US airline employment remains near high despite January job losses

As a result, the combined workforce of US-based freight and passenger transportation carriers was 1.009 million, or 0.5% lower than in December 2024 when the two types of airlines had 1.014 million employees.

BTS noted that scheduled service airlines in the US had 543,887 employees in January, or 54% of the industry-wide total, losing 411 employees during the month—a figure which could represent natural turnover.

United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Envoy Air—a subsidiary of American Airlines Group—increased their employee counts by adding jobs during this period. United Airlines added 791 positions; Southwest Airlines added 194; and Envoy Air added98.

Meanwhile, cargo airlines reported having461029employeesinJanuarybutlost5018employeesduringthemonthwithFedExalone reducing its headcount by4966workers

Below record-breaking levels

BTS data also showed that full-time equivalents (FTE), which include part-time employees—with part-timers counted as half—reached514975morethanthe509745FTEsatendofJanuary2024DuringthatmonthUSbasedairlinesalsoreducedheadcountby1159withpassengerairlinesadding744employeesyetcargocarriersprimarilyFedExremovedatotalof1787jobsFedExcut2177jobsjustafterbusyholidayseasonincludingdeliveringChristmasgiftsthroughoutcountryNeverthelessJanuary2025staffinglevelsUSpassengerairlinesshortrecordbreaking2001whenscheduledpassengercarrierscountryover532000FTEaccordingBTSdata

Incoming layoffs and economic uncertainty

The data comes shortly after Southwest Airlines announced its first-ever layoffs on February17statingitwouldbereducingworkforceby1750employeesfocuscorporateoverheadleadershippositionsaround15corporatepositionscompletedendQ2resultlayoffsSouthwestAirlinesestimatedsavingaround210million300million20252026respectivelyexcludesonetimechargebetween60million80millionQ1FurthermoreUSairlineexecutivesexpressedsofar2025Q1resultscouldworseexpectedincludedbutnotexclusivetoupdatesinvestorsAmericanAirlinesDeltaAirLinesJetBlueThelargestUScarrierschiefexecutivesspokeJPMorganIndustrialsConferenceMarch11indirectlyadmittingdecisionsmadeDonaldTrumpadministrationincludingillegaldeemedfederaljudgesDepartmentGovernmentEfficiencyDOGEjobcutsthroughoutfederalagenciesunprovokedtradeconflictshaveaffectedconsumersentimentScottKirbyChiefExecutiveOfficerCEOUnitedAirlinessaidgovernmentgovernmentadjacenttravel downaround50airlineaccountsaround45totalbusinessresponsecarrieraccelerateretirements21aircraftbecomecashpositivedevelopmentdueupcomingmaintenanceeventsRelatedUSBigDetailChallengesAheadAirlinesJPMorganIndustrialsConferenceThreefourairlineswarnedworseningeconomicenvironmentamidsttariffswideranginggovernmentlayoffsUSPosts5