2025–2026 Update: U.S. airport passenger traffic in 2025 exceeded 2019 levels based on FAA data. However, CY2023 total operating revenues $34.2B remain below 2019 $37.1B levels (FAA Airport Financial Data Book). As of CY2023, total airport operating revenues were $34.2B (+17.5% vs. 2022 $29.1B) (FAA CY2023 Financial Data Book). Aeronautical share rose from 50.1% in CY2019 to 53.2% CY2023 despite +12% enplanements (FAA data); non-aero grew 8% vs. 15% pre-COVID. FAA official passenger boarding data continues to be published using T-100 plus Air Taxi survey data for hub classification and AIP entitlement calculations. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63, Section 712) increased the AIP share for non-primary commercial and general aviation airports from 20% to 25%. DCA received 10 additional daily slot pairs (Dec 2024 FAA order); EWR operations remain capped at 70/hour through Oct 2026 (FAA Slot Management Orders, 2024). The FAA Terminal Area Forecast projects +3.7% enplanement growth for CY2025.
Enplaned passengers — passengers boarding aircraft at an airport — are the primary metric in U.S. airport finance: 53.2% of total aeronautical revenue is allocated based on enplanement counts (FAA CY2023, 553 airports). Enplanement counts affect airline rate calculations (14 CFR Part 241), federal grant eligibility (49 USC 47107), and hub classification (FAA Order 5300.1). FAA enplanement data comes from the Air Carrier Activity Information System (ACAIS) and is used to classify airports by hub size for federal grant eligibility.
1. Introduction
U.S. airports report traffic statistics in multiple categories: passengers (enplaned and deplaned), aircraft operations (movements), cargo tonnage, and mail. Of these metrics, the number of enplaned passengers is the (b)
This is because 53.2% of total operating revenues are generated from aeronautical sources (FAA CY2023, 553 reporting airports). U.S. airports generate 53.2% of total operating revenues from aeronautical sources (primarily airline charges and passenger fees), 36.8% from non-aeronautical sources (FAA CY2023), and the remainder from transfers and other revenues including passenger-dependent activities (retail, concessions, parking, rental car fees) and passenger-independent sources (real estate, advertising) (general aviation, cargo carriers, freight handling).
Passenger definitions, data sources, and reporting methodologies support airport finance analysis.
Applications in Airport Finance
Enplaned passenger counts directly affect airline rate calculations, federal grant eligibility, and airport classification as a large hub (1% or more of total U.S. enplanements) or medium hub (0.25–1% of total U.S. enplanements). Airports also use enplanement forecasts to plan capacity, model revenue, and negotiate with airlines.
2. Definition of Enplaned Passenger
An enplaned passenger is a revenue passenger boarding a plane at a particular airport. This definition, per 14 CFR Part 217, affects rate-setting and DOT reporting.
Federal Regulations
14 CFR Part 217 and Part 241 (Passenger Service Data)
The Federal Aviation Administration requires all large U.S. certificated air carriers and foreign carriers serving the United States to report traffic statistics to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), including the number of revenue enplaned passengers by airport. These reports form the basis of the T-100 Traffic Data system, discussed in Section 4.a.
Revenue vs. Nonrevenue Definition
A 'revenue passenger' is defined as a passenger for whom an air carrier receives commercial remuneration. The carrier receives payment from either the passenger directly (airline ticket) or from a third party authorized by the passenger (corporate account, government agency, airline rewards program).
A 'nonrevenue passenger' is a passenger transported by an airline without commercial remuneration to the carrier. The carrier provides carriage at its own discretion or expense.
49 CFR Part 1510 (September 11 Security Fee Definition)
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines 'enplaned passenger' for security fee purposes as 'any person boarding a civil aircraft for flight in scheduled or nonscheduled service.' This definition is "broader", including nonrevenue passengers but excluding certain other categories.
14 CFR Part 158 (PFC Definition)
For Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) purposes, the FAA defines eligible enplaned passengers as revenue enplaned passengers only. PFC collections are capped at $4.50 per passenger and are used for airport capital projects and facility improvements. Non-revenue passengers are excluded from PFC calculations.
