American Airlines Group Reports Record August Traffic Results

FORT WORTH, Texas — American Airlines Group reported August and year-to-date 2017 traffic results.

American Airlines Group’s total revenue passenger miles (RPMs) were a record 21.2 billion, up 3.7 percent versus August 2016. Total capacity was 25.5 billion available seat miles (ASMs), up 3.2 percent versus August 2016. Total passenger load factor was 83.3 percent, up 0.4 percentage points versus August 2016.

As of the end of August, the company’s estimate for its third quarter total revenue per available seat mile (TRASM) was in line with prior guidance of up 0.5 percent to up 2.5 percent year-over-year. However, Hurricane Irma caused closures at 40 airports in Florida and the Caribbean, including the company’s hub at Miami International Airport, and resulted in more than 5,000 flight cancellations. Based on preliminary estimates of the financial impact of the storm, the company now expects its third quarter 2017 TRASM to be approximately flat to up one percent year-over-year. Including the impact of higher fuel costs for the quarter, the company now expects its third quarter 2017 pre-tax margin excluding special items1 to be between 8.5 percent and 10.5 percent vs. the company’s previous guidance of between 10 percent and 12 percent. The company continues to believe that fourth quarter TRASM growth will exceed third quarter growth.

The following summarizes American Airlines Group traffic results for the month ended August 31, 2017, and 2016, consisting of mainline-operated flights, wholly owned regional subsidiaries and operating results from capacity purchase agreements.