Global data shows the pandemic and its consequences has wiped out 21 years of global passenger traffic growth in a matter of months, reducing traffic in 2020 to levels last seen in 1999.
In comparison to 2019, passenger traffic is estimated to be down 67% in 2020.
From January to December airlines operated 49% fewer flights in 2020 compared to 2019 – down from 33.2 million flights to just 16.8 million (to December 20).
Domestic travel was down 40% this year, from 21.5 million flights in 2019, while international flights suffered an even more precipitous drop as they were 68% below the 11.7 million flights tracked the year before.
The majority of the scheduled passenger flights flown this year have been domestic – totaling 13 million (77%) with a mere 3.8 million (23%) flying internationally, due to closed borders and limited business travel.
