The number of international passengers on U.S. carriers in December 2010 increased 4.8 percent over December 2009. The December 2010 load factors of 80.7 percent systemwide and 80.8 percent domestic were the highest recorded for any December. For the full year 2010, the number of scheduled domestic and international passengers on U.S. airlines increased 2.4 percent from 2009 to 720.4 million. The number of passengers declined 3.1 percent from the full year 2008 to the full year 2010.

U.S. airlines carried 1.9 percent more domestic passengers and 5.9 percent more international passengers in the full year 2010 than in 2009. In December, Southwest Airlines carried more total system and domestic passengers than any other U.S. airline. American Airlines carried the most international passengers. Delta Air Lines, following its merger with Northwest Airlines, carried more total system passengers in 2010 than any other U.S. airline for the first time since 2001 Southwest carried the most passengers during the previous three years.

Southwest carried more domestic passengers in 2010 than any other U.S. airline for the seventh consecutive year. Delta carried more international passengers in 2010 than any other U.S. carrier after American had carried the most for 20 consecutive years. 

In December, more total system and domestic passengers boarded planes at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport and more international passengers boarded U.S. carriers at Miami than at any other U.S. airport. More total system and domestic passengers boarded planes in 2010 at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International than at any other U.S. airport for the 15th consecutive year and more international passenger?s boarded U.S. carriers at Miami International than at any other U.S. airport for the 16th consecutive year.