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Airline Industry: All You Need to Know About The Airline Sector
An airline can be defined as a company that offers regular services for transporting
passengers or goods via the air. These companies are said to make up the airline industry,
which is also regarded as a sub-sector of the aviation sector and the wider travel industry. In
this post, you will learn everything you need to know about airlines.
What is the Airline Industry?
The airline industry encompasses a wide range of businesses, called airlines, which offer air
transport services for paying customers or business partners. These air transport services are
provided for both human travellers and cargo, and are most commonly offered via jets,
although some airlines also use helicopters.
Airlines may offer scheduled and/or chartered services and the airline industry forms a key
part of the wider travel industry, providing customers with the ability to purchase seats on
flights and travel to different parts of the world. The airline industry offers a variety of career
paths, including pilots, flight attendants and ground crew.
What is the Difference Between the Airline Industry and the Aviation Industry?
The terms ‘airline industry’ and ‘aviation industry’ are sometimes thought of as being
synonymous, but in reality, they have different meanings. As stated, the airline industry refers
to companies that offer air transport services to paying customers, whereas the aviation
industry includes all aviation-related businesses.
With this in mind, the airline industry can be classed as just one sector of the wider aviation
industry. In addition to this sector, aviation companies would also include businesses like
aircraft manufacturers, companies offering non-commercial flights, aerospace companies,
regulation authorities and those involved with research.
What are the Different Types of Airlines?
Airlines are often grouped into different categories and precise definitions can vary in
different parts of the world. However, broadly speaking, airlines can be separated into three
main types, which are as follows:
1. International Airlines
International airlines are a group of the largest, most high-profile and most successful
airlines. They make billions in revenue each year and operate large passenger jets. These
airlines also tend to focus their efforts on offering global services, carrying passengers and
cargo over large distances.
Additionally, international airlines usually employ tens of thousands of people, often have
multiple hubs and will provide access to hundreds of destinations. Examples would include
Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
2. National Airlines
National airlines represent the next step down from the largest international airlines. They
will typically offer both medium-sized and large-sized jets and will often focus on offering
services to areas within their home country, but many will offer access to international
destinations too.
A national airline is still likely to employ thousands of people, but will have a smaller fleet
size. In many cases, the destinations they offer flights to are influenced by seasonal
fluctuations in demand.
3. Regional Airlines
Finally, as the name suggests, regional airlines are the smallest of the three main types and
focus on offering services within specific regions. In many cases, they provide passenger
services to parts of the world with lower levels of demand and where services are not offered
by either national or international airlines.
Some regional airlines also function as an affiliate for a national or international airline.
Within this context, they will typically provide connection flights from the region they cover
to the airline’s main hubs.
The 7 Biggest Airline Companies in the World
When it comes to identifying the largest airlines in the world, one of the most widely utilised
metrics is revenue passenger-kilometres (RPKs) and this information is published each year
by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). As the name indicates, this metric is
the sum total of the distances flown by each of the airline’s paying passengers over the course
of a year. With this in mind, the seven biggest airline companies in the world today are:
–

The biggest airline company in the airline industry is American Airlines. Founded in 1926,
American Airlines is the largest airline in the world, not only according to the
aforementioned RPK metric, but also based on fleet size, total passengers and number of
destinations served. The company has its main headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas, flies to
around 350 destinations, and handles 200 million annual passengers.
American Airlines’ largest hub is Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, with more than 50
million passengers being served via this hub alone each year. The business also employs
more than 100,000 people.
 

The second-largest airline company in the airline industry is Delta Airlines. Based in Atlanta,
Georgia, in the USA, Delta Air Lines was established in 1925 and commenced passenger
operations in 1929. The company, which employs more than 80,000 people, operates in
excess of 5,000 daily flights, covers more than 300 destinations and handles in the region of
200 million passengers each year.
In total, Delta Air Lines has nine hubs, including Atlanta Airport, New York-JFK and Detroit
Metropolitan Airport. It is also the second-largest airline in the world by fleet size, with more
than 900 aircraft.
 

The third-largest airline company in the airline industry is United Airlines. United Airlines
was founded in 1926 and started offering passenger services in 1931. The company is based
in Chicago, Illinois and offers flights to more than 300 destinations. United Airlines is ranked
as the third-largest airline, not only by RPK, but also by fleet size, with more than 750
Boeing or Airbus aircraft.
In total, the airline has eight hubs, with Chicago–O’Hare Airport serving as the main one.
United Airlines serves more than 150 million passengers each year and is also a key member
of the Star Alliance.
 

