BTS: U.S. Carriers Had 81.2M Passengers in December

SECAUCUS, NJ (DTN) — U.S. airlines carried 81.2 million systemwide passengers in December 2025, representing a 2.6% decline compared to the same month last year, the Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported Friday (3/13).

The total includes 69.9 million domestic and 11.3 million international passengers traveling on U.S. airline flights throughout the month.

The agency noted that seasonally adjusted enplanements rose 1.5% from November but remained 2.7% below the record highs of June 2024. While domestic passenger numbers fell 3.1% year-on-year, the 11.3 million international boardings accounted for an all-time high.