U.S. airlines carried about 60% fewer passengers in 2020 compared with 2019, according to Department of Transportation data released Tuesday.
Why it matters: The drop underscores the dramatic impact that the coronavirus pandemic — and the travel restrictions and stay-at-home orders that hallmarked much of the year — had on the travel industry.
Details: Overall in 2020, domestic flights saw 58.7% fewer passengers from 2019, while the number of people taking international flights dropped by 70.4%.
- The biggest decrease happened in April, with a 96.1% drop from the previous year.
- December 2020 saw a 61.5% decrease from the previous year, slightly more than the 60.7% decline in November.