Another main airline company within the airline industry is Emirates, based in Dubai, in the
United Arab Emirates. A state-owned airline, it started operations in 1985 and is also
recognised as one of the largest airlines in the world for cargo activities. Emirates currently
has a fleet size of more than 250 aircraft and is notable for not having joined any of the major
airline alliances.
It is estimated that Emirates provides flights for more than 50 million annual passengers and
offers services to more than 150 destinations in total. The company’s sole hub is Dubai
International Airport.
 

The fifth biggest airline company in the airline industry is Southwest Airlines. Established in
1967 and commencing with passenger airline services in 1971, Southwest Airlines is
recognised as the largest low-cost carrier in the world, according to most metrics. It has more
than 60,000 staff, operates with a fleet of more than 750 aircraft and carries more domestic
passengers than any other US airline.
Unlike most of the other airlines on this list, Southwest Airlines does not have a main hub
and instead relies on a point-to-point system. Most of its destinations are in North America
and Central America.
 

The sixth biggest airline company in the airline industry is China Southern Airlines. China
Southern Airlines was founded in 1988 and is the largest airline in Asia by fleet size,
delivering its services through more than 600 aircraft. The company provides services to in
excess of 200 destinations, carries around 150 million passengers each year and employs
somewhere in the region of 100,000 staff.
The airline’s two main hubs are Beijing Capital International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun
International Airport.
 

One more large airline company within the airline industry is Ryanair. Ryanair is Founded in
1984, Ryanair is based in Dublin, Ireland and is recognised as one of the largest budget
airlines in the world, providing flights for more than 100 million passengers every year.
These flights cover 225 destinations and the company has a fleet size of more than 300
aircraft.
The airline makes use of a point-to-point model, rather than having a central hub, but its main
operational bases can be found at Dublin Airport and London Stanstead Airport. Its route
network centres on Europe and the Middle East.
An Overview of All Airlines per Continent
Below you find an overview of all airlines worldwide per continent.
Africa
Air Mauritius, Air Seychelles, Ethiopian Airlines, Fastjet, Kenya Airways, Kulula.com,
Mango, Airlines, Max Air, Royal Air Maroc, South African Airways, TAAG Angola
Airlines 

Americas
Advanced Air, Air Charter Express, Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Transport
International, Air Wisconsin, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Atlas Air,
BLADEone, Breeze Airways, Caribbean Airlines, CommutAir, Contour Airlines, Delta Air
Lines, Delta Private Jets, Empire Airlines, Endeavor Air, Envoy Air, Frontier Airlines, GOL,
Hawaiian Airlines, iAero Airways, Interjet, JAZZ Aviation, JetBlue, Mesa Air, NetJets,
Omni Air International, PSA Airlines, Piedmont, RavnAir, Republic Airways, Seaborne
Airlines, Silver Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Sunwing
Airlines, Transat, United Airlines, Westjet, World Atlantic Airlines, XO Jet

Asia-Pacific, Air Asia, Air New Zealand , China Southern Airlines, China Airlines, Cathay
Pacific, Cebu Pacific Airlines, Emirates, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Fly Dubai, IndiGo
Airlines, Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Oman Air, Philippine Airlines, Qantas, Qatar
Airways, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Vietjet Air, Vietnam Airlines, Virgin
Australia, Vistara

Europe
Aer Lingus, Air France, Air Italy, Alitalia, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, EasyJet,
Eurowings, Finnair, Icelandair, KLM, Lufthansa, Luxair, Norwegian, OSM Aviation,
Ryanair, Silver Air, TUI Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Wizz Air

