Lede

Airlines are increasingly opting to use larger planes, a process called "upgauging," in order to deal with congestion at airports, high costs, and a lack of pilots and aircraft. This trend allows carriers to sell more seats per flight and reduce the number of planes required to meet demand. However, the move to larger planes can lead to fewer flight options for consumers.

Summary

• The average number of seats on domestic flights for the 11 largest US airlines was over 153 in 2020, up from nearly 141 in 2017.
• The industry trend of "upgauging" allows airlines to maximize capacity on each flight and make do with fewer planes.
• This means fewer flight options for consumers, but lower unit costs for the airlines.
• United Airlines, for example, has increased its flights' number of seats by 20 per departure in its full network compared to 2019.
• Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the most congested airports in the US, is a prime example of a hub where "upgauging" is being used to maintain growth.
• With international travel picking back up, competition for the larger planes used for domestic flights during the Covid pandemic is becoming more intense.
• JetBlue Airways is one airline that is challenged to switch to larger planes, as it operates only narrow-body jets.
• The reliance on regional feeder airlines is also decreasing, with United and Delta shifting to larger planes to increase the number of passengers per flight.
• American Airlines is reducing frequencies on select routes from LaGuardia Airport and Newark this summer in response to a Federal Aviation Administration slot waiver.
• The FAA is allowing airlines to cut flights at airports serving New York City and Washington, D.C., and expects airlines to take steps to minimize passenger disruptions.