Gordon Smith and Jay Shabat crunch the big numbers to reveal which U.S. carriers are in expansion mode in the first quarter of 2025 and which operators are shrinking year-on-year.
Takeaways
- The US airline industry is seeing a modest capacity increase of 1% for Q1 2025.
- Delta Airlines is focusing growth on mid-continent hubs like Atlanta and Minneapolis.
- United Airlines is experiencing the fastest growth among major carriers, with a 5% increase in capacity.
- American Airlines is slowing down growth, particularly at major hubs like LAX and JFK.
- Southwest Airlines is reducing capacity by 4% as part of a strategy to return to profitability.
- Alaska Airlines is growing modestly at 2%, focusing on secondary markets.
- JetBlue is shrinking overall by 3%, with significant cuts in Los Angeles and Newark.
- Spirit Airlines is undergoing restructuring due to bankruptcy, leading to drastic capacity cuts.
- Frontier Airlines is capitalizing on Spirit's struggles, with a 9% increase in capacity.
- The competitive landscape is shifting, with low-cost carriers facing challenges while major airlines adapt to market demands.
Connect with Airline Weekly
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/airline-weekly/
X: https://x.com/Airline_Weekly/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/airlineweekly/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skiftnews/
WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaAL375LikgIXmNPYQ0L/
Subscribe to @SkiftNews and never miss an update from the airline and travel industries.