The 4 Most Important Business Models for Airlines

There are a huge number of airlines around the world, each with different ways of doing
business. Nevertheless, most can be categorised as belonging to one of the four main business
models, which are as follows:
1. Full-Service Carriers
Full-service carriers are airlines that operate with a business model that includes offering a
range of pre-flight and on-board services with the price of the ticket. This may include, for
instance, checked baggage, in-flight meals and multiple service classes, such as first-class,
business class, economy class, etc.
Their operations will typically include both passenger and cargo services, and frequent flyer
programmes are often on offer. In many parts of the world, full-service carriers are former
state-owned flag carriers, which have since been privatised. They usually offer domestic,
international, long haul and short-haul slights.
Examples would include British Airways, American Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa.
2. Low-Cost Carriers
Low-cost carriers are airlines that aim to gain a competitive advantage over full-service
carriers by reducing costs. This is done in a number of ways, including using smaller fleets
and smaller aircraft, and also by offering more limited services. Their business model tends to
centre around promoting value for money.
For travellers, flights from low-cost carriers are often significantly cheaper. However, they
tend not to offer lounge services at airports and things like in-flight meals and baggage
allowances will almost certainly not be included in the price of the ticket. Instead, where they
are available, customers pay for them separately.
Examples would include Ryanair, Southwest Airlines, EasyJet and Eurowings.
3. Charter Airlines
Also known as holiday carriers, charter airlines are focused very firmly on providing
passenger services to tourists. In most cases, however, they do not sell airline tickets directly.
Instead, they will enter into agreements with tour operators and/or travel agencies, who then
take responsibility for finding passengers for them.
In terms of passenger services, charter airlines are often a “middle-ground” between full-
service and low-cost carriers. As with low-cost airlines, the business model does rely on
reducing overall costs. Yet, in many cases, in-flight meals and similar services will be
included with the price of an airline ticket.
4. Cargo Airlines
Finally, cargo airlines, also known as air freight carriers, are airlines that are either solely or
primarily focused on the air transportation of cargo or freight. Some cargo airlines, such as
Lufthansa Cargo and Emirates SkyCargo, are subsidiaries or sub-divisions of airlines that
also offer passenger services.
Cargo airlines can be further broken down into traditional cargo carriers and integrated cargo
carriers. With the latter, all aspects of cargo transportation are controlled by the company,
including the ground or non-flight elements. Examples of airlines that would fit into the
integrated cargo carrier category include UPS Airlines and FedEx Express.

Tips to Find a Job in The Airline Industry

We wrote many articles providing practical tips for finding jobs in the airline industry.
Advice like, how to apply for airline jobs, what are the best job boards and what are top
recruitment agencies to find airline industry jobs. Below we piled up all articles which help
you to manage a career in the airline industry.
1. Airline Jobs: List of Airlines to Find Your Next Job!
There is a wide range of different positions and opportunities within the airline industry, but
finding vacancies can be one of the biggest obstacles. Nevertheless, the vast majority of
major airlines will actually advertise important vacancies on their own websites and social
media channels, making things significantly easier.
2. Airline Industry Job Boards for Finding Jobs Online
Regardless of whether you are already working in the airline industry, or looking for your
first job in the industry, you need a reliable way to find airline vacancies and specialised job
boards are among the best channels available. Using such a platform, you can not only search
for your ideal job, but also apply online too.
3. Recruitment Agencies for Aviation and Airline Industry Managers
If you are hoping to find aviation management jobs, recruitment agencies can often rank
among the most viable channels. After all, many of these agencies have long-term
relationships with airline industry employers, know exactly what they are looking for, and
have access to information about jobs that are not advertised elsewhere.
4. Airline Industry: An Overview of the Main Airport Jobs
As with other parts of the airline industry, the day-to-day functions within airports are reliant
on the people working in the key roles. There is a huge amount of variety when it comes to
airport jobs and this means there are suitable roles for almost anyone, regardless of where you
currently are in your career and what skills you possess.
5. Job Description and Channels for Finding Airline Manager Jobs
The position of airline manager is one of the most senior jobs available to people working in
the airline industry. However, before moving into such a role, it is useful to take the time to
learn about what the main duties are, what the entry requirements and what skills you will
use. On top of this, you will also need to learn the best ways to apply.
6. Airline Industry: Tips for Finding Flight Attendant Jobs
Flight attendant jobs are among the most popular and most rewarding in the entire airline
industry. However, the competition for places that exist can make it difficult to find
employment, unless you take the necessary steps, such as using the right channels, building
the right skills and obtaining the right level of education.
7. Airline Careers: Different Positions in the Airline Industry
The airline industry offers a diverse range of job roles, with airline careers to suit virtually all
skills, abilities and levels of experience. The options range from highly technical jobs, such
as pilots, co-pilots and air traffic controllers, through to entry-level customer service and
cleaning roles.
8. Airline Staff: How to Hire Staff for Your Airline
If you are involved with recruitment for an airline, you need to make sure you are attracting
and selecting the best possible candidates. However, finding the right airline staff will only be
possible if you take certain steps and you use the right channels to get the word out about any
job vacancies you may have.
9. Recruitment Agencies for Aviation and Airline Industry Managers
If you are hoping to find aviation management jobs, recruitment agencies can often rank
among the most viable channels. After all, many of these agencies have long-term
relationships with airline industry employers, know exactly what they are looking for, and
have access to information about jobs that are not advertised elsewhere.

