Source: US DOT
The Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) today released U.S. airlines’ October Fuel Cost and Consumption numbers. U.S. airlines used 1.28 billion gallons of fuel, 4.4% more fuel than in September but 17.3% less than in pre-pandemic October 2019. At $2.23, the cost per gallon of fuel in October 2021 was up 12.1% from September’s $1.99.
Fuel consumed by U.S. airlines scheduled service:
October 2019: 1.54 billion gallons
October 2020: 807 million gallons
September 2021: 1.22 billion gallons
October 2021: 1.28 billion gallons
Fuel cost per gallon for U.S. airlines scheduled service:
October 2019: $1.97
October 2020: $1.14
September 2021: $1.99
October 2021: $2.23
The October 2021 cost per gallon ($2.23) for aviation fuel was up from September 2021 ($1.99). October’s cost per gallon was up from both October 2020 ($1.14) and October 2019 ($1.97). To date, the pandemic low fuel cost per gallon was in May 2020 ($1.03).
Total fuel cost for U.S. airlines scheduled service:
October 2019: $3.04 billion
October 2020: $807 million
September 2021: $2.43 billion
October 2021: $2.85 billion
Total October 2021 fuel cost ($2.85B) was up 17.2% from September 2021 ($2.43B) and down 6.2% from pre-pandemic October 2019 ($3.04B).
The Fuel Cost and Consumption page can be found at https://www.transtats.bts.gov/fuel.asp. Summaries by month are also available.