This report guides the reader through the complex reasons for historic financial losses and restructurings from in the airline industry from 2000 to 2006, and clearly states what Mintel believes lies ahead from 2007 to 2011.

This report focuses on domestic airlines, broadly examining the 11 largest carriers, and compares the fortunes of the legacy carriers with those of the low-cost carriers. It seeks to demonstrate who has had the competitive advantage recently, and how this will shape the industry going forward.

Economic and social factors are thoroughly explored, as well as consumer attitudes and behavior. Rising incomes among the well-off and falling national-median incomes create special challenges and opportunities for the industry. Airline finances and marketing programs are discussed in depth. Operational actions that the industry has taken since 2002, combined with new developments in airline attitudes towards customers in 2006, help paint a clear picture of where the industry is moving.

Mintel’s proprietary research and extensive consumer surveys from Simmons NCS provide an especially detailed understanding of which consumers travel, where they travel, for what purpose, and on which carriers; as well as what motivates these consumers.

Definition

The following definitions are provided to identify the scope of this analysis of the major airlines market in the U.S.

U.S. airline market

Mintel defines the airline market as ticket sales of U.S.-based commercial scheduled passenger airlines. Cargo and foreign airlines are not the subject of this report, nor are unscheduled or chartered passenger flights.

The total service to the passenger provided by airlines includes booking facilities, ticketing, baggage handling, and in-flight services. This report focuses on airlines based in the U.S., but also covers international flights booked on U.S. carriers, and excludes activity by U.S. nationals on foreign carriers.

Major airlines market

The further definition of major airlines includes the six leading carriers—American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Airways—which are also known as the legacy carriers, or those in existence since deregulation in 1978. These carriers comprise the major airlines market in the U.S.

Discount airlines market

These include the leading eleven carriers—Southwest, America West (owned by US Airways), ATA, JetBlue, Airtran, Frontier, Spirit, Ted (owned by United), Alaska Air, Gulfstream International and Song (owned by Delta)—which are also known as low-cost carriers. These carriers comprise the discount airline market in the U.S.