The Importance of Revenue Management Within the Airline Industry

The aim with any revenue management strategy is to sell the right product or service to the
right customer, in the right moment, via the right distribution channel, for the right price. This
is applicable to the airline industry too, with companies tracking and analysing the behaviour
of passengers, in order to anticipate demand.
Once levels of demand can be predicted, airlines can then focus on optimising availability
and adjusting pricing. For instance, an airline can charge higher prices at times of high
demand, but may charge lower prices at a time when demand is low, in an effort to fill seats
that might otherwise be left vacant.
Adopting a revenue management strategy can, therefore, help airlines to increase both
revenue and profits. You can learn much more about revenue management by reading our
article: “Revenue Management; Clearly Explained!”
Popular Websites to Book Airline Tickets
Today, customers have a range of options for actually booking airline tickets, with online
purchases being one of the most common. Some of the most popular websites used for this
purpose are outlined below:
Airline Own Websites
The first option for customers looking to book airline tickets is to do so directly through an
airline website. This is the most important distribution channel for airlines, because unlike
with bookings made through online travel agents or metasearch engines, they do not have to
pay a commission fee on the booking. For customers, airline websites may offer exclusive
deals or flights that cannot be found on other platforms, and many offer price match
guarantees.
 

Launched in 2002 and based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Skyscanner is a metasearch engine

owned by the Chinese Trip.com Group. The platform allows customers to easily search for
flights to and from their chosen destination and will compare prices from different online
travel agents, making it easier to find the best possible deal. In addition to booking flights,
customers can also book other travel products, such as hotel rooms and rental cars.
Click here for more information about Skyscanner.
 
Kayak was founded in 2004 and is now owned by Booking Holdings, which is the parent
company of Booking.com. The service is available in 30 countries and more than 15
languages, and functions as a metasearch engine, finding flight deals from airline websites, as
well as online travel agents. Kayak allows customers to track prices over time and set up
price alerts, while it also offers data-driven advice on whether to book now or wait for prices
to fall.
Click here for more information about Kayak.
 

Owned by Expedia Group, which is the parent company of Expedia, Travelocity launched in
1996 and was an innovator within the field of online travel agents, allowing customers to
purchase tickets from the hotel and airline industry without needing to deal with a human
agent. The platform connects with major global distribution systems, in order to access up-to-
date information about the availability and prices of flights and other travel products.
Click here for more information about Travelocity.
 

Expedia.com is the main online travel agency website owned and operated by Expedia
Group. The platform, which doubles as a metasearch engine, launched in 2001 and is based in
Bellevue, Washington, USA. Expedia connects with some of the major global distribution
systems, in order to provide information about pricing and availability of airline tickets. It
functions in a similar way to Travelocity, but offers some additional features, such as flexible
date searching.
Click here for more information about Expedia.
 

The main online travel agency service owned by Booking Holdings, Booking.com was
founded in 1996, making it one of the oldest OTAs still in existence. The platform is
available in a total of 48 languages and the business itself is based in Amsterdam, in the
Netherlands. Booking.com offers flights, accommodation, package deals, car rentals and
other travel services. Products from the airline industry are sold using GDS systems like
Sabre and Amadeus.
Click here for more information about Booking.com.
 

Founded in 2005, CheapOair is based in New York City, USA and functions as an OTA
service, allowing customers to purchase travel products, including airline tickets. Bookings
can be made on a self-service basis, using the website or mobile apps, or made over the
phone, speaking to a human travel agent. As the name indicates, the service was primarily
designed with the airline industry in mind. The company is owned by Fareportal, who also
own OneTravel.
Click here for more information about CheapOair.
 

Based in Needham, Massachusetts, USA, TripAdvisor was launched in 2000 and was
originally designed as a dedicated online reviews platform. While it still functions as such
and still relies heavily on user-generated content, it has since expanded into a fully-fledged
travel industry metasearch engine too. As a result, customers can use the service to find and
compare the prices of a range of travel products, including those offered by companies in the
airline industry.
Click here for more information about Tripadvisor.
 

Launched in 1998, with its HQ in New York City, Travelzoo is a travel website with a focus
on North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific markets. It is technically neither an OTA nor a
metasearch engine and instead publishes deals and special offers from more than 2,000 travel,
entertainment and local businesses, including those in the airline industry. Companies pay to
have their deal advertised on the platform, but all deals need to be approved first.
Click here for more information about Travelzoo.
 

