U.S. airlines expect this summer to be the busiest on record as an increase in consumer confidence in the economy is spurring people to travel more.
 
Some 222 million travelers are expected to fly from June 1 through Aug. 31, up 4.5 percent from last summer, according to estimates from the industry trade group Airlines for America, which represents the largest U.S. carriers. That beats the previous peak of 217 million travelers in 2007, before the recession.
 
The top international destinations from the United States are Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan (in order), according to published airline schedules. An average of 2.4 million travelers a day includes 332,000 international passengers, which Airlines for America says is another record.
 
Top U.S. destinations are New York, Los Angeles and Denver.
 
“With 13 of the 15 busiest air travel days of the year falling in the summer months, U.S. airlines are well-prepared to accommodate the increased travel demand by adding flights and seats, and deploying new and larger aircraft, along with a boost in staffing to enhance the customer experience,” said Airlines for America’s chief economist John Heimlich. U.S. carriers plan to boost the number of available seats by nearly 5 percent, or 126,000 seats a day, to meet the expected increase in summer demand, he said.
 
U.S. passenger planes have been flying fuller, reflecting an increased travel demand. The load factor — how full planes fly — for U.S. airlines’ scheduled service rose to 84.2 percent in February, the highest level in a year, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
 
The summer forecast comes on the heels of improved profitability for U.S. passenger airlines despite a harsh winter.
 
Ten publicly traded U.S. carriers, including Fort Worth-based American Airlines and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, together reported net profits of $3.1 billion in the first quarter, up 1.1 percent from a year earlier. Those airlines are scheduled to take receive 367 new aircraft this year, Heimlich said.
 
Southwest has been expanding its flying since federal restrictions on nonstop U.S. service out of Dallas Love Filed lifted in October.