Passenger airlines - statistics & facts
Passenger airlines are airlines dedicated to the transport of human passengers; they typically operate a fleet of passenger aircraft that may be either owned outright by an airline company or leased from commercial aircraft sales and leasing companies. Passenger airlines can be mainline, with flights operated by the airline's central operating unit, or a regional airline that operates regionally over shorter non-intercontinental distances. Passenger airlines may also be low-cost carriers that provide basic and less expensive services. The charter airlines operate outside regular schedule intervals or major airlines with at least one billion U.S. dollars in revenue.
Based on the brand value of 2024, Delta Air Lines was the dominant player in the global passenger aviation market. The United States airlines dominated the list of top ten airlines. However, other big airlines like British Airways, Emirates, and China Southern Airlines also made it onto the list. Delta Air Lines was the most punctual airline company in North America with an 83.2 percent on-time performance. Its counterpart in Europe, Iberia Express, a Spanish low-cost airline, ranked as the most punctual airline, with 89.9 percent operational punctuality.
Largest airlines in the world
Global market size for the airline industry was estimated at 762.8 billion dollars in 2023. This was the biggest number registered after the coronavirus pandemic, but it was still smaller than the market size before the pandemic. The airline industry was one of the most affected industries worldwide, but companies have been improving their operations since then. By 2050, the market size is expected to grow more, since air passenger traffic was forecast to surpass 10 billion.Based on the brand value of 2024, Delta Air Lines was the dominant player in the global passenger aviation market. The United States airlines dominated the list of top ten airlines. However, other big airlines like British Airways, Emirates, and China Southern Airlines also made it onto the list. Delta Air Lines was the most punctual airline company in North America with an 83.2 percent on-time performance. Its counterpart in Europe, Iberia Express, a Spanish low-cost airline, ranked as the most punctual airline, with 89.9 percent operational punctuality.
