US Bureau of Transportation Statistics: U.S. Cargo and Passenger Airlines Employment is 7.9% Above Pre-Pandemic Level

U.S. Airline Total Number of Employees (both Full-Time and Part-Time)

U.S. airline industry (passenger and cargo airlines combined) employment increased to 801,801 workers in June 2023, 1,992 (0.25%) more workers than in May 2023 (799,809) and 58,431 (7.86%) more than in pre-pandemic June 2019 (743,370).

U.S. scheduled-service passenger airlines employed 525,334 workers in June 2023 or 66% of the industry-wide total. Passenger airlines added 3,481 employees in June 2023 for the twenty-sixth consecutive month of job growth dating back to May 2021. United Air Lines led scheduled passenger carriers, adding 1,094 employees; Delta added 965, and American Airlines added 501.

U.S. cargo airlines employed 271,624 workers in June 2023, 34% of the industry total. Cargo carriers lost 1,489 employees in June. FedEx, the leading air cargo employer, decreased employment by 1,504 jobs.

U.S. Airline Full-Time Equivalents (FTEs)

BTS calculates FTEs by dividing the number of part-time employees by 2 and adding that figure to the number of full-time employees. The June 2023 industry-wide numbers include 690,674 full-time and 111,127 part-time workers for a total of 746,238 FTEs, an increase from May of 1,797 FTEs (0.24%). June 2023’s total number of FTEs remains 9.15% above pre-pandemic June 2019’s 683,656 FTEs.

The 26 U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reporting data for June 2023 employed 498,509 FTEs, 3,428 FTEs (0.69%) more than in May 2023. June 2023’s total number of scheduled passenger airline FTEs is 48,795 FTEs (10.85%) above pre-pandemic June 2019. Data by passenger carrier category can be found in the accompanying tables.

U.S. cargo airlines employed 242,964 FTEs in June 2023, down 1,638 FTEs (0.67%) from May 2023. U.S. cargo airlines have increased FTEs by 13,219 (5.75%) since pre-pandemic June 2019.

See relevant graphics below.

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics Press ReleasePhoto Credit: Bureau of Transportation Statistics