Spring Break Set To Be A Stress Test For US Airlines & Airports

Simple Flying

By Steven Walker

Published Mar 21, 2023

With spring break passenger numbers expected to exceed 2019 levels, airlines and airports across the US will be put to the test.

Photo: Philip Pilosian | Shutterstock

Spring break 2023 looks set to be the busiest travel period in US history. According to Airlines for America, airports across the country will see a staggering 2.6 million passengers per day on average throughout the months of March and April, which represents a 1% increase on the levels seen in 2019. Airports with particularly high expected growth rates include Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and Charleston International Airport (CHS).

These figures have led the US Travel Association (USTA) to call on the federal government to take action to modernize the country's aviation infrastructure amid fears that airports will struggle to cope with the surge in passengers. The group cited a recent Ipsos poll, which revealed that 45% of US travelers currently rate the air travel experience as average or below average, with congestion, delays, and the airport security process being the main drivers behind the poor rating.

A busy airport terminal. — Photo: Rawpixel.com | Shutterstock

The study also found that more than one-third of US leisure travelers would fly more frequently if the travel experience was less of a hassle. The US Travel Association's president and CEO, Geoff Freeman, underlined the importance of the task ahead, saying,

"Periods of high demand—like spring break and holiday weekends—are a stress test that reveal the inadequacies of our current air travel system. Demand may be high now, but countless frustrating air travel experiences may cause passengers to choose other modes of transportation or simply stay home in the future. Strong demand today means nothing if passengers aren’t satisfied. The federal government needs to make the critical investments now to ensure we still have passengers in the future."

The importance of new technologies

The key to improving the situation, per the USTA, lies in growing the aviation workforce and modernizing airport infrastructure nationwide. The use of biometric data is another way that the processing of passengers through security can be streamlined.

Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Several US airlines and airports have trialed biometric technology in recent months, including United Airlines at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Spirit Airlines at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), and it is expected to become more commonplace throughout 2023.

Things can only get better

Last summer saw unprecedented chaos at major airports worldwide as airlines and operators alike struggled to cope with the sudden rebound of travel following the pandemic. Since then, the entire aviation industry has undertaken large-scale recruitment drives to ensure they have sufficient staffing levels, adding over 96,000 jobs in the US alone. Spring break will put these staffing levels to the test, offering a glimpse of what this summer's airport experience may look like.

Airlines For America spring break forecast

Image: Airlines For America

The peak spring break travel season offers airlines the chance to claw back some of the losses suffered over recent years, but if the airport infrastructure is unable to cope with the surge in demand, it could lead to operational disruption for carriers and even more frustration for passengers.