3. Passenger Classifications
Passengers are classified in three independent ways by carriers and airport operators:
Classification 1: Revenue vs. Nonrevenue
Revenue Passengers
Revenue passengers include the following categories:
Publicly available tickets (standard airline bookings, whether paid directly or through travel agents)
Loyalty program redemptions (frequent flyer miles, points)
Vouchers and airline compensation (overbooking compensation, irregular operations)
Corporate discounts and preferential fares (negotiated corporate rates, government contracts)
Barter tickets (airline trades with other businesses for goods/services)
Infants on confirmed-space tickets (lap infants do not generate revenue seats)
Nonrevenue Passengers
Nonrevenue passengers include:
Airline employees and officers (including flight crews, ground staff, management)
Pass interchange passengers (agreements between carriers allowing free carriage)
Travel agent FAM (familiarization) trips
Witnesses and attorneys (in accident investigations)
Accident victims and accompanying medical staff
Disaster relief personnel
Law enforcement officers and federal inspectors
Postal employees and mail handlers
U.S. Air Marshals
NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) investigators
FAA inspectors
Promotional passengers (contests, sweepstakes)
TABLE: Passenger Classification by Revenue Status
Classification 2: Origin & Destination (O&D) vs. Connecting
Definitions
O&D Visitor vs. O&D Resident
O&D passengers can be further classified by trip purpose:
O&D Visitor: Originating or destination passenger making a discretionary trip (business meeting, vacation, family visit)
O&D Resident: Originating or destination passenger commuting for regular work or school
Why O&D vs. Connecting Matters for Airport Finance
This classification is relevant for airport financial planning, as O&D airports averaged $18.50 non-aero revenue per pax vs. $12.40 hub medians (FAA CY2024 financial data):
O&D passengers purchase concession items, rent vehicles, use ground transportation
Connecting passengers spend less time in the terminal
Classification 3: International vs. Domestic
Passengers are classified as international if their journey crosses international borders, and domestic if the journey is entirely within U.S. airspace. International passengers generate additional fees (international terminal fees, customs/immigration fees) but also face (a) to additional reporting requirements under 14 CFR Part 217 and CBP regulations (14 CFR Part 217, CBP).".
Other Classifications
Passengers are occasionally classified as:
Scheduled service: Passengers on flights that operate regularly according to published timetables
Nonscheduled service: Passengers on charter flights, not operating on published schedules
4. Reporting Sources
Passenger statistics are reported through multiple federal sources with different methodologies, scopes, and purposes:
4.a Form 41 / T-100 Traffic Data
Scope and Coverage
The DOT Form 41 is completed by all large U.S. certificated air carriers and foreign carriers. The data is published by the DOT as T-100 Traffic Data. T-100 reports revenue enplaned passengers for passenger aircraft and includes cargo-only carriers' enplaned freight tonnage.
T-100 does NOT include data from Air Taxi operators or Commercial Operators with fewer than 30 seats (based on aircraft seating capacity, not passenger numbers). These categories represent 0.18% of total U.S. enplanements (FAA CY2023 Air Taxi data vs. T-100) and are 0.18% of total enplanements at 31 large hubs (FAA CY2023 T-100 + Air Taxi).
T-100 Market Data
T-100 Market data includes:
All revenue enplaned passengers of large carriers and foreign carriers
Passengers enplaned in the U.S. plus passengers enplaned outside the U.S. but deplaned in the U.S. (inbound international traffic)
Does NOT include transit passengers (passengers connecting through without deplaning)
T-100 Segment Data
T-100 Segment data breaks down traffic by individual flights and includes:
Passengers enplaned on each flight segment
Includes transit passengers (counted in segment data but not in market data)
More granular than market data but more complex to analyze
4.b DB1B (Airline Origin & Destination Survey)
The DOT administers the DB1B survey, which captures a 10% sample of all domestic airline tickets from major carriers. DB1B data includes three separate reporting structures: