Efficient fleet utilization is one of the key factors in an airline's success and profitability. In this section, the Airline Data Project (ADP) demonstrates how mainline carriers have improved the use of their fleets and how the hub-and-spoke carriers typically achieve lower fleet utilization than their low-cost counterparts. While network architecture explains some of the differences, the age of a carrier's fleet also is a significant factor.

Details on carrier operating fleets found in this section include:

  • The key measurements of aircraft productivity, including aircraft utilization per day, stage-length and average number of seats
  • A carrier-by-carrier profile of costs associated with operating their fleets and sub fleets as defined by the ADP 
  • Carrier profiles with supporting data for further analysis of other productivity and cost measurements that are not provided for in the summary charts

In keeping with the ADP’s efforts to aggregate data to ensure meaningful comparisons, fleets are broken down into the following categories:

  • Small narrowbody aircraft: Typically 150 seats or less in a two-class configuration (e.g. Boeing 737-700, Airbus A319)
  • Large narrowbody aircraft: Typically 151 seats or more in a two-class configuration (e.g. Boeing 737-800/900/Max 8/Max 9, Boeing 757, Airbus A321/A320 NEO/A321NEO)
  • Widebody aircraft: Two-aisle configuration
  • A table specifying our categorization as of June 2020 can be found here

Note: The ADP recognizes fleet age as an important metric for analysis but does not address this area. For more information, please consult data providers that specialize in fleet age.

 

 
    Total Fleet  
Data at a Glance
  Aircraft & Related Charts
  Total Operating Fleet Count
  Total Aircraft Block Hours- All Aircraft
  Total Aircraft Airborne Hours- All Aircraft
  Gallons of Fuel per Block Hour- All Aircraft
  Average Stage Length Flown- All Aircraft
  Average Seat Capacity per Departure- All Aircraft
  Average Daily Block Hour Utilization- All Aircraft
  Average Daily Airborne Hours- All Aircraft
    Departure per Aircraft Day- All Aircraft
    Small Narrowbodies  
  Small Narrowbodies Operating Fleet Count
  Total Aircraft Block Hours- Small Narrowbodies
  Total Aircraft Airborne Hours- Small Narrowbodies
  Gallons of Fuel per Block Hour- Small Narrowbodies
  Average Stage Length Flown- Small Narrowbodies
  Average Seat Capacity per Departure- Small Narrowbodies
  Average Daily Block Hour Utilization- Small Narrowbodies
  Average Daily Airborne Hours- Small Narrowbodies
    Departure per Aircraft Day- Small Narrowbodies
    Large Narrowbodies  
  Large Narrowbodies Operating Fleet Count
  Total Aircraft Block Hours- Large Narrowbodies
  Total Aircraft Airborne Hours- Large Narrowbodies
  Gallons of Fuel per Block Hour- Large Narrowbodies
  Average Stage Length Flown- Large Narrowbodies
  Average Seat Capacity per Departure- Large Narrowbodies
  Average Daily Block Hour Utilization- Large Narrowbodies
  Average Daily Airborne Hours- Large Narrowbodies
    Departure per Aircraft Day- Large Narrowbodies
    Widebodies  
  Widebodies Operating Fleet Count
  Total Aircraft Block Hours- Widebodies
  Total Aircraft Airborne Hours- Widebodies
  Gallons of Fuel per Block Hour- Widebodies
  Average Stage Length Flown- Widebodies
  Average Seat Capacity per Departure- Widebodies
  Average Daily Block Hour Utilization- Widebodies
  Average Daily Airborne Hours- Widebodies
    Departure per Aircraft Day- Widebodies
    Individual Carrier Aircraft Operating Statistics  
  American Airlines
  Continental Airlines
    Delta Air Lines
    Northwest Airlines
    United Airlines
    US Airways
    America West Airlines
    Southwest Airlines
    JetBlue Airways
    AirTran Airways
    Frontier Airlines
    Allegiant Air
    Alaska Airlines
    Hawaiian Airlines
    Virgin America Airlines
    Spirit Airlines

 

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