Source: US DOT

Annual and 4th quarter 2022 Airline Financial Infographic

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reported a 2022 after-tax net profit of $1.6 billion, gaining after two consecutive annual after-tax losses and a pre-tax operating profit of $7.9 billion, gaining after two consecutive annual pre-tax losses.

U.S. airline financial reports are filed quarterly with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). See the tables that accompany this release on the BTS website for additional 2022 annual (Tables 1-6) and fourth-quarter (Tables 7-12) financial results.

2022 Annual Results for All 25 Scheduled Passenger Airlines

Bar chart showing systemwide U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 2018 through 2022

After-tax net income

  • $1.6 billion profit in 2022
  • Compared to $2.8 billion loss in 2021

Pre-tax operating profit/loss

  • $7.9 billion profit in 2022
  • Compared to $17.3 billion loss in 2021
  • Total 2022 operating revenue: $211.2 billion

Share of total 2022 operating revenue:

  • Fares: $155.1 billion, 73.5%, compared to 66.7% in 2021
  • Baggage fees: $6.8 billion, 3.2%, compared to 4.1% in 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $1.0 billion, 0.5%, compared to 0.5% in 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • Total operating expenses: $203.3 billion

Share of total 2022 operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $49.1 billion 24.2%, compared to 15.6% in 2021
  • Labor: $64.0 billion 31.5%, compared to 35.7% in 2021

Domestic results for 25 scheduled airlines

Bar chart showing domestic U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 2018 through 2022

 

After-tax domestic net income

  • $1.8 billion profit in 2022
  • Compared to $383 million profit in 2021

Pre-tax domestic operating profit/loss

  • $6.9 billion profit in 2022
  • Compared to $12.2 billion loss in 2021
  • 2022 domestic operating revenue: $163.9 billion

Share of total 2022 domestic operating revenue:

  • Fares: $117.1 billion, 71.5%, compared to 66.5% in 2021
  • Baggage fees: $5.5 billion, 3.3%, compared to 4.0% in 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $874 million, 0.5%, compared to 0.6% in 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • 2022 domestic operating expenses: $157.0 billion

Share of total 2022 domestic operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $34.6 billion, 22.1%, compared to 14.5% in 2021
  • Labor: $49.3 billion, 31.4%, compared to 35.0% in 2021

International results for 20 scheduled U.S. airlines

Bar chart showing international U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 2018 through 2022

 

After-tax international net income

  • $257 million loss in 2022
  • Compared to $3.2 billion loss in 2021

Pre-tax international operating profit

  • $1.0 billion profit in 2022
  • Compared to $5.2 billion loss in 2021
  • 2022 international operating revenue: $47.3 billion

Share of total 2022 international operating revenue:

  • Fares: $38.0 billion, 80.4%, compared to 67.6% in 2021
  • Baggage fees: $1.3 billion, 2.8%, compared to 4.4% in 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $130 million, 0.3%, compared to 0.4% in 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • 2022 international operating expenses: $46.2 billion

Share of total 2022 international operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $14.5 billion, 31.3%, compared to 20.2% in 2021
  • Labor: $14.7 billion, 31.7%, compared to 38.5% in 2021

2022 Margins 

Net margin is the net income or loss as a percentage of operating revenue. Operating margin is the operating profit or loss as a percentage of operating revenue.

Systemwide: 

Net income margin:

  • 8% in 2022
  • Compared to -2.1% in 2021

Operating margin:

  • 7% in 2022
  • Compared to -13.3% in 2021

Domestic

Net income margin:

  • 1% in 2022
  • Compared to 0.4% in 2021

Operating margin:

  • 2% in 2022
  • Compared to -11.3% in 2021

International

Net income margin:

  • -0.5% in 2022
  • Compared to -13.9% in 2021

Operating margin:

  • 2% in 2022
  • Compared to -22.8% in 2021

4Q 2022 Results for All 25 Scheduled U.S. Passenger Airlines

U.S. scheduled passenger airlines reported a fourth-quarter 2022 after-tax net profit of $2.1 billion and a pre-tax operating profit of $3.7 billion.

One year earlier, in the fourth quarter of 2021, the airlines reported an after-tax net loss of $2.2 billion and a pre-tax operating loss of $894 million.

