Low passenger numbers affect US-Europe flight routes

According to the US Department of Transportation, nearly 77 million roundtrip passengers traveled between the United States and Europe in the 12 months leading up to October 2024. This accounted for about 31% of the international traffic from the U.S. On average, 83% of seats on flights across the Atlantic were filled during this period.

Seat load factor, which measures the proportion of available capacity filled by passengers, is a key metric for airlines. When capacity exceeds demand, fares and load factors drop; conversely, when demand outpaces capacity, fares and loads may increase. Adjusting capacity can help airlines optimize yields and performance.

Lufthansa plans to increase its Munich-Denver service by 74% this summer by switching from an Airbus A350 to an A380. While high load factors might seem beneficial, they often consist of lower-yielding segments such as leisure travel.