widespread trend

widespread trend

By the numbers

The number of travelers on many short-haul routes has dropped significantly in the past two decades. Consider these numbers:

In 1990, people flying on short-haul routes, 400 miles or less, made up nearly 34 percent of domestic passengers on U.S. airlines. In 2009, the last year for which full numbers are available, the percentage had dropped to 26.6 percent.

Southwest saw its short-haul percentage decline from nearly 59 percent of its passengers in 1990 to just under 35 percent by 2009.

The average Southwest passenger in 1990 traveled 502 miles each way. In 2009, that average trip lengthened to 863 miles, a 72 percent increase.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics