Auto Rental News
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Flight Capacity Rebounds, but Full Recovery not Expected until 2023

While domestic U.A. flights resume month over month, July domestic capacity will be 30% to 55% of July 2019. International travel is slower to rebound.

June 8, 2020
Flight Capacity Rebounds, but Full Recovery not Expected until 2023

United will reinstate flights at over 150 of its U.S and Canadian destinations next month, which will result in about 30% of its domestic capacity compared with a year earlier.

2 min to read


American Airlines Group is planning to fly more than 55% of its July 2019 domestic capacity in July 2020, the company shared in a news announcement. American’s average daily passenger numbers rose from about 32,000 in April to over 110,000 in May.

However, Delta has announced an 85% reduction in its second quarter schedule, which include reductions of 80% in U.S. domestic capacity and 90% internationally.

Ad Loading...

Delta is suspending flights to smaller airports beginning June 8. The affected airports are:

Aspen, CO (ASE), Bangor, ME (BGR), Erie, PA (ERI), Flint, MI (FNT), Fort Smith, AR (FSM), Lincoln, NE (LNK), New Bern/Morehead/Beaufort, NC (EWN), Peoria, IL (PIA), Santa Barbara, CA (SBA), Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, PA (AVP), and Williston, ND (XWA).

Additionally, Delta is indefinitely suspending service to Ottawa International Airport, effective June 21.

On a month-to-month basis, trends are improving. Delta CEO Ed Bastian said last Wednesday that the company plans to operate twice as many domestic flights in July as it did in May, most from Delta’s Atlanta hub.

United plans to operate at about 30% of its domestic capacity compared with a year earlier. The carrier will reinstate flights at over 150 of its U.S and Canadian destinations next month, according to NPR.

Ad Loading...

While Delta and United have started resuming some overseas flights, international business traffic is expected to be the slowest area to rebound. American is flying less than 20% of last year’s international schedule and has delayed resumption of additional foreign routes by at least a month.

According to the Bloomberg report, Moody’s Investors Service predicts “severely depressed” demand for flights next year and no substantial recovery until 2023.

Owing to improved travel fundamentals, shares of Hertz Global (HTZ) were up 28.11% before the market opened on Monday June 8, and shares are close to their pre-bankruptcy levels.

Avis Budget Group (CAR) is 6.55% higher and up 130% for the last six weeks, according to Seeking Alpha. Shares of CAR are only down 2.51% year to date.

More Rental Operations

Photos of CEOs Colm Brady and Francois Kruger on a blue background and above a headline.
Telematicsby News/Media ReleaseMay 22, 2026

RentalMatics, GeoInt Partner On Rental Car Speed Tracking Tech

Rental operators can now detect and act on speeding while vehicles are still on rent, thereby reducing fines, admin workload, vehicle wear, and safety risks.

Read More →
NextPass 407 ETR

NextPass Expands Toll Payment Service to Highway In Toronto

Fleets and consumer can use a transponder-less option when traveling between Canada and the U.S.

Read More →
A black Jeep is displayed at the Zubie-Bosch-TSD exhibit during the International Car Rental Show.

Zubie, PurCo Integrate Rental Damage Detection With Telematics

The combination brings actionable vehicle insights into PurCo’s PurInspect platform, improving damage detection and operational efficiency for rental fleets.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
50 states map showing LOR rates for each state with different shades of light to dark green

U.S. Length Of Rental (LOR) Declines Slightly in Q1 2026

LOR related to insurance claims overall continues to trend downward, but ongoing market and economic conditions could affect future results while the industry deals with staffing and productivity challenges.

Read More →
Illustration of a driverless futuristic front seat/dashboard view of other cars on a freeway with city skyline on horizon.

Hertz, Uber Deepen Roles In Self-Driving And Driver-Led Fleet Services

The business arrangement connects demand with scalable fleet management services and supports a range of mobility uses.

Read More →
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
A tech collage of electronic devices against a computer chip blueprint map.
Rental OperationsMay 1, 2026

Why Car Rental Can No Longer Run On Workarounds

The shift from branch-based software to connected operations is turning rental technology into strategic infrastructure.

Read More →
A black Audi SUV superimposed on a historic scene from downtown Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Carwiz Sets Up Rental Operations In Central Asia

The global franchise operation reaches a first in its rental fleet portfolio with new service in Uzbekistan.

Read More →
A raging brushfire in the countryside.
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 30, 2026

Where Rental Fleets Must Adjust To Shifting Catastrophe Risks

West Coast disasters pose unique challenges and liabilities for rental fleet operators, who are advised to take steps tailored to their specific situations.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
ARN Industry Newsmakers thumbnail page with ARN and ICRS logos and shots of Nick DiPrima and Martin Romjue
Rental Operationsby Martin RomjueApril 27, 2026

Using AI To Find Rental Car Damage

Angry car renters are storming social media, the mainstream media, and online ratings platforms to complain about charges they claim are either unfounded or excessive.

Read More →
Ad Loading...