Momondo is based in Copenhagen, Denmark and launched in 2006. The platform, which is
owned by Booking Holdings, is a metasearch engine and is available in 18 languages.
Customers are able to compare the prices of airline tickets and follow links through to other
websites in order to actually them. The service is free to use and the metasearch engine
explores several smaller OTAs, at times offering deals that are not seen on most other
platforms.
Click here for more information about Momondo.
List of Platforms to Increase Bookings in the Travel Industry
Travel companies within the airline industry and other related industries need to optimise
distribution and marketing, so they reach as many customers as possible and maximise
demand for bookings. Travel agencies can be invaluable in this regard, because they often
serve as a convenient one-stop-shop for customers who may not be willing to take the time to
book with individual companies.
What Will Change the Airline Industry in the Upcoming Years?
Below you find a video from IATA (The International Air Transport Association) with key
risks and opportunities that businesses operating in the airline industry could face between
now and 2035.
Travel Marketing Tips to Gain More Customers
Travel marketing is one of the key ways that companies operating in the airline industry can
communicate with customers, promote their services, convey brand values and differentiate
themselves from competitors. However, it is also important to understand that travel
marketing can take many forms.
The Latest Technology Trends Within Travel
For businesses in the airline industry, technology is a key driver of success, helping to
distribute products, promote services and improve overall efficiency. Of course, it is also
crucial for customers too, whether it is a single tourist looking for flights, or a travel
management company arranging business travel for multiple clients.
Through our “Key Technology Trends Emerging in the Travel Industry” article, you will be
able to find out more about the very latest technology, how it is disrupting the industry, and
how it can help travel companies.
The Latest Travel Trends
New technology, changing demographics and alterations to customer behaviour mean that
companies in the airline industry and wider travel industry need to stay on top of the latest
trends. After all, companies that fail to adapt to new ways of doing business risk being left
behind when it comes to financial results too.
Aerospace Companies and the Airline Industry
Airlines are hugely reliant on aerospace companies for things like the manufacturing of
aircraft and the development of new technology. Therefore, in order to build a fully rounded
knowledge of the airline industry, you should also take the time to learn as much as you can
about the aerospace industry too.
The Value of Travel Software Packages
Increasingly, the best travel companies are recognising the value of software for improving
efficiency and accuracy. From revenue management software helping to optimise financial
results, through to marketing, distribution and reputation management solutions, these
packages can make a significant difference to overall business results.
The airline industry encompasses all businesses offering regular, paid air travel services
to customers. Nevertheless, it is also an extremely diverse industry, as there are a
number of different airline types and business models.

The Impact of Corona Virus (COVID-19) on the Travel Industry

The coronavirus epidemic has made a huge impact on the travel industry. Almost all
governments around the world have ordered their borders to close and airlines to stop
operating. This has resulted in many important local and international events, such as the
world-famous travel expo, ITB Berlin and the Olympics in Japan to either get postponed or
cancelled because of coronavirus fears. With more and more people losing their jobs and
facing financial insecurity, it’s not surprising to see a large number of business and personal
trips that people had scheduled to take in 2020 or even 2021 get cancelled.
Most tour operators and travel agencies are experiencing a steep decline in revenue. The
knock-on effect is the result of airlines being forced to ground flights, which also affects the
hotels and restaurants negatively. This means significant revenue loss for the travel, tourism,
hotel, hospitality and airline industry. Some travel companies have been left with no choice
but to wait it out, despite struggling to stay open.
In the category “Corona” you find a selection of tips which helps businesses operating in the
hospitality and travel industry to recover and prepare for better times.
Want to Learn More About Related Industries?
The travel industry exists out of many other industries, like the hotel, hospitality and airline
industry. All of these industries have in common that they are large service industries in the
world and increasingly important in the modern age. In the following articles, you learn more
about related industries.

 Hotel Industry; An Overview of All Different Types of Accommodations

  Hospitality Industry; Everything You Need to Know About Hospitality
 Tourism Industry; Everything You Need to Know About Tourism
 What is the Difference Between the Travel and Tourism Industry?
 Travel Industry; An Overview of One of the Largest Service Industries
 Everything You Need to Know About the Cruise Industry
 Space Tourism: 5 Space Companies That Will Make You An Astronaut
More Tips to Grow Your Business
Revfine.com is a knowledge platform for the hospitality & travel industry. Professionals use
our insights, strategies and actionable tips to get inspired, to optimise revenue, innovate
processes and improve customer experience. You can find all travel industry tips in the
categories Marketing & Distribution and Technology & Software.