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US airlines prepare fleets for holiday season demand

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US airlines prepare fleets for holiday season demand
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As the holiday season approaches, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines are preparing for a surge in passenger traffic. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm, these major US carriers are deploying their fleets strategically to meet increased demand in December 2024. Narrowbody and widebody aircraft will be essential in accommodating passengers during this period.

Narrowbody aircraft form the backbone of domestic travel in the US. Their efficiency makes them suitable for shorter routes and frequent flights. American Airlines leads with 91,824 scheduled narrowbody flights for December, followed by Delta with 88,130 flights and United with 73,101 flights. Collectively, they plan to operate 253,055 narrowbody flights.

In terms of seat capacity and Available Seat Miles (ASMs), American Airlines offers 15,454,334 seats and 15,972,987,202 ASMs. Delta provides 14,535,949 seats and 14,748,547,215 ASMs. United has 11,932,964 seats and 13,870,663,146 ASMs.

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American operates a diverse fleet of Airbus and Boeing narrowbody jets including Airbus A319s and A321s as well as Boeing 737-800s and MAX 8s. United relies on Boeing for its narrowbody operations but also uses older models like the Airbus A319s and A320s. Delta operates a mix of Airbus A319s and A321s along with various Boeing models including the Boeing 757 series.

Network strategies differ among these airlines: American's hub structure focuses on Dallas-Fort Worth; Delta optimizes connections through hubs like Atlanta; United connects passengers to both domestic and international destinations.

Widebody aircraft play a key role in long-haul international flights. United leads in widebody operations with 9,436 scheduled flights for December while Delta has 7,591 flights and American has 4,985. In terms of seat capacity and ASMs: United offers over two million seats; Delta provides nearly two million; American supplies more than one million.

United's dominance is attributed to its focus on international expansion across the Pacific using a substantial fleet of Boeing widebodies like the Boeing777-300ERs. Delta leverages its transatlantic presence from Atlanta supported by joint ventures with European carriers using Airbus A330s/A350s alongside Boeing767s. American deploys its widebodies across Latin America/Europe/Asia utilizing various Boeing models including Dreamliners.

Each airline’s hub strategy influences their widebody operations: United leverages San Francisco/Newark hubs; Delta's Atlanta hub remains pivotal; American focuses on Latin America via Dallas/Fort Worth/Miami hubs during holidays.

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