to approximately 145 destinations and is officially the oldest airline in the world still operating under its original name. 

The top ten entries on the list of the oldest airlines in the world aren’t what you’d expect either: 

LOT Polish (founded in 1929), Air Serbia (founded in 1927), Tajik Air (founded in 1923), Finnair (founded in 1923), and Aeroflot (founded in 1923).

Statistics About Air Travel Safety & Pollution

28. close to 12.6% of americans have a fear of flying..

According to statistics on air travel safety, another 18.1% are anxious about flying. Also known as aviophobia, the fear of flying is often defined as the fear of being on either an airplane or some other type of flying vehicle (a helicopter, for example) while it’s in the air. 

Out of those who are afraid to fly, 73% stated they feared mechanical issues in mid-air, 36% said the same for mechanical issues before take-off, 62% feared bad weather during a flight, 33% feared crashing into a body of water, and 36% were fearful of flying during the night.

29. Air travel statistics say the odds of dying in an airplane accident amount to 1 in 11 million.

This probability is way too small compared to car accidents, with the odds being around 1 in 5,000. The introduction of self-driving cars is expected to reduce 94% of road accident-related deaths .

But the risk of dying in a plane crash is still lower than the risk of dying in a car crash or by being struck by lightning. In fact, the odds of you being struck by lightning even once in your lifetime are 1 in 13,000.

30. The risk of dying in an airplane has been halving every decade.

Traveling by plane is generally pretty safe nowadays, but the technology behind flight has been making it more and more secure for years.

The odds of a fatal flight accident have been lowered by roughly 50% every decade, which corresponds to the gradual drop in air travel death statistics.

31. TSA officers found a record of 4,432 guns in airports in 2019.

Airport security statistics show that 4,432 guns were discovered at airports in 2019 — a 5% increase from 2018. This makes 2019 a notable year in the TSA’s history, but not in a positive sense.

The agency found more guns in passengers’ luggage that year than ever before. 

32. The FAA requires that emergency evacuations take less than 90 seconds.

The FAA has very stringent requirements when it comes to emergency evacuation. One of the more fascinating facts about air travel is that an evacuation is considered successful only if everyone leaves the plane in less than 90 seconds.

The importance of such haste is far from arbitrary. The data indicate that a fire can envelop the entire plane in around 90 seconds. Now the demand for a speedy getaway makes much more sense, doesn’t it?

33. Ryanair holds a zero fatal crash record based on air travel fatality statistics.

Ryanair is technically the safest airline in the world. This Irish company is the biggest air travel provider in Europe, known for its low-cost services.

The most dangerous incident in the airline’s history was in 2008 when one of its planes had to make an emergency landing due to a bird flying into an engine and ruining it.

34. The plane accident with the largest death toll in history actually took place on the ground.

Observing air travel safety stats, it becomes clear that the most likely reason so many people worldwide dread flying so much is the low expectancy of survival in case of a crash. 

But it’s quite the contrary. According to the US National Transport Safety Bureau, 95% of all air accidents have survivors.

As a matter of fact, the plane accident with the largest death toll in history took place on the ground — in Tenerife, the largest of Spain’s Canary Islands, in 1977. A total of 583 lives were lost when two planes collided on the runway.

On another note, drone statistics indicate that people are experiencing more accidents when flying their drones than when flying in an airplane.

35. Commercial airplanes are safer than private ones.

Commercial air travel safety statistics suggest you’re better off opting for a commercial flight than a private one if in-flight safety is your number one concern.

In the period between 2000 and 2009, 549 out of 646 US airplane deaths were private airplane passengers and crew. 

This is due to many reasons, but overall, the training requirements for private pilots are less strict than those for commercial ones. Additionally, there are fewer safety features in private planes than in their commercial counterparts. 

36. You’re roughly 4–5 times more likely to be eaten by a shark than to encounter a terrorist on your flight.

Among the more interesting facts about air travel is one involving terrorism and sharks, believe it or not. In light of unfortunate occurrences worldwide in the past two decades, terrorism has become a significant threat to airline passengers worldwide.

However, it turns out that terrorist hijacking is highly unlikely to happen. 

In fact, you’re more likely to be eaten by a shark than to encounter a terrorist on your flight. There’s approximately one terrorist incident for every 16.5 million departures, while the odds of you getting attacked by a shark are around 1 in 3.75 million. 

37. With every kilometer flown, an airplane releases 285 g of CO2 per passenger.

When considering air travel vs. car travel statistics in terms of pollution, the airplane is clearly the more harmful mode of transport. The average car will release 55 g of CO2 for every passenger and driven kilometer.

On the other hand, an airplane will put out 285 g of CO2, which makes it the most severe polluter among the standard means of transportation.

38. Globally, the aviation industry produces 2% of overall human-induced CO2 emissions.

As we already established above, airplanes are serious producers of CO2 in comparison to other means of travel. However, air travel industry statistics claim airplanes comprise only 12% of CO2 emissions created by transport.

Even though they chug so much carbon dioxide, the entire airline industry makes up only 2% of overall human-made pollution.

39.  By 2050, the aviation sector will cut its net carbon footprint to half of 2005 levels.

It’s no secret that air travel pollution statistics weren’t exactly great to look at in the past. The evolution of technology and global progress come at a great cost — in the case of aviation, an environmental one.

There is no denying that the world has become a more prosperous place because of our freedom to fly wherever we choose. 

But the good news is that airlines are committed to reducing the environmental damage that came with that freedom.

The industry will cap its net carbon emissions growth in 2020 and, at the same time, it will cut its net carbon footprint to half of 2005 levels by 2050, thanks to technological advancements.

Other Fascinating Air Travel Statistics

40. 1,720,000 airplane seats are booked around thanksgiving..

As Thanksgiving comes around, the roads and airlines become abuzz with travelers. Naturally, airports see a surge of people who want to travel for the holidays.

As Thanksgiving air travel statistics demonstrate, people book around 1,720,00 seats every Thanksgiving.

However, Thanksgiving is not the busiest time of the year at airports, nor is Christmas. Apparently, Halloween is the one with the most booked seats. On October 31, airports see as many as 2.06 million bookings.

41. 5% to 15%  of people miss their flights.

Not everyone who buys a plane ticket makes it to their flight. On average, anywhere between 5% and 15% of plane travelers miss their flight for one reason or another, as the air passenger travel statistics indicate.

42. 19,049,368 US citizens traveled to Europe in 2019.

Certain parts of Europe are a hotspot for tourism. The continent takes in an especially high number of US tourists.

The statistics on international air travel prove this: in 2019, a little over 19 million people from the United States went to Europe to soak up all the stunning sights.

43. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport sees 53.4 million passengers every year.

Atlanta International Airport is the busiest airport in the United States. Every year, around 53 million people make their way through its terminals (not counting 2020’s travel restrictions due to COVID-19).

As per the relevant city-to-city air travel statistics, Hartsfield-Jackson is way in the lead in terms of traveler throughput.

The Los Angeles International Airport, the second-busiest in the US, accumulates “only” 42.8 million passengers annually.

For the sake of comparison, the 787 Dreamliner achieves Mach 0.85 for steady cruising.

44. Statistics on air travel reveal that there are around 500,000 people in the air at any moment.

Looking at the skies, the great blue above looks quite lonely. However, the truth is that there are far more people up there than you might think.

At every given moment, there are some 500,000 people in airplanes making their way to their destinations. Meanwhile, if you wonder how many people fly a day, that number is 2,900,000 in the United States alone.

45. UK passengers were the most frequent global travelers in 2018.

As far as global airline passenger statistics go, the list of international travelers saw 126.2 million passengers from the UK (or 8.6% of the total passenger number).

The second place was reserved for passengers from the US (111.5 million or 7.6% of the total passenger number).

Claiming third place, Chinese international passengers comprised 6.6% of the total passenger number (or 97 million travelers). 

46. Turkish Airlines is the biggest airline in the world measured by the number of countries it serves.

Statistics for air travel provide insight into a ton of different information about airlines all around the world. For example, when measured by destinations served, fleet size, passengers carried per year, and yearly revenue, American Airlines is unmatched across all four categories.

The number of served countries is a criterion that doesn’t see any American carrier anywhere near the top of the list. According to the latest airline industry statistics, this is where Turkish Airlines reigns supreme, with 120 served countries.

For the sake of comparison, the next contender on the list, Air France, flies to 93 countries, which is 27 less than the winner.

Key Takeaways

The aforementioned statistics and facts demonstrate that air travel is the absolute safest mode of transport today. It has numerous advantages compared to all other means of transportation.

Apart from safety, there are many other interesting factors that contribute to air travel growth statistics. That said, the industry is likely to recover in no time from the adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Frequently Asked Questions

According to the 2018 statistics on air travel from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of passengers that flew via scheduled airline services was 4.1 billion worldwide. One thing should be noted regarding this statistic — the number 4.1 doesn’t mean that 4.1 billion individuals boarded flights across the world. Instead, it means that there were 4.1 billion passengers (for example, one person who flew four times in one year counts as four passengers).

While this number will vary depending on different factors, such as the time of year or day, you could be looking at anywhere between 20,000 on the high end to about 8,000 planes on the low end flying over the skies at any given time. Between 2 PM and 4 PM in the summertime, you can expect the number to be closer to the higher end of the spectrum. Additionally, the day with the highest number of flights in a year is usually Thursday or Friday in July or August.

More than 87,000 flights are crisscrossing each other every single day in the skies based on the air travel statistics USA from the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. Moreover, U.S. airlines carried 777.9 million passengers on domestic flights alone in 2018, according to the US domestic air travel statistics issued by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Singapore Airlines’ direct flight from Singapore to Newark, New Jersey – Lasting around 18.5 hours, this is the longest direct flight in the world. Moreover, it travels about 9,534 miles.

It’s basically due to the fact that curve routes are shorter than straight ones. Traveling through curve routes offers the fastest and most fuel-efficient flight.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the country that has the highest air travel frequency in the world is the United States. It is followed by China and the United Kingdom to form the top three countries with the most frequent flyers. There are a number of air travel statistics that explain why the US tops the chart, though two of the most obvious ones happen to be a fairly high income per capita and a powerful economy.

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U.S. Air Carrier Safety Data

Embedded Dataset Excel:

Dataset Excel:

Aircraft-miles , Aircraft departures , and Flight hours are compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration. Rates are computed by dividing the number of Fatalities , Seriously injured persons , Total accidents , and Fatal accidents by the number of Aircraft-miles , Aircraft departures , or Flight hours . These figures are based on information provided by airlines to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Office of Airline Information. The illegal acts, such as suicide, sabotage and terrorism, are included in the totals for accidents,  fatalities, and rate computation. 1991 data do not include the 12 persons killed aboard a SkyWest commuter aircraft when it and a U.S. Air aircraft collided. For 2001, fatalities resulting from the September 11 terrorist acts are excluded, other than the persons aboard the aircraft who were killed. 

Description:

KEY:  N = data do not exist; P = preliminary; R = revised.

a Air carriers operating under 14 CFR 121, scheduled and nonscheduled service. Includes all scheduled and nonscheduled service accidents involving all-cargo carriers and commercial operators of large aircraft when those accidents occurred during 14 CFR 121 operations. Since Mar. 20, 1997, 14 CFR 121 includes aircraft with 10 or more seats formerly operated under 14 CFR 135. This change makes it difficult to compare pre-1997 data for 14 CFR 121 and 14 CFR 135  with more recent data. 

Fatalities, accidents, miles, departures, and flight hours:

1960: National Transportation Safety Board,  Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data: U.S. Air Carrier Operations , Calendar Year 1967 (Washington, DC: December 1968).

1965-70: National Transportation Safety Board, Calendar Year 1975, NTSB/ARC-77/1 (Washington, DC: January 1977).

1975 (all categories except miles): National Transportation Safety Board, Calendar Year 1983, NTSB/ARC-87/01 (Washington, DC: February 1987), table 18.

1975 (miles): National Transportation Safety Board, Calendar Year 1975, NTSB/ARC-77/1 (Washington, DC: January 1977 ).

1980: National Transportation Safety Board, Calendar Year 1981, NTSB/ARC-85/01 (Washington, DC: February 1985), tables 2 and 16.

1985-2022: National Transportation Safety Board, National Transportation Safety Board,  Aviation Accident Statistics , table 5, available at  http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/data/pages/aviation_stats.aspx  as of May 8, 2024.

Serious injuries:

1970-85: National Transportation Safety Board,  Annual Review of Aircraft Accident Data: U.S. Air Carrier Operations  (Washington, DC: Annual Issues).

1990-2022: National Transportation Safety Board, Analysis and Data Division, personal communication, Apr. 2011, Jul. 2012,  Aug. 2013, Sept. 25, 2014, April 2, 2015, Mar. 22, 2016, Sept. 26, 2016, Apr. 20, 2018, Aug. 8, 2019, Nov. 25, 2019, Oct. 28, 2020, Oct. 22, 2021 Nov. 28, 2022, May 20, 2024.

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Here are the best days to fly to avoid delays, according to experts.

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If you want your flight to go smoothly, don’t just wing it — put a little planning into your trip. 

For example — nearly 20% of flights in 2024 were delayed, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics , a statistic that has the potential to seriously cramp your style, the next time you’re looking to get out of town.

All’s not lost, however — according to AAA , when you fly can have a great impact on how likely you are to be held back, possibly missing a crucial connection. Below, find out the best days to fly, plus other pro tips — just in time for the summer rush.

