Q. Airline industry statistics and overview?

• For ticket prices and routes, use the Bureau of Transportation Statistics Airline Origin and Destination Survey (DB1B)
• For information on the industry and/or specific airlines:
  • Compustat**: Detailed fundamental data for public companies trading on all of the major United States & Canadian exchanges. Data date back to 1950. However Compustat came to the market around 1964 and backfilled active companies from that time period back to 1950.  There appears to be survivor bias for the 1950s. There is also industry specific data for airlines.  Available through WRDS. Use NAICS Code 481111.  

  • For outside the USA use

    • Worldscope: fundamental data for major international companies. Searchable by company name, country, exchange, or fundamental items. 1980+.  However, survivor biased prior to 1985/1986. Available through WRDS.

    • Compustat Global. **: detailed fundamental data for major companies trading on international exchanges. Special files are available that contain financial services data, currency translations, and market data. Annual data date back to 1987 . Canada and the USA are not included, for those countries use Compustat North America. Available through WRDS. 

  • World Air Transport Statistics, 2006-2014, included statistics for traffic, capacity, employees, and aircraft fleets as well as demand and supply of air transport, performance of the airline industry, and airline rankings..
    • Final print edition, 1957+, in Firestone Data and Statistical Services, older editions in Firestone stacks, call number HE9911.W87.  Print ceased in 2021.
  • See the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Statistics. Historical flight information is available in print.
  • IBISWorld
  • Passport  - from the Industries tab, select Travel. Use the Search Tree to refine your search.
  • Standard & Poor's Industry Surveys, part of S&P NetAdvantage, for industry overviews
    • Click on Industry Surveys and then Airlines. 
  • U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics has detailed data.
  • Bloomberg  (Available on the workstations located near Firestone A-13-J, Robertson 046, Andlinger 211A, Master of Finance lounge in JRR, and Sherrerd lower level.) has some airline specific data.
    • Once you have identified tickers, you can look at industry specific data through the API Function. 
• FAA Aviation/Aerospace Forecasts
  • 1988-1999 FAA Aviation Forecasts in Print: ReCAP call number TD 4.57/2:
  • 2025-2045 FAA Aerospace Forecasts available electronically.  Previous forecasts from 2016 forward are retained.

• 1937+ annual report from the Air Transport Association (now called Airlines for America - A4A)

Print holdings (note title changes) at call number HE9911 .A26 (ReCAP):

• 2003-2010: Economic report : a review of the U.S. airline industry
• 1997-2002: Annual report. air transport association of America.
• 1971-1996 (lacks 1973, 1975-1976, 1991): Air transport
• 1966-1970 (lacks 1968): Air transport facts & figures
• 1960-1964 (lacks 1961, 1963): Facts and figures about air transportation (1960-1964 bound with 1957 of earlier title)
• 1947/48-1957 (lacks 1949-1952, 1958-1959): Air transport facts & figures (1957 bound with 1960-1964 of later title)
• 1945-1946: Air transportation
• 1942-1944: Little known facts about the scheduled air transport industry

(Also, search Google to find electronic versions of some of these reports.)

• Also see Aerospace Industry Report:  Facts, Figures & Outlook for the Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing Industry.  2011-2104. Ceased. TL501 .A37 (Engineering Library).
  • Continued Aerospace Facts and Figures:  (Firestone) HE9911 .A957 (1945, 1953, 1955-1959,1960-1961, 1963, 1965-1966, 1979, 1982-2009).