New Data Shows that U.S. Passenger and Cargo Airlines Employ More Than 1 Million Workers

Airlines for America (A4A), the industry trade organization representing leading U.S. passenger and cargo airlines, is proud to share that the U.S. airline industry now employs over one million people. According to the most recent data from the Department of Transportation (DOT), U.S. passenger airlines are now employing their largest workforce in nearly 23 years.

This milestone highlights the ongoing commitment of the U.S. airline industry to provide well-paying jobs across the industry. In 2022, air transportation employees earned wages 39 percent higher than the average private sector employee, with additional benefits including medical, flight and retirement benefits, as well as job flexibility. These represent the highest wages and most generous benefits in the history of the industry.

“These one million men and women are the backbone of our industry, which is why A4A member airlines continue to invest significantly in current and future employees to ensure that we have people trained and in the right places at the right time to accommodate the demand for air travel and shipping,” said Rebecca Spicer, senior vice president of communications at A4A. “We are grateful for our employees’ dedication to getting millions of travelers to their destinations safely and delivering tons of cargo across the country and around the world every single day.”

The airline industry and its workforce are critical to the U.S. economy, with commercial aviation supporting 10 million jobs and driving 5 percent of U.S. GDP—the equivalent of $1.37 trillion in 2023.