Booking tips for easy traveling

Fridays and Sundays are busy travel days, and because of this, airplanes might be lining up and waiting for takeoff, which delays other airplanes scheduled to land. When one plane is late to land, it’ll also be late traveling to its next stop, which can create a string of delayed flights.

AAA recommends flying on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, when airports are less busy and when you’re also more likely to get a deal on flights. 

Taking the first flight of the day can also ensure you’ll avoid a delay, since nighttime flights are less common than daytime flights and the plane is likely ready for you to board. 

If you do happen to get a cancellation or delay, you’ll also have more flight options throughout the day to get you to your destination. Your next best flight option would be to take another morning flight. 

Booking nonstop is best since as many as one in five flights are delayed, and adding stops to your trip increases the likelihood of hitting roadblocks. 

The experts advised that if you must fly with a connection, it’s ideal to leave yourself two hours on domestic flights and three hours on International flights. 

Also, consider the weather and climate when booking connecting flights so you can avoid potential snowstorms or heat waves. 

Use technology to your advantage 

Can’t decide on what airline or airport to choose? There are websites like OAG Aviation that can help you determine which ones are the most on time. 

Their annual review found that only one U.S. Airline, Delta Airlines, was in the top 20 for punctuality. Trailing behind Delta for best airlines were Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines. 

The best U.S airports were Minneapolis, Detroit, Tucson, Boise and Salt Lake City. 

There’s also an app you can use called FlightAware that lets you know the departure and arrival times for flights over a three-month period, which might help you make more informed flight decisions in the future. 

Be early 

Are you the best man at your friend’s wedding?

Arriving at your destination a day or two before you need to be there can give a bit of wiggle room, should delays, strikes, or staffing shortages impact your journey. 

Experts also advised people to arrive at the airport at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours for international flights.

Be advised that even if you’re late but still are able to board your flight, your luggage may not make it on board with you. 

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Airline Industry Aims for New Passenger Record in 2024

Air passenger traffic.

As international travel came to a near complete standstill in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the aviation industry suffered what it described as “the worst year in history for air travel demand”. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), global passenger numbers declined by 60 percent in 2020 while passenger revenue dropped by almost 70 percent, bringing the industry to its knees.

“2020 was a catastrophe. There is no other way to describe it," Alexandre de Juniac, then IATA’s Director General and CEO said at the time. And while the rapid vaccine rollout fueled hopes of a swift recovery in early 2021, those hopes were dashed with the emergence of Delta and Omicron, which disrupted international travel during the Northern hemisphere's summer and holiday season, respectively, leaving international passenger demand more than 70 percent below 2019 levels in 2021, while domestic demand began to improve.

Three years later, the pandemic and the many disruptions that came with it are nothing but a faint memory for many people and the airline industry has fully recovered from the deepest crisis in its history. According to the IATA's latest estimate, industry revenues could hit a new record of almost $1 trillion this year, as almost five billion passenger are expected for 2024, exceeding the 2019 passenger number by more than 400 million.

In a statement released ahead of the IATA's 80th Annual General Meeting in Dubai this week, IATA's Director General Willie Walsh emphasized the industry's crucial role in connecting the world. "With a record five billion air travelers expected in 2024, the human need to fly has never been stronger. Moreover, the global economy counts on air cargo to deliver the $8.3 trillion of trade that gets to customers by air. Without a doubt, aviation is vital to the ambitions and prosperity of individuals and economies."

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Fact Sheet: Presidential Proclamation to Suspend and Limit Entry and Joint DHS-DOJ Interim Final Rule to Restrict Asylum During High Encounters at the Southern Border

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration took decisive new action to strengthen border security, announcing a series of measures that restrict asylum eligibility, and significantly increase the consequences for those who enter without authorization across the southern border. These extraordinary steps, which will be in effect during times when high levels of encounters exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences, will make noncitizens who enter across the southern border ineligible for asylum with certain exceptions, raise the standard that is used to screen for certain protection claims, and speed up our ability to quickly remove those who do not qualify for protection.

These actions follow a series of steps that the Administration has taken over the past three years as it prepared for the end of the Title 42 public health Order, and since it was lifted last year, including surging personnel, infrastructure, and technology to the border, issuing the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways Rule, and referring record numbers of noncitizens into expedited removal. Over the past year, we have removed or returned more than three quarters of a million people, more than in any fiscal year since 2010. Despite these efforts, our outdated and broken immigration and asylum system, coupled with a lack of sufficient funding, make it impossible to quickly impose consequences on all noncitizens who cross irregularly and without a legal basis to remain in the United States.

The Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to provide the resources and legal authorities needed to secure our border. The measures announced today will better enable the Department to quickly remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States, strengthening enforcement and change the calculus for those considering crossing our border irregularly. However, they are no substitute for Congressional action. We continue to call on Congress to provide the new tools and resources we have asked for to support the men and women on the frontlines.

President Biden issued a Presidential Proclamation to temporarily suspend the entry of noncitizens across the southern border. The Secretary of Homeland Security and the Attorney General also jointly issued an interim final rule that, consistent with the Proclamation, generally restricts asylum eligibility for those who irregularly enter across the southern border – including the Southwest land and the southern coastal borders. The rule also limits fear screenings to those who manifest a fear or express a desire to file for protection and heightens the screening standard for statutory withholding and claims under the Convention Against Torture. Taken together, these measures will significantly increase the speed and scope of consequences for those who cross our borders irregularly or who attempt to present themselves at Ports of Entry without authorization, allowing the Departments to more quickly remove individuals who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States. The restriction on asylum eligibility will be discontinued when encounters fall below certain levels but will come back into effect if encounters rise again.

The rule makes three key changes to current processing under Title 8 immigration authorities during periods of high border encounters:

• First, noncitizens who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization will generally be ineligible for asylum, absent exceptionally compelling circumstances and unless they are excepted by the Proclamation.
• Second, noncitizens who cross the southern border and are processed for expedited removal while the limitation is in effect will only be referred for a credible fear screening with an Asylum Officer if they manifest or express a fear of return to their country or country of removal, a fear of persecution or torture, or an intention to apply for asylum.  
• Third, the U.S. will continue to adhere to its international obligations and commitments by screening individuals who manifest a fear as noted above and do not qualify for an exception to the Rule for withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture protections at a reasonable probability of persecution or torture standard – a new, substantially higher standard than is currently applied under the Circumvention of Lawful Pathways rule.  

Like the Proclamation, the rule provides for an end to these enhanced measures following a sustained reduction in southern border encounters. Specifically, these measures are in effect until 14 calendar days after there has been a 7-consecutive-calendar-day average of less than 1,500 encounters between the ports of entry. The measures would again go into effect, or continue, as appropriate, when there has been a 7-consecutive-calendar-day average of 2,500 encounters or more.

During periods of high encounters, the Proclamation will apply across the southern border. Lawful permanent residents, unaccompanied children, victims of a severe form of trafficking, and other noncitizens with a valid visa or other lawful permission to enter the United States are excepted from the Proclamation.

In addition, the suspension and limitation on entry and rule will not apply to noncitizens who use a Secretary-approved process—such as the CBP One mobile app—to enter the United States at a port of entry in a safe and orderly manner or pursue another lawful pathway.

Noncitizens who cross the southern border and who are not excepted from the Proclamation will be ineligible for asylum unless exceptionally compelling circumstances exist, including if the noncitizen demonstrates that they or a member of their family with whom they are traveling:

• faced an acute medical emergency;
• faced an imminent and extreme threat to life or safety, such as an imminent threat of rape, kidnapping, torture, or murder; or
• satisfied the definition of “victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons” currently provided in 8 CFR 214.11.

Consequences

Noncitizens who are subject to the rule’s limitation on asylum eligibility and who manifest or express a fear of return to their country or country of removal, express a fear of persecution or torture or an intention to apply for asylum, but do not establish a reasonable probability of persecution or torture in the country of removal will be promptly removed.

Those ordered removed will be subject to at least a five-year bar to reentry and potential criminal prosecution.

The Proclamation and rule will significantly enhance the security of our border by increasing the Departments’ ability to impose swift consequences for individuals who cross the southern border irregularly and do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States.  Together, the Proclamation and rule make critical changes to how the Departments operate during times when encounters are at historically high levels—levels that, in the absence of these changes, undermine the government’s ability to process individuals through the expedited removal process. These changes will enable the Departments to quickly return those without a lawful basis to stay in the United States and thereby free up the asylum system for those with legitimate claims.

These extraordinary measures are a stop gap. Even with these measures in place, the Departments continue to lack the authorities and resources needed to adequately support the men and women on the frontlines. The Administration again calls on Congress to take up and pass the bipartisan reforms proposed in the Senate, which provide the new authorities, personnel, and resources that are needed to address the historic global migration that is impacting countries throughout the world, including our own. Until Congress does its part, we will continue to take any actions needed under current law and within existing resources to secure the border.

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