Bar chart showing systemwide U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 4th quarter 2021 through for 4th quarter 2022

 

After-tax net income

  • $2.1 billion profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $2.4 billion profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $2.2 billion loss in 4Q 2021

Pre-tax operating profit

  • $3.7 billion profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $4.7 billion profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $894 million loss in 4Q 2021
  • Total 4Q 2022 operating revenue: $56.4 billion

Share of total 4Q 2022 operating revenue:

  • Fares: $42.3 billion, 75.0%, compared to 69.0% in 4Q 2021
  • Baggage fees: $1.8 billion, 3.1%, compared to 3.7% in 4Q 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $274 million, 0.5%, compared to 0.5% in 4Q 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • Total 4Q 2022 operating expenses: $52.7 billion:

Share of total 4Q 2022 operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $12.5 billion, 23.8%, compared to 17.4% in 4Q 2021
  • Labor: $16.9 billion, 32.0%, compared to 34.9% in 4Q 2021

Domestic operations, includes 25 U.S. airlines:

Bar chart showing domestic U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 4th quarter 2021 through for 4th quarter 2022

After-tax domestic net profit (net income)

  • $1.3 billion profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $1.5 billion profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $1.5 billion loss in 4Q 2021

Pre-tax domestic operating profit

  • $2.7 billion profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $3.1 billion profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $485 million loss in 4Q 2021
  • 4Q 2022 domestic operating revenue: $43.6 billion

Share of total 4Q 2022 domestic operating revenue:

  • Fares: $31.8 billion, 72.9%, compared to 68.6% in 4Q 2021
  • Baggage fees: $1.4 billion, 3.3%, compared to 3.7% in 4Q 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $242 million, 0.6%, compared to 0.6% in 4Q 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • 4Q 2022 domestic operating expenses: $40.9 billion, of which:

Share of total 4Q 2022 domestic operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $8.9 billion, 21.8%, compared to 16.2% in 4Q 2021
  • Labor: $13.1 billion, 32.1%, compared to 34.5% in 4Q 2021

International operations, includes 20 U.S. airlines:

Bar chart showing international U.S. scheduled service passenger airlines annual net income for 4th quarter 2021 through for 4th quarter 2022 

After-tax international net profit (net income)

  • $782 million profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $948 million profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $697 million loss in 4Q 2021

Pre-tax international operating profit

  • $982 million profit in 4Q 2022
  • Compared to $1.6 billion profit in 3Q 2022
  • Compared to $409 million loss in 4Q 2021
  • 4Q 2022 international operating revenue: $12.8 billion, of which:

Share of 4Q 2022 international operating revenue:

  • Fares: $10.5 billion, 82.1%, compared to 70.6% in 4Q 2021
  • Baggage fees: $320 million, 2.5%, compared to 3.9% in 4Q 2021
  • Reservation change fees: $33 million, 0.3%, compared to 0.4% in 4Q 2021

Fees are included for calculations of net income, operating revenue and operating profit or loss.

  • 4Q 2022 international operating expenses: $11.8 billion, of which:

Share of 4Q 2022 international operating expenses:

  • Fuel: $3.6 billion, 30.8%, compared to 22.7% in 4Q 2021
  • Labor: $3.7 billion, 31.8%, compared to 36.5% in 4Q 2021

 4th Quarter Margins 

Net margin is the net income or loss as a percentage of operating revenue. Operating margin is the operating profit or loss as a percentage of operating revenue.

Systemwide: 

Net income margin:

  • 7% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -5.4% in 4Q2021

Operating margin:

  • 6% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -2.2% in 4Q2021

Domestic

Net income margin:

  • 0% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -4.5% in 4Q2021

Operating margin:

  • 3% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -1.4% in 4Q2021

International

Net income margin:

  • 1% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -9.5% in 4Q2021

Operating margin:

  • 7% in 4Q2022
  • Compared to -5.6% in 4Q2021

Reporting notes

Additional data: BTS website, see tables for operating profit/loss, operating revenue and fuel cost and consumption. See the BTS financial databasesfor more detailed data including numbers for individual airlines.

Filing requirement: By regulation, for the quarter ending Dec. 31, airlines that operate at least one aircraft that is designed/certified for more than 60 seats or the capacity to carry a payload of passengers and cargo weighing more than 18,000 pounds must report financial data to BTS by March 31. The airline filings are subject to a process of quality assurance and data validations before release to the public.

Data updates: Revised carrier data and late data filings will be made available monthly on TranStats on the Monday following the second Tuesday of the month. All data are subject to revision. BTS will release first-quarter 2023 data on June 12.

Missing carriers: The information provided within BTS statistical releases may not be based on 100% of reporting carriers. Generally, data are released per schedule if reports have been received from at least 90% of the carriers, along with data from all the major carriers. Regarding this release, the following carriers remain pending: Aloha Air Cargo (KH), Elite Airways LLC (2HQ), Northern Air Cargo Inc. (NC), Kalitta Charters II (KLQ), World Atlantic Airline dba Caribbean Sun Airlines, Inc. (WL). Also, within text, percent change results may not be exact due to rounding.